Online Doctor of Education (EdD) Programs in Idaho

There are four schools in Idaho that offer students the opportunity to pursue a Doctor of Education online. Boise State University offers an online EdD in Educational Technology, while Idaho State University has an online EdD in Educational Leadership and Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa has an Educational Leadership EdD program for students who already possess an Education Specialist (EdS) degree. Finally, the University of Idaho offers an online EdD in Educational Leadership.

All four schools are nonprofit institutions that are regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Their education programs are also accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). To learn more about their Doctor of Education programs, continue reading below.

Schools in Idaho with Online EdD Programs

As mentioned above, Boise State University offers a Doctor of Education in Educational Technology online through its College of Education’s Department of Educational Technology. The program focuses on both current and emerging technologies in the world of education, including online teaching, educational games, simulators, and software development for web and mobile platforms. A total of 66 credits are required to earn the degree, all of which can be completed online. There are no face-to-face requirements and students can even complete their exams and dissertation defense at a distance. Coursework is delivered through primarily asynchronous instruction; however, some courses may require students to be online at specific times for live sessions.

The curriculum in Boise State’s EdTech EdD program is broken down into a number of different sections. Students begin by taking four core courses (Doctoral Studies Orientation, Leadership in Educational Technology, Research Writing, and Global and Cultural Perspectives in Educational Technology), as well as five research courses (Research in Educational Technology, Introduction to Statistics for Educational Technology, Quantitative Research Methods, Qualitative Research Methods, and a research elective). They then choose three graduate courses from a relevant field to form their Cognate Area, exploring a particular area of interest related to educational technology or instructional leadership. The remaining curriculum consists of four additional electives, a three-credit innovation experience, doctoral seminar, culminating examination, and ten credits associated with dissertation development.

Idaho State University offers an online EdD in Educational Leadership that features three emphasis areas to choose from: Higher Education Administration, Instructional Design Technology, and K-12 Administration. Regardless of the emphasis area they choose, all students take the same Doctoral Core courses, which include Leadership and Organizational Development, Advanced Research Design in Qualitative and Quantitative methodologies, Change Strategies, and Intermediate or Advanced Education Statistics. From there, students of the Higher Education Administration emphasis take courses such as History and Philosophy of Higher Education, College & University Curriculum, Finance in Higher Education, Instructional Leadership and Faculty Affairs in Higher Education, Assessment and Accountability in Higher Education, and Issues/Trends in Higher Education. Students of the Instructional Design and Technology emphasis take courses such as Issues and Trends in Instructional Technology, Fundamentals of Instructional Design, Multimedia Authoring, Instructional Technology and Staff Development, and Instructional Design for Distance Learning. Students of the K-12 Educational Administration emphasis take classes in areas such as Superintendency, School Personnel Administration, Educational Policy and Governance, Educational Planning and Evaluation, and Public School Monetary and Business Policy.

All students of Idaho State University’s online EdD in Educational Leadership are required to complete a practicum in a setting that is relevant to their desired area of work, during which they receive guidance and support from a supervisor and faculty mentors. After their formal coursework is completed, students must take a comprehensive examination before progressing to their Capstone Seminar and their dissertation work. Dissertations in this program must center on a research inquiry that examines a problem of practice in higher education, K-12 education, or instructional design technology, the goal being for students to apply the findings of their research to their current and future place of employment.

At Northwest Nazarene University, students who have earned their Education Specialist (EdS) degree (or equivalent doctoral-level credits) and now want to complete an EdD can do so online through the school’s Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership program. Offered by their Department of Education, this EdS to EdD pathway provides advanced study of leadership practices and educational policies that affect both schools and school systems, with an emphasis on K-12 education. The curriculum consists of 36 credits and is designed to be completed in approximately 26 months. Students take 12 doctoral-level courses in order to earn their EdD, examining topics such as Policy Influence and Development, Effective Leadership for Change Management, Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods, Advanced Data Analysis, and Professional and Ethical Leadership. While the majority of the program is delivered online, there is a two-week residency session that places on campus during the summer, in which students participate in face-to-face learning activities and receive help preparing for their dissertation research.

The University of Idaho offers an online EdD in Educational Leadership through its College of Education, Health and Human Sciences. This program prepares students to apply advanced research insights to improving education outcomes in a variety of settings, from higher education institutions to public primary and secondary schools and the private sector. Students take courses in leadership ethics and law in education, school finance, global education leadership, school-community relations, school facilities planning and maintenance, the principalship and superintendency, diversity and multiculturalism in education, instructional standards setting and compliance, and policy and politics for education administrators. After passing a comprehensive examination to achieve doctoral candidacy, students progress to their dissertation work.

Students interested in earning their EdD online in a different specialization, such as Curriculum and Instruction, Organizational Leadership, or Educational Policy Leadership may want to consider enrolling in a program based out of state. Many colleges and universities around the country offer online EdD programs that accept students from Idaho. Some of these can be completed entirely online, while others include one or more campus-based residencies or other in-person components. To learn more about EdD specialization options and browse available programs, check out our Online EdD Program Specializations page.

Online EdD Programs in Idaho

The following section includes a list of schools in Idaho that offer Doctor of Education degrees online. For more information about the EdD programs discussed on this page, such as current admission requirements or tuition rates, click the corresponding link below to visit the program’s website.