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Online Doctor of Education (EdD) Programs in Indiana

Updated: December 5, 2025

There are currently four schools in Indiana where students can pursue a Doctor of Education degree online. Indiana University offers three online EdD programs for students to choose from, in Literacy, Culture, and Language Education; Curriculum and Instruction; and Instructional Systems Technology. In addition, Indiana Wesleyan University has an online EdD in Educational Leadership, as well as a Doctoral Completion Program for students who have completed a doctoral-level EdS and just need to complete their dissertation to confer their EdD. Finally, Purdue University Global has an online EdD in Leadership and Innovation, while the University of Southern Indiana offers an online EdD in Educational Leadership.

Indiana University, Indiana Wesleyan University, Purdue University Global, and the University of Southern Indiana are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Additionally, Indiana University’s School of Education, Indiana Wesleyan University’s School of Integrated Learning and Development, and the University of Southern Indiana’s Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education are all accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Schools in Indiana with Online EdD Programs

Indiana University (IU) in Bloomington has three online Doctor of Education programs, which are offered through its School of Education and IU Online. The first program is an EdD in Literacy, Culture, and Language Education, designed for literacy and language practitioners looking to pursue top leadership roles in the field. The 60-credit program focuses on advanced topics and skills related to the development and implementation of language and literacy programs and curricula. Along with courses related to their major and capstone dissertation, students get to choose a number of electives and even formulate a minor to further specialize their studies. While the majority of this coursework takes place online, students are required to attend at least one conference led by the Literacy, Culture, and Language Education department on the Bloomington campus.

The second online Doctor of Education that Indiana University offers is its EdD in Curriculum and Instruction, which features specialization options in Art Education, Mathematics Education, and Science Education. This program is designed to prepare educators, education leaders, and scholars of education to combine research and tactical problem solving skills to develop and implement effective curricula and programming, as well as train and support instructors in a wide variety of contexts. This program is comprised of 60 course credits, and focuses heavily on scholarly inquiry and its utility in organizational and academic settings. Individuals consult with program advisors to select courses for their major and minor, as well as their electives. For their culminating project, students complete a dissertation. This program is offered fully online.

The third Doctor of Education program offered online by Indiana University is an EdD in Instructional Systems Technology (IST). This degree helps prepare students for management or leadership roles involving instructional and performance technology. Students learn how to apply research data to build or improve educational processes and products, as well as effectively analyze the needs of their target audience and measure program outcomes. As with the Literacy, Culture, and Language Education program, this EdD requires a total of 60 credit hours, which includes a choice of electives and nine-credit minor. Most of these degree requirements can be completed online; however, students must attend IU’s IST Annual Conference on the Bloomington campus during their first year in the program.

Indiana Wesleyan University offers two online EdD programs through its School of Integrated Learning and Development. The first is an online Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, which prepares educators to step into leadership roles across a variety of contexts, from P-12 education to policy development. Students of this program take a set, 60-credit curriculum comprised of 20 courses that cover topics such as advanced scholarly writing for educational leaders, educational leadership theory and practice, cultural responsiveness in education, education history and law, ethical educational leadership, change theory and management, collaboration and conflict resolution, action research, and education statistics. Through this coursework, students prepare to combine cross-cultural perspectives, team leadership, and action research in designing and implementing solutions to educational challenges. Students’ culminating experience in the program is an action research project, which they complete with guidance and support of program faculty, particularly their doctoral chair. Upon presenting and defending their action research project before a panel, students adapt it into a conference presentation or an academic paper that can be submitted to a journal or other scholarly publication.

Indiana Wesleyan University also offers a Doctoral Completion Program, otherwise known as an All But Dissertation (ABD) or EdS to EdD program. This program is designed for students who already hold a doctoral-level EdS or have completed 30 transferable credits of doctoral coursework in education leadership, generally through another EdD program. The Doctoral Completion Program allows students who have completed most or all of the coursework requirements for an EdD to confer their doctoral degree by finishing their dissertation with individualized, online support from Indiana Wesleyan University faculty. Students who enroll in this program take action research-focused courses and meet with their faculty advisor to discuss and work on their project, present and defend their research findings, and refine their final paper into an academic paper or presentation for journal submission or a conference.

Purdue University Global in West Lafayette has an online Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation that is 100% online and consists of 12 courses, totaling 60 credits. Students take a set sequence of courses in a prescribed order, with course concepts building on each other as students gain research and leadership skills that are applicable to a broad range of learning contexts and needs. Students can pursue a full-time or part-time course of study, and have up to five years to complete the program. The content coursework in the program covers historical and contemporary educational systems, leadership ethics and accountability, responsive curriculum research and design, facilitating motivation and learning within organizations, theories and principles of transformative learning, and creativity in organizational leadership. Through these classes, students learn how to develop and improve learning environments to support diverse student and professional populations.

Following the content coursework, students delve into courses that focus on their culminating experience within the program, which is an Applied Research Project. Through the Applied Research Project, students investigate a problem of practice within their work setting and identify research-informed ways to address this problem. Students first complete an introductory doctoral writing and research course before taking classes that guide them through writing their research proposal, identifying the research methodologies that work best for their study, applying for Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, implementing their research study, and analyzing their data to arrive at conclusions and recommendations. The final course in the program prepares students to disseminate their findings in the form of a publishable manuscript that they can submit to academic journals, and which can provide the basis for presentations at conferences.

The University of Southern Indiana in Evansville has an online EdD in Educational Leadership that consists of 60 course credits and features specializations in School District Administrative Leadership, Higher Education Administrative Leadership, and Pedagogical Leadership. The core curriculum is comprised of six credits that focus on community-based education principles, as well as racial, gender, and socioeconomic equity in American classrooms. Students also complete 12 credits of research methods courses that introduce them to advanced statistics, qualitative and quantitative studies, and advanced research methods, before they embark on their specialization coursework.

Students who select the Pedagogical Leadership specialization will take classes in community-based change and organizational innovation, while School District Administrative Leadership students can choose from classes that focus on special education policy, school finance, school personnel management, and school efficacy management. For students who specialize in Higher Education Administrative Leadership, options for course topics include the history of higher education leadership, the diverse experiences and needs of college students, higher education budgeting and finance, and organizational management of universities and colleges.

For students interested in additional specialization options, many out-of-state schools offer online EdD programs that accept students from Indiana. While some programs require limited campus visits, most programs are fully online with no in-person requirements. Check out our Online EdD Program Specializations page to browse programs by degree concentration.

Featured Online EdD Programs
Purdue Global Online Doctor of Education (EdD) in Leadership and Innovation	Visit Site
Spalding University Online Doctorate of Education (EdD) in Leadership	Visit Site
Grand Canyon University Online Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership with Emphases in K-12 Leadership, Higher Education Leadership, and Organizational Development	Visit Site
University of West Alabama Online Ed.D. Rural Education with Concentrations in Higher Education Administration, Organizational Change and Leadership, and Teacher Leader	Visit Site

Online EdD Programs in Indiana

Below is a list of Doctor of Education programs offered online by Indiana University, Indiana Wesleyan University, Purdue University Global, and University of Southern Indiana. To learn more about these EdD programs, click on the corresponding link to visit the school’s website.