Online Doctor of Education (EdD) Programs in Maryland

There are three schools in Maryland that offer Doctor of Education (EdD) programs online. Frostburg State University, Johns Hopkins University, and Morgan State University all have EdD programs that students can complete through entirely online study, without any campus visit requirements. Through the programs at these schools, students can pursue EdD specializations such as Community College Leadership, Education Leadership with a focus in Adult and Professional Learning Facilitation, PK-12 Leadership, Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education, Urban Leadership, and Mind, Brain, and Teaching.

All three schools listed on this page are non-profit institutions regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Morgan State’s School of Education and Urban Studies and Frostburg State University’s College of Education are also accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).*

Schools in Maryland with Online EdD Programs

Frostburg State University offers an online EdD in Educational Leadership with specialization options in Adult and Professional Learning Facilitation, Higher Education Leadership, and PK12 Leadership. This program is 100% online and requires no campus visits, and is comprised of 60 credit hours. All students, regardless of their chosen specialization, take the same Educational Leadership Core Courses, which include Introduction to Educational Leadership Doctoral Studies; Educational History, Politics, and Policy of American Education; Educational Assessment; Strategic Planning and Data-Driven Decision-Making; Educational Research I and II; Leading Diverse Educational Organizations; and Organizational Change and Leadership Theory. After their core classes, students take courses specific to their selected specialization. Students of the PK12 Leadership specialization take Human Resources, Educational Law and Ethics, and Educational Finance, while students of the Adult and Professional Learning Facilitation specialization take Principles and Theories of Adult Learning, Leading Others to Lead Adult Learning, and Problems of Practice in Leading Change Initiatives in Adult Learning. Finally, students of the Higher Education Leadership specialization take courses in Higher Education Structure and Governance, Higher Education Finance, and Current Issues in Higher Education Leadership and Law.

All students of the EdD in Educational Leadership at Frostburg State University are required to complete a Doctoral Practicum, through which they apply the skills, strategies, and concepts they have learned in their classes to a real-world role in education leadership. Students’ culminating experience in the program is their dissertation, which provides them with the opportunity to study a problem of practice in education leadership within their place of work. Students receive guidance from their dissertation chair, as well as a faculty committee that reviews their dissertation proposal, dissertation drafts, and final defense.

At Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, students can pursue a Doctor of Education online in one of three specializations: Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education; Urban Leadership; or Mind, Brain, and Teaching. Offered by their School of Education, the cohort-based program requires the completion of between 48 and 54 doctoral-level credits (a total of 90 graduate credits are needed to earn the EdD; however, students must enter with a minimum of 36 credits from either their master’s degree or other graduate-level work to apply toward the doctorate). Students typically finish the required coursework and dissertation in three years, but can opt for a longer completion schedule, if needed. Courses are delivered entirely online, using a mix of asynchronous and synchronous instruction. There is a three-day summer residency held on campus each year of the program, which students are strongly encouraged to attend. However, for those who cannot, the information sessions are recorded and available for viewing online.

All students can expect to take a 12-credit Foundations of Education curriculum, consisting of courses in Multicultural Education, Multiple Perspectives on Learning and Teaching, Contemporary Approaches to Educational Problems, and Disciplinary Approaches to Education. There are also nine credit hours of Applied Research and Evaluation courses and nine credit hours associated with dissertation development. The remaining curriculum is made up of electives, as well as coursework in students’ specialization area.

The Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education track focuses on knowledge and skills that will help students lead innovation and forge new opportunities in school systems, social entrepreneurial ventures, and education companies. It includes courses in Entrepreneurship in Education, Talent Management and Organizational Finance for Entrepreneurial Leaders, Strategic Systems Change and Action Planning, and Building Strategic School, Educational Organization, and Community Partnerships. Students who choose to specialize in Urban Leadership study the unique challenges that come with working in urban communities and teaching diverse populations, taking courses in Approaches to Urban Leadership, Individuals in Urban Context, Organizations and Institutions, and Partnerships and Community Organizing. Finally, the Mind, Brain, and Teaching specialization is designed for educators interested in exploring the connection between cognitive theories, neuroscience, and human learning. This track features courses in Fundamentals of Cognitive Development, Neurobiology of Learning Differences, Cognitive Processes of Literacy and Numeracy, and Special Topics in Brain Sciences.

Also located in Baltimore, Morgan State University offers a Doctor of Education in Community College Leadership online through its School of Education and Urban Studies (SEUS). The 60-credit program is designed to help prepare students in the seven core competency areas designated by the American Association of Community Colleges as essential to effective community college leadership: Community College Advocacy, Organizational Strategy, Leadership Development, Resource Management, Communication, Collaboration, and Professionalism. Coursework can be completed entirely online using the Blackboard learning management system, and there are no campus residency requirements. However, students must take part in a specialized internship or practicum in a community college setting toward the end of their studies.

Morgan State’s online EdD in Community College Leadership can be completed in three years, depending on how long it takes students to finish their dissertation. In their first year, students take courses in areas such as Leadership and Administration of Community Colleges, Educational Research, Social Justice and Equity, Community College Planning and Management, Finance and Budgeting, Qualitative Research Methods, and Technology in Contemporary Community Colleges. The second year features courses in Student Development in Community College, Legal Aspects of Education, Community College Trustees and Governing Boards, The Community College Presidency, Quantitative Research Methods, and Politics of Higher Education. During their third year, students primarily focus on developing and writing their dissertation, receiving guidance from program faculty as needed. This is also when they typically take part in their field internships.

Students interested in pursuing their EdD in a different specialization, such as Early Childhood Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Organizational Leadership, or Special Education may want to consider an online program offered by a school out of state. Many institutions across the country have online EdD programs that accept students from Maryland. To learn more about additional concentration options and browse available programs, check out our Online EdD Program Specializations page.

Online EdD Programs in Maryland

The following a list of online Doctor of Education programs offered by schools in Maryland. To learn more about either of the EdDs discussed on this page, click the corresponding link below to visit the program’s website.

*The Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation (CAEP) is now recognized as the sole accrediting body for education preparation programs in the United States. NCATE accredited programs will become CAEP accredited when their accreditation is up for renewal.