Online Doctor of Education (EdD) Programs in Missouri

The state of Missouri is home to six schools that offer Doctor of Education degree programs online. A.T. Still University of Health Sciences (ATSU), Evangel University, Logan University, Maryville University, Missouri Baptist University, and Rockhurst University all have EdD programs students can pursue through online study, with limited or no required campus visits. A number of specializations are available to students through these programs, including an EdD in Health Professions, an EdD in Higher Education Leadership, and an EdD in Educational Leadership – Curriculum & Instruction.

ATSU, Evangel University, Logan University, Maryville University, Missouri Baptist University, and Rockhurst University are all nonprofit universities, regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Missouri Baptist University’s School of Education and Rockhurst University’s School of Education have also received accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Schools in Missouri with Online EdD Programs

At A.T. Still University of Health Sciences (ATSU) in Kirksville, students can pursue a Doctor of Education in Health Professions online through the school’s College of Graduate Health Studies. Designed for practicing clinicians, healthcare educators, directors, and others who want to excel as leaders in the field of health education, this fully online program entails a total of 55 credit hours and has no residency requirement. The curriculum focuses on teaching health professionals how to best educate others, with courses in areas such as Cultural Competence and Multicultural Education, Educational Program Evaluation, Innovative Teaching Strategies in the Health Professions, Instructional Design and Program Planning, Technology and Educational Transformation, Student Assessment, and more.

Students can access course materials at any time through the Canvas online learning platform, logging in to view asynchronous web-based instruction, video demonstrations, and directed readings, as well as interact with faculty and classmates through online discussions and email. The EdD program culminates in a Doctoral Research Project (DRP), in which students produce an original manuscript that can be submitted to peer-reviewed journals for publication.

Based in Springfield, Evangel University offers an online EdD in Educational Leadership – Curriculum and Instruction, which is comprised of 50 credits and equips students with skills in and knowledge of leadership, community relations management, and curriculum development and evaluation across different academic contexts. Students take Leadership Seminars in Community Relations and Policy Analysis, as well as courses in Ethics and Decisions of School Leaders; Cultural Competence; Resource Management; Data Analysis for School Improvement; Research Methods and Statistics; Evidence Based Instruction and Learning; Contemporary Issues in Curriculum and Instruction; and Educational Funding. For their culminating experience, students complete a dissertation that gives them the opportunity to research a professional challenge within their area of practice, and discover ways to address this challenge that have broader applications in the field of education leadership and curriculum and instruction. Students benefit from the mentorship and guidance of a faculty committee during their work on their dissertation.

Logan University in Chesterfield offers a 100% online Doctor of Education in Health Professions Education through its College of Health Sciences. This program prepares health professionals for instructional and educational leadership roles across a variety of health care education contexts. The program consists of 60 course credits which students can complete over approximately three years. Students in this program take content courses such as Issues in Health Professions Education, Behavioral Theories in Education, Curriculum Development and Evaluation for Health Professions, Instructional Design, and Clinical Outcome Development and Performance Assessment. They also complete several advanced research courses including Qualitative Research Methods, Quantitative Research Methods, and Introduction to Proposal Writing. In addition, students are required to take two practicum courses, during which they design or re-design an online training module or course, thereby applying what they have learned in their content courses to hands-on course design and development. The culminating experience for this program is an Applied Research Project (ARP), through which students identify and address a real-world educational problem. Students take three courses with structured benchmarks and faculty guidance to support them through the completion of their ARP, including the selection of a topic and methodology.

Located in St. Louis, Maryville University has a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership that can be completed entirely online in as few as 32 months. Offered by their School of Education, the cohort-based program features a curriculum focused on practice-based research, reflective leadership practice, academic leadership strategies, and data analysis. Students complete 48 credits in all, taking courses such as Reflective Leadership Practice and Inquiry, The College Student Experience, Educational Research Methods, Organizational Leadership in Higher Education, Strategic Change and Innovation, The Academic Community, Performance and Accountability, and Leading in a Complex Environment. Coursework in the program is 100% online, and students can choose to attend their research residencies, which involve presentations and workshops designed to help students complete their dissertation, either online or on campus. Along with personal mentorship from the program’s scholar-practitioner faculty, online students at Maryville also have complete access to the school’s library database and librarians to help with dissertation research.

Missouri Baptist University in Saint Louis offers an online EdD in Higher Education Leadership that is comprised of 45 course credits beyond the master’s degree. Students take courses such as Statistics and Methods, College Student Development, American Higher Education, Critical Issues in Higher Education and Diversity, Higher Education Finance, Higher Education Law and Ethics, Higher Education Leadership and Strategic Planning, and Enrollment Management in Higher Education. They also take several intensive research courses that help support their work on their dissertation, including Survey of Methodology and Design, Application of Methods, and Analyzing and Reporting Data. For their final graduation requirement, students must investigate a research question that relates to a problem of practice in higher education, and in doing so develop insights that are of practical import to their discipline. All students receive faculty mentorship and support in the form of a committee and a dissertation chair. As part of the dissertation development process, students are required to attend an on-campus residency that spans three days, during which they engage in learning activities and discussions about creative leadership with faculty and fellow cohort members, hone their research techniques, and refine their ideas for and approach to their dissertation.

Rockhurst University in Kansas City has a 100% online EdD in Education and Leadership that consists of 45 credits, and which students can complete in as little as two years of full-time study. This program features four concentration options: Higher Education, Health Care Education, K-12 Leadership, and Organizational Leadership. Students take core courses such as Historical Topics in Higher Education, Curriculum Development and Instructional Design, Assessment of Learning in Higher Education, and Active Learning Pedagogies. From there, students take concentration-specific coursework. For example, the Health Care Education concentration features courses on informatics in health care settings, while the Higher Education Leadership concentration includes a College Teaching Practicum wherein students apply what they have learned in their classes to real academic situations and challenges under the guidance of a higher education faculty member. For their culminating experience, students complete a Research Capstone through which they identify a problem of practice in their field, conduct a literature review, and develop a research methodology to examine the causes, effects, and/or possible solutions to this academic problem or challenge. Throughout their work on their Research Capstone, students receive support and mentoring from faculty advisors. Depending on the concentration courses they choose, and with the approval of a program advisor, students of this program may also qualify for a graduate certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at no extra cost.

Students interested in additional specialization options may want to consider online EdD programs offered by schools in other states, many of which accept students from Missouri. OnlineEdDPrograms.com currently categorizes Doctor of Education programs into 14 different specializations to help students find a program that best fits their educational and professional goals. To browse online programs by area of focus, check out our Online EdD Program Specializations page.

Online EdD Programs in Missouri

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