Online Doctor of Education (EdD) Programs in New York

The state of New York is home to five schools that offer Doctor of Education (EdD) programs online. Fordham University, Manhattanville College, Molloy University, New York University, and University at Buffalo (SUNY) all have EdD degrees students can pursue through primarily online instruction, with little or no on-campus requirements. In total, students can choose from five different online EdD programs, with specializations in areas such as Educational Leadership, Leadership and Innovation, Learning and Teaching in Social Contexts, and K-12 Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy.

All of the schools listed on this page are non-profit universities regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Some departments are also accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Schools in New York with Online EdD Programs

Located in New York City, Fordham University offers an online EdD in K-12 Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy online through its Graduate School of Education. The program consists of 50 credit hours and requires three years to complete, with one start date per year (in August). Curriculum revolves around four core practice areas: Educational Leadership and Organizational Change; Leading Teaching and Learning; Engaging and Transforming Schools, Districts, and Communities; and Policy and Advocacy. Students can expect to take courses in topics such as ethics and social justice, instructional improvement, leading a learning organization, economics and finance of education, educational policy and reform, organizational culture, urban education, and more. While the majority of instruction is delivered online, there are two required immersions on the Fordham Westchester campus in West Harrison, New York, where students have the chance to meet with faculty and classmates in person, participate in live lectures, and network.

Manhattanville College, based in Purchase, New York, offers a hybrid-online All But Dissertation (ABD) option for its Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, specifically for students who reside in New York State. This program requires students to have earned all or most of their EdD coursework from another institution, but who need additional structure and support to complete their dissertation and earn their doctorate. Students take intensive research workshops, writing seminars, and other key courses while also meeting with a dissertation advisor as they work on their paper. Courses are hosted in a synchronous online format.

Molloy University, located in Rockville Centre, has an online EdD in Educational Leadership for Diverse Learning Communities, which is offered through its School of Education and Human Services. This program prepares students to cultivate learning environments that uphold diversity and social justice through a combination of applied research and scholarly inquiry, collaborative reform initiatives, establishment and evaluation of best practices, and analysis of education-related policies. Students complete 54 credits, consisting of courses such as Introduction to Educational Research; Change Leadership for Equity, Advocacy, and Excellence; Learning, Cognition, and Diversity; Critical Issues in Education; Collaborative Leadership in 21st Century Diverse Educational Organizations; and Quantitative Research. Each online course is comprised of 40 hours of online asynchronous and synchronous learning, and five hours of fieldwork.

From the beginning of their enrollment, students of Molloy University’s program also receive structured, preliminary guidance on their dissertation through courses such as Preparing for the Dissertation: The Literature Review, and Dissertation Research Design. Upon finishing their required coursework, students can choose two cognate courses, such as Teacher as the Educational Leader in Partnerships for Collaborative Education, or Topics of Education, Observation, Supervision, and Policy for the Reflective Practitioner. After taking and passing a comprehensive examination, students embark on a Dissertation Sequence which includes a Dissertation Seminar, a Dissertation Progression, and a Dissertation Continuation independent study course wherein they investigate a scholarly research question that is relevant to their professional practice, while receiving in-depth support and advice from a faculty chair and committee.

New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, also based in New York City, offers an online EdD in Leadership and Innovation designed to be completed in just two years. Students take a total of 42 credits (17 courses), focusing on areas such as organizational theory, education policy, applied research methods, leadership, change and innovation, and management and data ethics. The online program utilizes synchronous (live) class meetings taught in the evenings through Zoom software, as well as asynchronous course elements accessible through the Canvas learning management system. There are two required week-long residencies on the NYU campus. The first takes place at the start of the program, serving as both an orientation and chance for students to discuss their professional experiences and goals with classmates and faculty. During the second residency, which comes in the final week of the program, students participate in several live seminars with education leaders and formally present their culminating projects. In place of a dissertation, students in NYU’s Leadership and Innovation EdD program are tasked with identifying and attempting to address a Problem of Practice, coming up with a solution to a real-world issue they face in their field or current organization.

University at Buffalo (SUNY) in Buffalo offers an online EdD in Learning and Teaching in Social Contexts that provides students with scholarly preparation and tactical training to solve educational and organizational challenges across a diversity of work settings. This 60-credit program is comprised of a flexible curriculum, wherein students take 24 credits of Coursework Centering on a Problem of Practice, with one required course in Curriculum Theory; 18 credits of coursework in Design and Research Methods for Improving Education, with a required course in Action Research to Improve Teaching and Learning; and 18 credits devoted to their Dissertation in Practice, with required courses in Critical Interpretations of Research, an EdD Inquiry Practicum, and an intensive Dissertation independent study under the supervision of their faculty mentor. Beyond these specific required courses, students consult with their faculty advisors to choose courses that match their academic interests and professional goals. Examples of courses available to them include Introduction to Doctoral Studies, Survey of Research Methods, Designing Course Content, Sociocultural Dimensions, Leading Curriculum and Instruction Improvement, and Research in Online Education.

Through this curriculum, students progress through three stages. Stage 1 is coursework that focuses on defining, identifying, and addressing problems of practice in order to improve learning outcomes and student experiences. Stage 2 is dedicated to courses that prepare students to develop educational programming that improves the efficacy and efficiency of knowledge acquisition, teaching methods, and learning. Stage 3 provides a faculty-supported structure in which students work on their Dissertation in Practice, which is the examination of a scholarly research question that is of professional relevance to the student’s sphere of influence.

Online EdD Programs in New York

The following is a list of schools in New York that offer EdD programs online. To learn more about any of these degree programs, click on the program name to visit the school’s website.

Fordham University

(New York)

Accreditation: MSCHE

Department: Graduate School of Education
Programs:

• Online Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership, Administration and Policy (K-12) (Masters to Doctorate)

Manhattanville College

(Purchase)

Accreditation: MSCHE, CAEP

Department: School of Education
Programs:

• Online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership - Dissertation Completion Pathway (All But Dissertation)

Molloy University

(Rockville Centre)

Accreditation: MSCHE

Department: School of Education and Human Services
Programs:

• Online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership for Diverse Learning Communities (Masters to Doctorate)

New York University

(New York)

Accreditation: MSCHE

Department: Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Programs:

• Online EdD in Leadership and Innovation (Masters to Doctorate)

University at Buffalo (SUNY)

(Buffalo)

Accreditation: MSCHE

Department: Graduate School of Education
Programs:

• Online Doctor of Education in Learning and Teaching in Social Contexts (Bachelors to Doctorate (Applicants with a Master's Degree are Strongly Preferred))