Online Doctor of Education (EdD) Programs in North Carolina

Updated: March 27, 2024

There are currently two schools in North Carolina where students can pursue a Doctor of Education degree online. Both Appalachian State University and The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Greensboro offer EdD programs that feature completely online coursework and minimal on-campus requirements. A number of degree specializations are available through these universities, including Higher Education Leadership, PreK-12 Educational Administration, Instructional Technology Leadership, Kinesiology, and more.

Appalachian State and UNC Greensboro are both non-profit institutions, regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Appalachian State’s Reich College of Education and UNC Greensboro’s School of Health and Human Sciences are also accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation (CAEP).

Schools in North Carolina with Online EdD Programs

Located in Boone, Appalachian State University offers a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership through its Reich College of Education which can be pursued online in one for five concentrations: Interdisciplinary Studies, Higher Education, Educational Administration (PreK-12), Literacies in Exceptionalities, or Instructional Technology Leadership. The part-time program is designed for educators interested in high-level positions in organizational leadership, such as dean/associate dean, provost, department chair, or chancellor/vice chancellor. The Higher Education and Educational Administration concentrations also offer dual degree tracks, allowing students to earn an EdS alongside their EdD.

Appalachian State’s Educational Leadership EdD program requires a minimum of 60 credit hours and is comprised of a 33-credit core curriculum, 15 to 18 credit hours of elective/concentration courses, six to nine credits associated with students’ dissertation, and three to six internship credit hours. All students can expect to take courses in areas such as Organizational and Systems Theory, Leadership in Organizations, Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods, Writing for the Professional Educator, Educational Organizations and Technology, and Curriculum History, Theory, and Practice in Educational Organizations. The program uses a combination of synchronous and asynchronous instruction and includes one mandatory campus residency. Students are only required to visit the Appalachian State campus for a two-and-a-half-day orientation the summer before their first semester.

Note: Students entering with an Educational Specialist (EdS) degree from Appalachian State may be able to waive up to 30 of the 60 credit hours required to earn their EdD.

At The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, students can pursue a Doctor of Education in Kinesiology online, the first online EdD program in the field in the nation. Offered by the school’s Department of Kinesiology, this program is for students who have a minimum of three years of professional experience in kinesiology or a related field, and want to further their careers as faculty, teachers, coaches, administrators, military consultants, athletic trainers, or more. A total of 54 semester hours are required (42 hours of coursework and 12 hours of dissertation), with the degree designed to be completed in four years. Courses cover topics such as Program Design in Kinesiology and Related Professions, Statistical Methods in Kinesiology, Physical Activity and Health, Professional Ethics in Health and Human Sciences, Online Pedagogy, Curriculum Development, and Program Evaluation and Evidence-Based Practice in Physical Activity Programs.

While the majority of the program is delivered online in an asynchronous format, three campus visits are required throughout the course of study. These on-campus residencies take place in the summer, each centered around a different in-person event (orientation, oral comprehensive exam and dissertation proposal, and students’ dissertation defense).


Online EdD Programs in North Carolina

Below is a comprehensive list of online EdD programs offered by schools in North Carolina. To learn more about any of the degree programs described on this page, click the corresponding link below to visit the school’s website.

Accreditation: SACSCOC, CAEP
Department: UNC School of Education
Programs:

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro

(Street Greensboro)
Accreditation: SACSCOC, CAEP
Department: School of Health and Human Sciences - Department of Kinesiology
Programs: