Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Curriculum & Instruction Doctoral

Hybrid 63 major credits * 3 years

Tuition As Low As

$440/mo

*if using financial aid

How to Pay
Take Advantage of online courses - classes begin in August
No GRE or MAT test required for Ed.D. candidates
Format and course schedule designed for working educators

What You Learn

This program is for potential and practicing educational leaders who aspire to develop and refine their instructional leadership skills at the site or district level.

The Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction will prepare learners to become instructional leaders, who will create and strategically manage processes related to curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Students will deepen their knowledge and understanding of educational practices and acquire tools needed to provide professional leadership in curriculum, teacher education, program evaluation, family and community engagement, and professional learning in the schools.

How You Learn

An Ed.D. program with an integrated curriculum will be offered. Each semester (fall, spring, and summer) students will take one course consisting of six or twelve credit hours and a 1-credit-hour seminar focused on their dissertation. Once these courses are complete, two semesters (6 hours and 3 hours) of dissertation conclude the program. All degree evidences are evaluated and stored in an electronic portfolio.

Low Residency Blended Format: The program is offered in a face-to-face weekend format three weekends per semester on Saturday (9 a.m. – 4 p.m.) and Sunday (9 a.m. – 3 p.m.) with additional work done online and by virtual communication. During the summer sessions, the timing and format of the sessions may include weekdays and will also include attendance at a summer conference held on the campus of Gardner-Webb University.

Career Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, students will have earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Curriculum & Instruction. They will be eligible for D level licensure as an Instructional Specialist after attaining a passing score on the appropriate PRAXIS exam. Students completing the program typically work as Curriculum or Instructional Leaders within classrooms or districts, as mentors/coaches for colleagues, and/or as instructors at the collegiate level.

Gardner-Webb University offers an EdS degree program for candidates who complete all EDCI coursework, and wish to graduate from Gardner-Webb without completing a dissertation. This degree may support candidates who have determined the dissertation is no longer a necessary step in
pursuing their professional goals and allows for recognition of the advanced coursework completed in the program.

Prerequisites

Students in the Ed.D. in Curriculum & Instruction program must hold at least a Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 grade point average on all graduate-level work. A minimum of 3 years of experience is preferred and a teacher’s license is required. Applicants without a teaching license must provide a letter stating their teaching experience.

Degree Requirements

CourseTitleHours
First Semester
EDCI 730
Theory Development 
6
EDUC 731
Dissertation Seminar
1
Second Semester
EDCI 732
Issues and Models in Curriculum6
EDUC 733
Dissertation Seminar
1
Third Semester
EDCI 734
Reform and Change
6
EDUC 735
Dissertation Seminar
1
Fourth Semester
EDCI 736
Research Design and Methods
12
EDUC 737
Dissertation Seminar1
Fifth Semester
EDCI 738
Curriculum Assessment and Evaluation
6
EDUC 739
Dissertation Seminar
1
Sixth Semester
EDCI 740
Instructional Leadership
12
EDUC 741
Dissertation Seminar
1
Seventh Semester
EDUC 742
Dissertation
6
Eighth Semester
EDUC 743
Dissertation (until complete)3
 Total Credit Hours:63
Please Note:

Students will be enrolled in EDUC 743 Dissertation Continuation for 3 credit hours until dissertation is complete.