A Doctoral Program Designed for Working Professionals
Our Ed.D. program in leadership and administration will expand your leadership skills and help you reach a higher-level position in your career.
Select from two options to choose the format that works best with your schedule, learning style and needs:
- Fully Online – Perfect for those who require flexibility, our fully online option allows you to balance your coursework with the demands of your daily schedule.
- Livestream Campus – Participate in live, real-time instruction from the comfort of your home, office or whatever location you choose. This new option allows students to learn remotely while benefiting from live interaction with professors and fellow cohort members one evening a week in eight-week courses. Learn more about this option in this Q&A.
We now offer May and August start dates. Our fall start date is Aug. 25, 2024.
Your leadership is needed in organizations today and your degree will open doors you never imagined, both now and in the future. You can complete our 54-credit, cohort-style degree program in just three years — or less — if transferring in post-master's credits.
Two-year option (with an individualized concentration)
Transfer in up to 18 post-master's credits; if fewer than 18 credits are transferred, the remainder of courses needed will be selected from the professional leadership track by the program director. Please note that transfer credits may come from any discipline as long as they are at the graduate level and from a regionally accredited university.
Three-year option
In our three-year program, we offer three concentrations for you to choose from:
- Professional Leadership
- Superintendent's Letter of Eligibility
- K-12 Administration (including principal certification)
Important Dates and Information
Join us for a virtual information session:
- Wednesday, June 26 at Noon EST
- Wednesday, July 10 at 6:30 p.m. EST
- Register here.
Admission notification: Will occur on a rolling basis following personal one-on-one interviews.
- Fall Start: Aug. 25, 2024
Map to Your Doctoral Degree
Take a look at our two-year and three-year program schedules.
Courses run year-round and are divided into eight-week sessions (two classes per semester), earning you 18 credits per year for a total of 36 credits (for the two-year program) or 54 credits (for the three-year program.)
Since this is a cohort program, you will be with the same group of peers in all of your core courses.
Courses are offered fully online or via livestream, making it possible for working professionals to meet family and personal obligations while finishing all required courses — as well as a dissertation — in three years or less.
Residency Requirements
Residency is met by completing three consecutive semesters of study in the program with a minimum of six hours of course work per semester. Summer, fall and spring semesters are counted toward residency.
In addition, if you are transferring in credits, you will be required to attend six, day-long seminars, two each academic semester.
These seminars will address the theory and performance of the six domains central to the study of leadership in this program: authenticity, vision, culture, quality, service and communication.
You may take these seminars in conjunction with core courses. During the academic year, seminars are typically held virtually on Saturdays.
Affordable Cost, Attractive Benefits
Our Ed.D. degree in leadership and administration is one of the most affordable doctoral programs in the Pittsburgh region.
Visit our Tuition and Costs page to view current rates. Tuition for students is locked in based on when they start the program while fees are subject to change each year.
Other key benefits of the program include:
- Program is offered fully online and via livestream courses
- Two start dates offered in May and August
- Option to transfer in up to 18 post-master's degree credits
- Cohort model of learning for peer-to-peer support
- Ability to work closely with a mentor in your chosen field
- Courses based on an interdisciplinary framework
- Consistent evening schedules with class one night per week (same night) for each eight-week course for livestream students
- Faculty and guest speakers from diverse disciplines
- Introductory course on research writing, giving you guidance early on in the program
- Feedback provided by faculty throughout the dissertation process
Ed.D. alumnus Nicholas LaMantia shares helpful strategies for paying for a doctorate degree in this blog: How I Paid for My Doctorate Degree from Point Park University.
Affording Your Degree
The following options can help you afford your Ed.D.:
*With its already affordable cost, the Ed.D. program is not eligible for tuition discount programs.
Learn More
For additional details and questions about the Ed.D. program, contact Abbi Kneuss, School of Education admissions counselor:
- akneuss@pointpark.edu
- 412-392-3476
- Click here to schedule a call.