Are you an experienced education practitioner seeking to amplify your impact and lead transformative change? Educational Doctoral Programs, specifically the Doctor of Education (EdD), offer a unique pathway to deepen your expertise, refine your leadership capabilities, and contribute meaningfully to the field of education. These programs are meticulously designed for working professionals like you, providing a rigorous yet flexible framework to advance your career while addressing real-world challenges in education.
The Johns Hopkins University School of Education offers a distinctive online EdD program tailored for exceptional education practitioners. This program fosters a dynamic learning environment where curiosity, critical discourse, and diverse perspectives are cultivated under the guidance of internationally renowned faculty. Through a curriculum grounded in social justice, systems thinking, and empirical inquiry, you will develop the advanced skills necessary to tackle complex educational problems and drive positive change within your professional context.
This redesigned program at Johns Hopkins emphasizes practical application and personalized learning. Coursework is at the forefront of educational research, encompassing social determinants of education, the science of learning (mind, brain, and teaching), educational entrepreneurship, data-driven decision-making, and the strategic use of technology in education. Recognizing the diverse aspirations of our doctoral students, the program offers an expanded selection of electives. This customization allows you to delve deeper into areas that resonate with your professional interests and directly align with your identified problem of practice – a central focus of the EdD journey.
The overarching vision of the Johns Hopkins EdD program is to empower graduates to become impactful leaders who can address intricate educational challenges on a global scale. By fostering critical and systemic thinking, the program equips you with the insights and understanding needed to lead sustained, positive change within your specific educational settings. Our alumni are not just practitioners; they are innovators who contribute to the body of educational research, champion the application of research findings in practical settings, and enrich public discourse and policy discussions.
Tailor Your EdD: Areas of Focused Study
The EdD program at Johns Hopkins offers several specialized areas of interest, allowing you to focus your doctoral studies on a specific domain within education. When applying, you can indicate one or more areas of interest that align with your professional goals and the problem of practice you wish to investigate. Current areas of focused study include:
- Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education
- Learning Design and Technology
- Neurodiversity and Neuroeducation
- Urban Leadership
Please note: Course offerings and sequences are subject to change to ensure the most relevant and cutting-edge curriculum.
Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education: Driving Innovation
The Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education area of interest is uniquely crafted for leaders within diverse educational landscapes, from public schools to private educational organizations and beyond. This specialization empowers you to cultivate the knowledge, skills, and leadership dispositions necessary to initiate and lead innovative ventures within varied educational organizations. Through a multidisciplinary approach, you will learn to champion innovation in paradigms, strategies, values, and organizational culture across school systems, social entrepreneurial ventures, and education-focused companies. Each course provides a platform to explore foundational leadership theories, meticulously define your Problem of Practice, and formulate actionable plans. This is achieved through in-depth analysis and synthesis of presentations, scholarly readings, and robust discussions centered on the current state of diverse educational environments and the evolving visions and challenges that lie ahead.
Sample Courses:
- Entrepreneurship in Education
- Talent Management and Organizational Finance for Entrepreneurial Leaders
- Data Driven Decision Making
- Partnerships and Educational Organizations
- Leadership in Education Organizations
- Research on Effective Professional Development
Learning Design and Technology: Shaping the Future of Education
The Learning Design and Technology (LDT) area of interest within the EdD program is meticulously designed to equip educational leaders and researchers with the advanced expertise and skills essential to critically engage with the rapidly evolving landscape of educational technology. This specialization builds upon the foundational principles of the School of Education’s renowned LDT program, emphasizing the seamless integration of learning sciences, human-centered design principles, and innovative assessment strategies as catalysts for meaningful educational transformation. EdD candidates will explore the dynamic intersection of technology and pedagogy, delving into both conceptual and empirical research while honing practical skills in the design, implementation, and rigorous evaluation of digital learning environments. This focused area prepares graduates to spearhead initiatives that strategically leverage technology to enhance learning outcomes, champion equity and inclusivity, and effectively address the diverse needs of learners across varied educational contexts. This specialization is ideally suited for those who aspire to make a significant and lasting impact on educational practice and policy through the thoughtful and effective application of educational technologies.
Sample Courses:
- Gaming and Simulations for Learning
- How People Learn
- Computational Thinking for K–12 Educators
- Maker Education: Cultivating Curiosity, Creativity, and Problem Solving in Theory and Practice
- Foundations and Applications of Learning Experience Design
- AI in Education
Neurodiversity and Neuroeducation: Understanding the Science of Learning
The Neurodiversity and Neuroeducation area of interest is specifically tailored for educators who are passionate about exploring cutting-edge research in cognitive science and neuroscience and its transformative potential for educational practices. This specialization promotes the synergistic integration of diverse disciplines that investigate the complexities of human learning and development. Drawing upon foundational and applied research from cognitive science, psychology, brain sciences, neurology, neuroscience, and education, this area empowers educators to develop the critical knowledge and analytical skills necessary to interpret complex research and effectively apply relevant findings to educational practices and policies, always viewed through a lens of social justice. The courses within this area of interest are carefully designed to build deep expertise in learning sciences and cognitive diversity, preparing candidates for impactful roles as informed educators, effective leaders, and skilled advocates for equity and excellence in education.
Sample Courses:
- Mind, Brain Science, and Learning
- Fundamentals of Cognitive Development
- Neurobiology of Learning Differences
- Twice Exceptional Learners
- Creativity in Education
- Social, Emotional, and Psychosocial Development of the Gifted
- Survey of Autism
- Introduction to Children and Youth With Exceptionalities
Urban Leadership: Addressing the Unique Challenges of Urban Education
Urban centers, characterized by their vibrant and diverse populations encompassing a rich tapestry of races, socioeconomic backgrounds, languages, and nationalities, derive significant strength from this dynamism. However, urban schools often serve communities facing concentrated poverty, presenting unique challenges in resource allocation and educational equity. The Urban Leadership area of interest is designed for educational professionals who are deeply committed to exploring this dual nature of urban education. This specialization encourages a profound understanding of a Problem of Practice situated within the unique context of your urban professional environment. It prepares educational leaders to excel in urban settings by focusing on developing a strength-based perspective on the complexities of urban communities, engaging with the latest research on effective urban educational programs, formulating and implementing strategies for program improvement, and building strong, collaborative partnerships with families, community organizations, and other key stakeholders.
Sample Courses:
- Approaches to Urban Education
- Individuals in Urban Context
- Organizations and Institutions
- Partnerships and Community Organizing
- Power, Politics, and Policy in Education
- Leadership for School and Educational Organization Redesign
- Critical Theories of Race and Racism in Education
Explore the Program Structure and Requirements in Detail
Financial Support for Your EdD Journey
Recognizing the commitment required for doctoral studies, the Johns Hopkins EdD program offers various forms of financial aid, including the prestigious EdD Initiative Scholarship. Generously funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, this need-based scholarship provides significant support to deserving Johns Hopkins EdD students for up to three years of their doctoral journey. Learn more about the EdD Initiative Scholarship and other financial aid options.
Embark on your journey to become a transformative leader in education with an educational doctoral program at Johns Hopkins University.
