The Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership is designed to provide students with advanced graduate work in educational leadership. Program goals include developing transformational educational leaders whose desire for education quality, ethics and equity corresponds with the knowledge of learning and development, the organizational management skills to translate visionary ideas into practical success, and a firm grasp of the role of context and politics in shaping leadership. Students in this program study critical analysis of issues in education, complex and dynamic organizations, leadership theory, and leadership as reflective practice.

Baker College offers doctoral students two scholarly pathways to complete their Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership. Students can choose between a traditional dissertation pathway and a doctoral capstone pathway. The traditional dissertation pathway will include the successful completion of a five-chapter, high-quality academic research document that will contribute to the field of study. The doctoral capstone pathway will include a completed scholarly deliverable that seeks to improve a relevant real-world issue. All students will complete the formal proposal process and successful proposal defense before beginning their desired pathway.  

The Doctoral Capstone Pathway is a great fit for those currently in the K-12 setting looking to conduct action research typically in an area that needs to be improved. Students will identify an area of improvement, design the program or process to initiate the improvement, and then evaluate the results. The pathway includes a formal presentation of the action research and results.