Our fully online, cohort-based doctoral program prepares educators to lead responsively and develop practices of collaborative inquiry, continuous improvement, and community partnership. Students are supported by dedicated, full-time faculty in implementing a dissertation in practice to investigate and address persistent problems of practice in their own educational systems.
Alumni of our program work as principals, assistant superintendents, superintendents, district-level administrative positions, educational organization leaders, and higher education institutions. Students have the opportunity to enroll in up to 9 credit hours of internship with another PK-12 or higher education practitioner in the program as part of their coursework.
They will also have the opportunity to attend an optional, in-person retreat annually on Radford's campus. At this retreat, they can learn and share with the broader community of Ed.D. students, alumni, and faculty. Students and alumni come back to reconnect each year.
Students must have a master's degree, in any field, from an accredited program to be considered for admission to the Ed.D. program.
Our next cohort will begin January, 12, 2026. We will begin accepting applications for the January 2027 cohort in June 2026.
Application Materials
GRE/GMAT: Not required
Sarah Capello
scapello@radford.edu
100 students and alumni across four cohorts
100 students and alumni
across four cohorts
93% student retention rate
93%
student retention rate
94% of alumni completed the program within 3 years
94% of alumni
completed the program within 3 years
Our program is part of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, which is an international network of over 135 graduate schools of education leading the charge to transform the Education Doctorate. CPED members are committed to rethinking advanced educational preparation through improved EdD program designs that offer academic rigor, practical impact, applied research, and value
"As I encounter improvement opportunities, I now feel that I am equipped to take a systematic approach that will assist me in identifying and implementing sustainable change ideas that will have an immediate impact on my school. Our professors’ different backgrounds provided us with a multitude of experiences and perspectives that help us grow as educational leaders. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with this group of diverse, outstanding professionals."
Charles Byrd, Ed.D. ’22 Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, Galax City Public Schools
We want to get to know you better and we are excited that you are ready to take your next step and learn more about us. We are here to help you and look forward to working with you during your college search process.