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Explore CU Denver Programs

Use the search tool below to discover degree and certificate programs offered by CU Denver. If you are unable to find a program that is right for you, please contact Admissions or a school or college for more information.

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  • Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity, Executive Leadership

Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity, Executive Leadership

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Program Overview
Student Testimonials
Alumni Success Stories
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Program Overview
Student Testimonials
Alumni Success Stories
Request Information
FAQ

Program Overview

Equips passionate visionary leaders with new tools to create long-lasting positive change in their organizations or communities that is focused on equity, educational access, and social justice where students could flourish. Gain the skills you need to address the critical issues and challenges that exist in the field of education and educational leadership.

Designed for busy school leaders — teacher leaders, counselors, directors, student deans, principals, assistant principals — who wish to continue working while pursuing a doctoral degree, CU Denver’s fully online EdD concentration in Executive Leadership provides a supportive learning environment focused on equity, educational access, and social justice. You will develop new tools to create long-lasting positive change in your organization and community, while addressing critical issues and challenges in education and educational leadership.

Join a cohort with students from diverse professional backgrounds who progress through coursework together followed by their Doctoral Research Project while being supported and guided by program faculty throughout your journey. Our students also have the option to pursue administrative licensure from the Colorado Department of Education.

The goal of this concentration is to prepare you to:

  • Design and carry out practical research with peers and faculty members in educational settings to inform and guide improvement of programs, practice, and/or policy
  • Become ethical and collaborative leaders who excel at working with students, parents, community members and leaders on identified problems of practice and policy
  • Develop a professional knowledge base that integrates practical and research knowledge
  • Engage in leadership, innovative program development, or evaluation that can promote systemic change and improvement

Choose CU Denver's School of Education & Human Development:

This program provides an environment that prepares students for a career as an executive leader of educational organizations. The School of Education & Human Development (SEHD) is recognized for preparing leaders of distinction who value educational excellence and social justice. Additionally, SEHD is counted among U.S. News & World Report's “Best Graduate Schools,” making us one of the top education schools in the country.

Courses

The 54-credit program begins each summer. The online cohort completes coursework in two years, followed by the Doctoral Research Project which lasts approximately one year. However, each project is unique and may extend time to completion. The curriculum includes a combination of asynchronous online courses with embedded synchronous options. Courses are scheduled in eight-week segments during the academic year and four-week segments in the summer. Students must be available to participate in online courses each semester, each year of the program, following the cohort schedule.

The curriculum includes the following elements:

  • 12 hours in EdD core courses within equity, leadership, and learning core areas (four 3-credit courses)
  • Nine hours in the research core (three 3-credit courses)
  • 12 hours in the concentration area (four 3-credit courses)
  • Six hours of elective courses (two 3-credit courses) selected by the cohort
  • 15 hours in seminars and the completion of a doctoral research project

All courses and experiences strive to expose students to context-specific best practices, interdisciplinary connections, and applied research in an environment that stresses the application of theory to practice.

Program Description

Designed for busy school leaders — teacher leaders, counselors, directors, student deans, principals, assistant principals — who wish to continue working while pursuing a doctoral degree, CU Denver’s fully online EdD concentration in Executive Leadership provides a supportive learning environment focused on equity, educational access, and social justice. You will develop new tools to create long-lasting positive change in your organization and community, while addressing critical issues and challenges in education and educational leadership.

Join a cohort with students from diverse professional backgrounds who progress through coursework together followed by their Doctoral Research Project while being supported and guided by program faculty throughout your journey. Our students also have the option to pursue administrative licensure from the Colorado Department of Education.

The goal of this concentration is to prepare you to:

  • Design and carry out practical research with peers and faculty members in educational settings to inform and guide improvement of programs, practice, and/or policy
  • Become ethical and collaborative leaders who excel at working with students, parents, community members and leaders on identified problems of practice and policy
  • Develop a professional knowledge base that integrates practical and research knowledge
  • Engage in leadership, innovative program development, or evaluation that can promote systemic change and improvement

Choose CU Denver's School of Education & Human Development:

This program provides an environment that prepares students for a career as an executive leader of educational organizations. The School of Education & Human Development (SEHD) is recognized for preparing leaders of distinction who value educational excellence and social justice. Additionally, SEHD is counted among U.S. News & World Report's “Best Graduate Schools,” making us one of the top education schools in the country.

Courses

The 54-credit program begins each summer. The online cohort completes coursework in two years, followed by the Doctoral Research Project which lasts approximately one year. However, each project is unique and may extend time to completion. The curriculum includes a combination of asynchronous online courses with embedded synchronous options. Courses are scheduled in eight-week segments during the academic year and four-week segments in the summer. Students must be available to participate in online courses each semester, each year of the program, following the cohort schedule.

The curriculum includes the following elements:

  • 12 hours in EdD core courses within equity, leadership, and learning core areas (four 3-credit courses)
  • Nine hours in the research core (three 3-credit courses)
  • 12 hours in the concentration area (four 3-credit courses)
  • Six hours of elective courses (two 3-credit courses) selected by the cohort
  • 15 hours in seminars and the completion of a doctoral research project

All courses and experiences strive to expose students to context-specific best practices, interdisciplinary connections, and applied research in an environment that stresses the application of theory to practice.

Student Testimonials

As a working professional and parent, I have found the Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity program to be very manageable in terms of the schedule and course requirements to complete the degree program. It has been a challenging but rewarding process for me. As I approach the completion of my degree, I am thankful to the faculty, staff and cohort who have been a great support in helping me navigate the coursework and doctoral research project. It is clear to me that the faculty and staff care about their students and want to see them succeed. Their kindness and support have kept me moving forward through all the challenges that come with completing a doctoral degree.

William Dewese

EdD for Educational Equity in Executive Leadership (May 2023)

Alumni Success Stories

My time at CU Denver was life-changing! It gave me the opportunity to collaborate with incredible professors and peers within the world of education and helped me to develop my own path to success. The Executive Leadership and Equity in Education Doctoral program gave me the confidence to pursue my passion, building and supporting leaders in computer science education. After twenty years in education, I stepped into a role as a content integration specialist for an edtech non-profit. I currently work with school district leaders around the country to create strategic and vertical CS alignment (K12), as well as to train elementary teachers in how to implement CS and coding in their classrooms.

Heather Cunningham

EdD in Leadership for Educational Equity, Executive Leadership (May 2022)
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Frequently Asked Questions

We are accepting applications through December 1.

54 credit hours.

The curriculum includes a combination of on-campus, hybrid, remote and online courses

Admission Information

Application Process

CU Denver

CU Denver

Student Commons Building

1201 Larimer Street

Denver, CO 80204


(303) 315-5969

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