Educational Leadership: Learning, Design and Technology Concentration, Ed.D.

Foundation Courses (12 credit hours)

• ADMN 8110: Organizational Theory and Behavior
• ADMN 8181: Values & Integrative Leadership Practices
• ADMN 8610: Interdisciplinary Seminar
• ADMN 8611: Applied Dissertation Pre-Proposal Development

Learning, Design and Technology Concentration (15 credit hours)

Required Courses:

• ADMN 8695: Doctoral Seminar in Teaching and Learning
• ELDT 8102: Research in Learning, Design and Technology

Choose 3 courses from the following

• ADMN 8125: Doctoral Seminar in Instruction
• ADMN 8171: The American College Student
• ADMN 8660: Instructional Leadership Seminar
• ADMN 8695: Advanced Seminar in Teaching and Learning
• ELDT 8000: Topics in Learning, Design, and Technology (1 to 6 credit hours)
• ELDT 8100: Foundations of Learning, Design, and Technology
• ELDT 8102: Research in Learning, Design, and Technology
• ELDT 8110: Instructional Design
• ELDT 8120: Current Trends in Learning, Design, and Technology
• ELDT 8121: Advanced Instructional Design
• ELDT 8130: Instructional Multimedia Development
• ELDT 8135: Learning Media, Resources and Technology
• ELDT 8140: Instructional Video Development
• ELDT 8150: Design, Development, and Evaluation of Online Learning Systems
• ELDT 8145: Visual Design of Instructional Products
• ELDT 8160: Designing Learning Systems with Simulation and Game Technology
• ELDT 8170: Human Performance Technology
• ELDT 8180: LDT Project Management and Team Leadership

Research Courses (12 credit hours)

• RSCH 8110: Descriptive and Inferential Statistics
  • OR RSCH 8111: Qualitative Research Methods
• RSCH 8120: Advanced Statistics
  • OR RSCH 8121: Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis
• RSCH 8196: Program Evaluation Methods
• RSCH 8210: Applied Research Methods

Proposal Design Course (3 credit hours)

Students may take the following course only after all course work is completed or during the final semester of coursework:

• ADMN 8699: Dissertation Proposal Seminar

Dissertation Courses (6 credit hours)

Students must take minimum of six credit hours of ADMN 8999 only after all other coursework in the program is completed, beginning with the semester following ADMN 8699. Students must maintain continuous enrollment in ADMN 8999 until degree completion and must be enrolled during the semester in which they graduate. Failure to maintain continuous enrollment in ADMN 8999 will result in dismissal from the program.

Students must complete and defend an applied dissertation focused on a specific problem or question relevant to their specialization. Defense of the dissertation is conducted in a final oral examination that is open to members of the University community.

• ADMN 8999: Dissertation Research (1 to 6 credit hours)

• Complete the Graduate School Admission Application.
• Completion of a Master’s degree from a university accredited by a US Department of Education-recognized institutional accreditor with a GPA of at least a 3.5.
• Copies of unofficial transcripts from all academic coursework beyond high school.
• At least 3 years of relevant work experience in learning, design, and technology.
• Three recommendations from individuals who know the applicant’s current work and/or academic achievements in previous degree work. Applicants will provide reference contact names and email addresses through the application portal.
• A statement of purpose describing prior educational and research experiences and objectives for pursuing doctoral studies.
• A current resume or vita.
• A writing sample that demonstrates best evidence of academic writing. Any previous graduate-level academic essay meets this requirement. However, if you do not have access to those, the essay should be written in APA format and reflect the research interest you would like to explore in the doctoral program. While there isn’t a set page requirement, the length should be sufficient to demonstrate graduate-level writing ability and adequately address your chosen research interest.
• Interviews may be scheduled with select applicants.

Fall term Application Submission Deadlines

• Priority Deadline: January 15
• Secondary Deadline: March 1

What Can You Do With Your Ed.D. in Educational Leadership?

• Our Ed.D. graduates typically go on to work in school districts, colleges and universities, and other organizations. Top organizations employing our graduates include:
  • University of North Carolina System
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
  • Duke Health
  • North Carolina Virtual Public Schools

Job titles our Ed.D. in Educational Leadership alumni hold include:

• Director of Learning Centers
• Director of Educational Technology
• Director of Clinical Education
• Cybersecurity Trainer
• Student Advisors
• Deans of technical programs
• Lecturers

Exceptional salary expectations

Lightcast, a global leader in labor market analytics research, collects job and salary data from UNC Charlotte graduates. Lightcast sampled alumni of our Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program and found the average annual estimated wage to be approximately $113,900.

By choosing UNC Charlotte’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership degree program, you will enjoy a number of advantages, including:

Earn your Ed.D. in just four years of part-time study. Our flexible degree in educational leadership allows you to continue working full time as you complete your coursework part time. Students find this format ideal for earning their Ed.D. around their busy schedules.

Boost your offerings with the Learning, Design & Technology concentration. By adding this concentration to your Ed.D. degree program, you will focus on LDT topics such as active and experiential pedagogy, integration of technology, blended and online learning, open educational resources, creative instructional materials design, digital storytelling and more.

Enjoy our blended online and on-campus course format. Our on-campus courses allow you to learn face to face and network with your instructors and classmates. Our online courses are asynchronous, meaning there are no set times to meet for class. You can complete your online coursework around your busy schedule.

Learn from faculty experts. Dr. Ayesha Sadaf is the coordinator for the LDT concentration of our Ed.D. degree in educational leadership. Dr. Sadaf has more than 20 years of experience in designing, developing and teaching courses in online, hybrid (blended) and face-to-face formats. Her teaching experiences inform her research, ultimately demonstrating a process that emphasizes theory into practice.

NC Resident: $341.21 per credit hour
Non-Resident: $1,305.87 per credit hour

UNC Charlotte’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a Concentration in Learning, Design and Technology is offered by the Cato College of Education, which is accredited through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).