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E-Learning
E-learning continues to evolve in the teaching and learning environment through all levels of education, as well as training centers for business and industry. In many ways, e-learning has become an everyday occurrence that encompasses a variety of formats, including completely online class offerings, hybrid classes, and web enhanced on-campus classroom environments. The E-Learning specialization explores and provides you with hands-on application of the e-learning environment, including visioning, planning and designing an e-learning environment; the legal aspects of e-learning; technology resources; teaching and learning in synchronous and asynchronous environments; and instructional design for e-learning.
General Degree Requirements
The EdD program may be completed in 54 credits. However, up to an additional 12 credit hours will be allowed as needed to complete the dissertation research. An Academic Advisor or Enrollment Specialist evaluates each student individually and works with the student to create an academically sound Learning Plan based on prior academics and their professional goals.
Completion Period for Doctoral Degrees
Northcentral University allows 7 years to complete all doctoral programs of 60 credits or less. Normal time to complete varies depending upon course take rate and credits transferred.
Northcentral University may accept a maximum of 12 semester credit hours in transfer toward the doctoral degree for graduate coursework completed toward a non-conferred doctoral degree at an accredited college or university with a grade of “B” or better. Transfer credit is only awarded for course work that is evaluated to be substantially equivalent in content with the required course work for the EdD program.
Certification and Licensing
The School of Education serves educational leaders by providing online graduate studies in education to reach worldwide populations. The EdD program is designed to reach national and international markets and does not purport to provide licensure or certification in any particular state or country.
Doctor of Education (EdD) Degree Requirements
- Individuals with a previously completed master’s degree will meet the basis of admission to the Doctor of Education Program.
- Students must complete all doctoral courses with a Grade Point Average of 3.00 (B) or higher.
- EdD students must demonstrate competency in specific subject areas prior to enrolling in any of the specialization or elective courses.
Doctoral Dissertation Process
The School of Education has developed a logical step-by-step process that assists in completing an EdD applied research dissertation. Northcentral University provides a detailed EdD Dissertation Handbook that explains the process and Northcentral University's dissertation support structure. The EdD doctoral research courses, the comprehensive exam course and the dissertation courses are specifically designed to guide students through the process.
The dissertation is the capstone academic achievement of the EdD. The EdD dissertation is applied, project based and results in a product designed to produce appreciable improvements in the student's school or organization and must also impact the student's leadership growth. Although applied and project based, the EdD dissertation is a scholarly document. To earn the EdD degree, the student must demonstrate the ability, drive and determination; and Northcentral University will provide the faculty, the academic support and process to assist in the attainment of high academic goals.
The School of Education offers students the opportunity to pursue an area of specialization within a degree program. Students who complete at least 18 semester credit hours in a specific specialization may elect to have the specialization recorded on their transcript and diploma.
Northcentral University recognizes that each student is unique, and therefore evaluates each application based not only on what courses or program of study a student has accomplished previously, but takes into consideration which specialization is being pursued at Northcentral University and their current and future professional goals.
Course Length
Existing EdD students may opt to switch to eight-week courses by contacting their Academic Advisor. Once existing EdD students have opted for eight-week courses, they must receive approval from the Office of the Dean to switch back to a program of 12-week courses. All eight-week courses are indicated by a "-8" (dash eight) at the end of the course code.
Course Code | Name | Course Description |
|---|---|---|
EDU7002 / EDU7002-8 | Educational Research Methodology | The purpose of this course is to enable students to gain a holistic understanding of the research process and examine the most common research designs used in educational research. In this course, students are prepared to make thoughtful and wise choices about their dissertation research project or capstone project through the exploration of different research design options. |
Specialization Course 1 | ||
EDU7003 / EDU7003-8 | Statistics I | This course provides an introductory exploration of statistics for the graduate student. It includes instruction on the calculation, use, and interpretation of descriptive statistics, and introduces inferential statistical analysis. The emphasis of this course is on providing a working knowledge of basic statistical concepts to help the student understand statistical methodology as used in education, and also more generally, developing a working knowledge of statistical usage in everyday life. |
Specialization Course 2 | ||
Specialization Course 3 | ||
Specialization Course 4 | ||
Specialization Course 5 | ||
EDU7702 / EDU7702-8 | Research Design (Methods Course 1) | In this course, the student acquires the basic skills necessary for the interpretation and application of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research. The student will examine the formal research process carefully, with an emphasis on practical applications and skill development. Critical concepts and principles intrinsic to research paradigms, study designs, and methods of inquiry are presented to empower the student's ability to formulate and respond to research questions. |
Specialization Course 6 | ||
EDU7005 / EDU7005-8 | Qualitative Methods (EdD only) (Methods Course 2) or Quantitative Methods | Qualitative Methods: This course is an examination of qualitative methods for studying human behavior including grounded theory, narrative analysis, ethnography, and case studies. A few months prior to this course, students must consult with their Academic Advisors to consider whether the alternate course on Quantitative Methods (EDU7006) might better suit their plans for a dissertation. Quantitative Methods: The student contacts their Academic Advisor to assist them with selecting the appropriate research methods course based on their proposed research design. The Academic Advisor then updates the students degree program with the selected research methods course. Options are EDU7703 Qualitative Methods or EDU7704 Quantitative Methods. |
EDU7707 / EDU7707-8 | Planning Dissertation Research in Education | Students in this course will begin the process of writing a dissertation for a research or professional doctorate. The course will address the University dissertation procedures and aids students in the process of successfully completing a dissertation, including attending to self-care and time management. |
Course Code | Name | Course Description |
|---|---|---|
EDU7101 / EDU7101-8 | Foundations for Graduate Study in Education (This course will be taken as the first course) | This course is an orientation to Northcentral University and to the essential skills needed to pursue a doctoral degree in Education. Doctoral level skills, such as academic integrity, time management, effective use of the Northcentral Library, comprehending complex scholarly texts and research articles, and APA form and style in professional communication are also introduced. Students will complete the course with a better understanding of personal goals, strengths, and challenges, and a roadmap to navigate their way to completion of their educational aspirations. |
EDU7001 / EDU7001-8 | Advanced Scholarly Writing | The purpose of this course is to build advanced skills identifying and obtaining high quality sources through online library searches. In addition, the course addresses advanced writing and APA formatting skills, and it prepares students to be critically reflective consumers of research reports. |
Course Code | Name | Course Description |
|---|---|---|
EL7001-8 | Principles and Practices in E-Learning | This Doctoral level course is designed to introduce to the Learner the essential elements in the field of electronic, online learning. Learners will develop an understanding of the principles, philosophies, practices, approaches, technologies and delivery models that are being used by practitioners in the field of electronic learning. Learners will explore the various needs that e-learning practices can meet and the best ways to effectively implement e-learning to meet those needs. |
EL7002-8 | E-Learning Instructional Strategies | This course will introduce doctoral Learners to the strategies necessary to facilitate learning using information and communication technologies. Learners will develop effective online learning facilitation skills such as establishing a safe learning environment for learners, accommodating various learning styles, conducting effective online class discussions, monitoring the progress of learners, guiding collaborating online learning activities, and administering online assessment and evaluations. |
EL7003-8 | Instructional Design and Engaging E-Learning Activities | This Doctoral level course examines the process of instructional design in an online education and training context. Learners will critically evaluate the relationship between instructional design and technology and have the opportunity to apply the instructional development process. The course will help Learners to develop skills in designing the best experiences and learning activities that will engage learners in an online learning environment. Learners who enroll in this course should be prepared to design activities and learning experiences for an online course. |
EL7004-8 | The Online Learner | This Doctoral level course offers an overview of the key issues of student online learning and provides practical guidance to working with students in the online environment. Course participants will examine the characteristics of online students and the factors that are critical to the success of any online student, such as multicultural issues, evaluation, and the challenges of plagiarism, cheating, and much more. |
EL7006-8 | Facilitating Adult Learning Online | Doctoral learners will assess pedagogical learning theories and paradigms in teaching and learning as they impact adult learning and integrate effective adult learning principles into an online learning environment. Emphasis will be placed on theory into practice. Learners will acquire skills necessary to create online community of adult learners. |
EL7007-8 | Ethical and Legal Issues in an Online Course | The purpose of this doctoral level course is to provide students with a solid foundation in cyber law and the varied legal and ethical issues that pertain to the use of technology in organizations. Students will examine and evaluate issues involving plagiarism, public domain, copyright protection, infringement, and protection. Emphasis will be placed on gaining a clear understanding of the law in order to make polices for organizations. |
EL7008-8 | Online Learning Communities in an Online Course | Online discussions and interactions in online learning environments are a key component of any course delivered via distance learning. This course will help students develop skills and techniques to design and facilitate effective online discussions. Students will focus on the use of asynchronous discussion tools as well as synchronous tools that are found in most e-learning platforms. Assessment and evaluation strategies of synchronous and asynchronous activities will also be examined. |
EL7010-8 | Online Learning for K12 Students | This course examines the potential that the Internet offers to students in Grades K-12. Students will explore the challenges and the opportunities of Web-based learning in the K-12 environment as well as the questions that surround the key issues involved in successfully incorporating the wide-range of Web-based learning opportunities for the K-12 classroom, including technology, content, and implementation. |
ED7008-8 | Educating a Diversity of Students | As the United States continues to experience increasing cultural diversity, today's educators must appraise, assess, and argue the best means to reach diverse and exceptional students. Additionally, individuals differ in gender, sexual orientation, age, physical, and mental abilities. Students will choose and compare different means to address the nature of cultural diversity, its sources and importance to educators. Finally, students will organize, plan, prepare and write instructions that a district might use to meet the needs of diverse students, taking into consideration epistemological and axiological perspectives unique to each culture. |
Course Code | Name | Course Description |
|---|---|---|
CMP9400E | Doctoral Comprehensive Examination | In their pursuit of a professional doctoral degree (EdD) at Northcentral University, students gain expertise in their academic discipline and in one or more specializations that complement their academic discipline. The Doctoral Comprehensive Examination is intended to assure that students have mastered knowledge of their discipline before candidacy status is achieved and their dissertation work is initiated. The Doctoral Comprehensive Examination is taken following the completion of all foundation, specialization, and methods courses. This course is graded using Satisfactory (S) and Unsatisfactory (U) grading criteria. The Doctoral Comprehensive Examination must be successfully completed with an (S) grade prior to beginning any work in Dissertation courses. This course may only be retaken once. |
Course Code | Name | Course Description |
|---|---|---|
DIS9401E | Doctoral Dissertation Research I | In this course sequence, students work progressively on completing each doctoral dissertation milestone toward the completion of the professional doctorate degree. These milestones include Committee and University approval of a dissertation concept paper, a dissertation proposal paper, an approved IRB application by the Northcentral University Institutional Review Board, the collection and analysis of research data, the preparation and approval of the final dissertation manuscript, and the successful completion of the oral presentation. Courses are taken continually and sequentially until all dissertation milestones have been completed. Throughout these courses, students often work independently but are required to be in communication with the Chair of their Dissertation Committee at least once every 28 calendar days. These courses are graded utilizing Satisfactory (S) and Unsatisfactory (U) as the grading criteria. |
DIS9402E | Doctoral Dissertation Research II | In this course sequence, students work progressively on completing each doctoral dissertation milestone toward the completion of the professional doctorate degree. These milestones include Committee and University approval of a dissertation concept paper, a dissertation proposal paper, an approved IRB application by the Northcentral University Institutional Review Board, the collection and analysis of research data, the preparation and approval of the final dissertation manuscript, and the successful completion of the oral presentation. Courses are taken continually and sequentially until all dissertation milestones have been completed. Throughout these courses, students often work independently but are required to be in communication with the Chair of their Dissertation Committee at least once every 28 calendar days. These courses are graded utilizing Satisfactory (S) and Unsatisfactory (U) as the grading criteria. |
DIS9403E | Doctoral Dissertation Research III | In this course sequence, students work progressively on completing each doctoral dissertation milestone toward the completion of the professional doctorate degree. These milestones include Committee and University approval of a dissertation concept paper, a dissertation proposal paper, an approved IRB application by the Northcentral University Institutional Review Board, the collection and analysis of research data, the preparation and approval of the final dissertation manuscript, and the successful completion of the oral presentation. Courses are taken continually and sequentially until all dissertation milestones have been completed. Throughout these courses, students often work independently but are required to be in communication with the Chair of their Dissertation Committee at least once every 28 calendar days. These courses are graded utilizing Satisfactory (S) and Unsatisfactory (U) as the grading criteria. |
DIS9404E | Doctoral Dissertation Research IV | In this course sequence, students work progressively on completing each doctoral dissertation milestone toward the completion of the professional doctorate degree. These milestones include Committee and University approval of a dissertation concept paper, a dissertation proposal paper, an approved IRB application by the Northcentral University Institutional Review Board, the collection and analysis of research data, the preparation and approval of the final dissertation manuscript, and the successful completion of the oral presentation. Courses are taken continually and sequentially until all dissertation milestones have been completed. Throughout these courses, students often work independently but are required to be in communication with the Chair of their Dissertation Committee at least once every 28 calendar days. These courses are graded utilizing Satisfactory (S) and Unsatisfactory (U) as the grading criteria. |
At Northcentral University, we pride ourselves in being completely transparent when it comes to tuition and fees. We have adopted an all-inclusive tuition model that gives you the cost of your Doctor of Education tuition and fees in one flat program rate*. The only additional cost above your EdD program rate is books. Learn more about the NCU’s EdD costs below:
- Per credit cost: $820
- Per 3 credit course cost: $2,461
- Program cost: $44,298
- Average book cost per course: $150
- Application Fee: $0
- Technology Fee: $0
- Registration Fee: $0
Click here to learn more about payment and financing options.
*Program rates are subject to change and generally increase at the start of each calendar year.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about our students, it’s that they are motivated and ambitious—but they are also busy! At Northcentral University, we’ve designed our education experience to work with you, not against you, so you can achieve your academic goals without sacrificing the quality, flexibility and support you need to be successful.
- Regionally Accredited
- No Physical Residency Requirements
- One-to-One Teaching
- 100% Doctoral Faculty
- Flexibility of Online Learning
- University Resources
To learn more, request information or call 1-866-776-0331 or start a live chat to speak with an enrollment advisor today. We offer new courses every Monday of the year so you can get started when it’s best for you.
