Online EdD in Higher Education
As a student in our Educational Leadership program: Higher Education track, you can grow as a scholar-practitioner, build research-informed leadership skills and step confidently into senior roles in student affairs, academic leadership or institutional strategy.
Why choose Rowan Online's educational leadership in higher education program?
Elevate your higher ed leadership potential with Rowan University’s online Doctor of Education (EdD) in educational leadership degree program.
Built for working professionals ready to expand their impact across colleges and universities, our curriculum bridges the gap between theory and real-world practice. As a member of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED), this program empowers graduates to tackle the industry's challenges through an equity-centered lens. Through coursework and real-time application students can expect to develop applied research skills and the strategic tools needed to immediately drive meaningful change across campus environments.
2025-2026 Academic Year
Credits, Cost & Completion Time
Credits
Per Credit
Months to Complete
Application Deadlines
Fall Module A Entry Deadline (Early Decision)
Fall Module A Entry Deadline
Summer Module B Entry Deadline
Start Dates
Fall Module A Start Date
Summer Module B Start Date
Studying educational leadership in higher education online at Rowan
Review course topics, dissertation options, tuition information and application requirements—all key pieces of Rowan’s online EdD in educational leadership program.
What You'll Learn
When earning your educational leadership degree online from Rowan University, you can expect a clear, flexible structure that supports your needs from enrollment to graduation. Here’s how:
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- 60 total credits, including 48 credits of coursework and 12 credits of dissertation
- Part-time format designed for full-time professionals
- One course at a time, each completed over an 8-week term
- Flexible, open cohort model that allows for peer support and re-entry if needed
- Four dissertation options: Traditional, Public Scholarship, Program Evaluation or Improvement Science
- Courses taught primarily by full-time EdD faculty
- Early integration of dissertation work, supported through bootcamps and pro-seminars
- One-day in-person orientation paired with an online residency to build early faculty and peer connections
Online educational leadership key courses
- Inquiry I: Theory to Practice
- Inquiry II: Program Evaluation
- Inquiry III: Public Policy, Ethics and Contemporary Issues
- Inquiry IV: Inquiry for Improvement
- Introduction to Writing a Research Literature Review
- Leader Scholar Community I
- Leader Scholar Community II
- Leader Scholar Community III
- Leadership for Social Justice
- Public Policy, Ethics and Contemporary Issues
- Reforming Organizations
- Sustainable Institutional Change
Courses in the higher education track
In the Higher Education track, you’ll explore topics like governance, student success, leadership theory and legal and administrative issues in postsecondary education. Coursework is grounded in applied research and equity-driven practice, helping you grow as a scholar-practitioner while preparing for senior leadership roles across academic and student affairs.
- Higher Education Governance and Leadership
- History and Context of American Higher Education
- Leadership and Advocacy for Student Success
- Legal and Administrative Issues in Postsecondary Education
Note: The course information above is not official and is subject to change. For an official list of available courses, please review the Rowan University Academic Catalog.
The Rowan Online Experience
You don’t have to step away from your career to earn a doctoral degree. Rowan Online offers asynchronous courses, active faculty engagement, part-time coursework and a platform that helps you stay connected to your peers and instructors when the time is right for you. You can continue making an impact while building the knowledge and leadership skills to grow into a higher education leader.
Admission Requirements
To begin the admission process for Rowan’s online EdD in educational leadership program, you must submit the following application materials. Once you apply, a representative from the Rowan University Office of Admissions will reach out to confirm your application or notify you of any missing information. There may be additional actions or materials required for admission to the program.
- Completed online application
- $65 (U.S.) nonrefundable application fee
- Master's degree (or its equivalent) from an accredited institution of higher learning
- Official transcripts from all colleges attended (regardless of number of credits earned)
- Current professional résumé
- Three letters of recommendation
- If you have completed a master’s degree within the past five years, you should include an instructor from the program as one of your recommenders.
- Recommended GPA of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale)
- While certification is not required for the program, the Faculty Admissions Committee asks you to please submit a copy of any educational certifications you hold.
- Three typewritten essays as follows:
- In 500 words or fewer, describe your reasons for wanting to enroll in the educational leadership doctoral program.
- In 500 words or fewer, describe the characteristics of an effective leader. In what ways do you demonstrate those characteristics? In what ways can you improve?
- In 1,000 words or fewer, describe a pressing issue facing education today. If it were your responsibility to address the issue on a national level, how would you approach the problem? With whom would you collaborate to develop your plan?
- Interview with the Faculty Admissions Committee
- The Admissions Committee will directly contact those selected to move forward regarding the interview. The interview can be in person or via telephone.
Tuition and Aid
Tuition for Rowan’s online EdD in educational leadership is $1,032 per credit. This competitive graduate rate reflects the high-quality instruction, faculty support and accessibility Rowan offers its students.
Higher Education Careers and Outcomes
Upcoming virtual information sessions and events
Have questions about earning an EdD in educational leadership online? Rowan Online offers virtual info sessions that provide a closer look at the program and Rowan as a whole. Hear from faculty, connect with admissions representatives and learn how the program supports scholar-practitioners through applied research and flexible coursework.
What it's like to earn an online EdD in Higher Education: Samantha's story
For Samantha L., a registered dietitian and nutrition educator, the decision to pursue a doctoral degree was about more than career advancement. It was about shaping the future of education and promoting health and wellness on a broader scale.
“Rowan’s online Ed.D. program will give me the skills to become a leader in nutrition education and make the field more inclusive, equitable and impactful for students—and in turn, the populations they will go on to support.”
Her vision goes beyond classrooms and institutions: she wants to create more equitable pathways in nutrition education, where cultural humility, health and access are at the forefront.
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