Applications for doctorate in education (Ed.D.) programs have been growing for the past several years. This degree program, which focuses on developing organizational leadership skills and often charts a pathway to promotions in higher education and other industries, is seeing a surge in applications and enrollments, according to previous Fortune reporting.
In fact, Baylor University’s online Ed.D. program saw a 50% increase in enrollment in just one year. Among the eight schools on Fortune’s ranking of the best online doctorate in education programs, enrollment jumped 13% in the 2020-2021 academic year compared with 2019-2020.
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The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill is throwing its hat into the ring of schools offering this program, and recently announced plans to offer an online Ed.D. in organizational leadership. The degree program will “benefit current and aspiring leaders with knowledge and skills that will transform their roles and impact in both public and private sectors, such as higher education, health care, military and more,” a UNC-Chapel Hill spokesperson tells Fortune.
Pending approval, the school plans to offer the online Ed.D. in organizational leadership degree program through a partnership with online learning platform 2U, which is the parent company of edX. UNC also offers online degree and bootcamps through its Kenan-Flagler Business School, Gillings School of Global Public Health, School of Government, and School of Data Science and Society.
The Ed.D. offering could potentially accept applications for admission in fall 2023, with courses starting in spring 2024. The online program can help “enable students to continue their career progression and to facilitate access to UNC-Chapel Hill for leaders across North Carolina and nationally,” the university spokesperson says. UNC-Chapel Hill also offers an in-person Ed.D. in educational leadership program, which is targeted to help develop senior administrators to lead K-12 school districts.
“The UNC School of Education’s exceptional faculty members have expertise in organizational change and implementation science that will help leaders develop organizational competencies to advance their careers,” the UNC spokesperson says.
What the UNC-Chapel Hill online Ed.D. degree program will look like
The new program, which is designed for working professionals with leadership experience, takes three years to complete online. The ideal candidate is motivated to effect change across schools, government agencies, businesses, and private organizations.
During the program, students will work to identify a problem or conflict from a current or previous role. That work will, in turn, become the subject of their capstone project, in which students show what they’ve learned throughout the program.
Details on the structure and delivery of the program have not yet been released, but the curriculum will focus on leadership styles, strategies, and theories that can be used to guide both public and private organizations.
Students will also learn how to assess organizational structure, including resources, stakeholders, relationships, and power. Data collection and analysis will also be important for students to understand in order to learn how to make “ethical and effective choices for organizational advancement,” the UNC-Chapel Hill spokesperson says.
What you can do with an online Ed.D.—and how much money you can make
Ed.D. program graduates tend to pursue one of three career paths: leadership in primary or secondary education, leadership in higher education, or leadership in continuing or corporate education. These roles can amount to salaries ranging anywhere from $88,000 to more than $300,000—with some even earning more than $1 million.
Ed.D. graduates who pursue primary or secondary education tend to take on roles as principals or superintendents, who can earn $88,000 to $172,000 respectively.
Some degree earners pursue jobs in higher education, whether it be a role as a university president, provost, or dean. University presidents can take home an average salary of $319,000, according to Salary.com. Some top university presidents even earn seven figures, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Continuing education and corporate education are also growing fields, with many companies hiring chief learning officers. They have expertise in “enterprise learning, change management, leadership development, performance consulting, data and analytics, financial acumen, and learning technologies,” according to the Association for Talent Development. In turn, the average CLO salary is $212,000.
Check out all of Fortune’s rankings of degree programs, and learn more about specific career paths.
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