College of Doctoral Studies
Online doctoral education degrees
Make an impact as a leader in education
Build a strong foundation of leadership skills that can help you guide academic institutions or organizations by earning your online doctoral education degree. In this degree program, you’ll sharpen your analytical, critical and innovative-thinking skills. You’ll also learn how to apply educational leadership theory to strategic planning, in turn helping organizations reach greater heights.
Flexibility is key as a doctoral candidate. That’s why all our courses are online and typically 8 weeks long. While many institutions require on-campus residencies, our 8-week doctoral symposiums are 100% online — giving you the flexibility you need to complete your degree whenever and wherever it’s convenient for you. Even better, you’ll begin your dissertation during your third course. That means you can organize the work into smaller segments and identify challenges quickly, so you can address them earlier in your academic journey.
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Find the education doctoral degree for you
Doctoral degree program length
The doctoral degree program length can vary by program expectations. Course extensions, research proposals, and research and dissertation can all impact the duration and cost of doctoral studies. That's why our doctoral support team is here to guide you every step of the way. Review your selected program for details.
If you have questions, speak to our dedicated doctoral enrollment representative.
Skills you’ll develop with core doctoral education degree courses
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
- Leadership theory and principles
- Change management
- Legal, regulatory and compliance issues in education
- Problem-solving in diverse educational settings
Outlook for workers with a doctoral education degree
Doctoral education degree course requirements
Doctor of Education
You’ll take 12 core courses and 6 educational leadership electives with program-specific knowledge to help you build on the confidence and skills necessary to lead. The core courses cover foundational education leadership competencies, while the electives help you build skills in a specialized area of academic leadership.
Educational leadership electives
Educational Leadership: Prepare to lead with academic integrity as you focus on courses about academic structure, school financing, policymaking and faculty.
Curriculum and Instruction: Develop skills to help improve learning outcomes with courses related to curriculum development and policy, and instructional and assessment methods.
Educational Technology: Want to revolutionize the way students learn? This track will explore implementing technologies into curriculum and teaching to make coursework more accessible.
Higher Education Administration: Gain skills to address complex educational challenges at the postsecondary level through research, planning, fiscal oversight and outcomes assessment.
Tuition and financial aid
Affordable, locked-in tuition
Ways to pay — and save. Explore your options.
From grants to transfer credits and federal financial aid, there are a variety of ways to pay for school and save on tuition.
Student experience
Isabel A.
“Getting a doctoral degree is a bumpy journey but a rewarding one! What motivated me to keep going was my commitment to my education, my commitment to move forward with determination and discipline without giving up even when times got difficult. Studying at University of Phoenix gave me knowledge but also happiness, motivation and strength.”
—Isabel A.
MAED/AET 2015; EDD/ET 2020
“To be honest I never saw myself pursuing a doctorate. The journey brought tears and joys and terminal friendships. There were several twists and turns, but the experience and personal growth has been significant to my personal and professional growth.”
—Charlene R.
EDD/CI, 2015
Over 1 million alumni have earned their degrees while balancing work, school and life. So can you.
How to apply for your doctoral education degree program
Once you’ve selected your degree program, choose your start date from our calendar, apply for free and register before the deadline (usually one week before the program starts). Then you'll speak to an enrollment representative to begin class.
- No application fee — no obligation!
- No SAT, GMAT or essay required
Meet your college deans
Our college deans focus on developing a career-relevant curriculum. They bring industry experience to the classroom and lead a faculty of academic professionals with one goal in mind—to help you earn the skills you need to pursue your career.
Hinrich Eylers, PhD
Vice Provost of Doctoral Studies and Academic Operations
Lilia Santiague, PhD
Associate Dean, College of Doctoral Studies
Accreditation
University of Phoenix has been continually accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org since 1978.
Doctoral education degree FAQs
The program length is 42 months, but completing it depends on a few factors including whether you take breaks during your program.
Completing this degree can help prepare you to take on the most senior positions in the field of education, such as a school administrator.
Yes, all our courses are available online, including the doctoral symposiums. You take one course at a time over 8 weeks. You and your peers will engage in discussions, assignments and learning activities. Plus, you’ll learn from faculty who bring their own real-world experience. With several faculty members who have held positions as school administrators, you’ll learn practical knowledge and skills that are important to drive your career growth, help you lead institutions and improve academic outcomes.
