Find Your Specialization
Please note that not all specializations and topics are offered each year
Doctor of Education
The Doctor of Education (EdD) is a blended delivery thesis-based degree program designed for practicing professionals
Important Dates
- September 1 - Applications open
- December 1 - Application deadline, official supporting document deadline (no exceptions)
- July (Summer) - Program start
Why choose the Doctor of Education?
Our Doctor of Education (EdD) program is tailored to meet the needs and interests of practicing professionals from diverse fields. Designed to provide advanced preparation for educational leaders, the EdD community at the Werklund School is made up of a wide range of learners, including K-12 and higher education teachers and administrators, community educators, adult and lifelong learning specialists, health and wellness educators, outdoor and environmental educators, human resource professionals, workplace learning facilitators, counselors, career-development specialists, and leaders in non-profit and public service organizations.
Lead change and innovation in your community
The EdD program is designed to equip professionals with the skills to lead research-driven transformation within their communities. As a cohort-based program, it accommodates the busy lives of working professionals, enabling them to continue their careers while gaining new expertise, participating in scholarly discussions, and conducting field-based research.
Program timeline and milestones
Program components include coursework, candidacy, research, and the completion of a dissertation. This blended program, combining online and in-person learning, is flexible enough for professionals living in Calgary or abroad. Students have up to six years to complete all degree requirements, with the first three years focused on coursework.
Year 1 includes a two-week summer residency at UCalgary, followed by four weeks of online coursework aimed at developing students' competencies as critical consumers of educational research and building skills for conducting field-focused research. The remainder of the year consists of online coursework through the Fall and Winter semesters.
Year 2 includes a two-week summer residency at UCalgary, followed by four weeks of online coursework designed to engage students in an in-depth analysis of a research focus within their specialized areas of practice. Additional online coursework continues through the Fall and Winter semesters.
Year 3 is designed to support students in synthesizing their Year 2 field-focused research projects into a dissertation.
Years 4-6 provides students with up to six years to complete all degree requirements.
Specializations accepting applications for 2025
Applications are open September 1 - December 1
- EdD in Curriculum & Learning
- EdD in Language & Literacy
- EdD in Leadership, Policy and Governance: Leadership in Post-Secondary Contexts
Specializations offered in 2024 (applications closed)
Program Details
View the complete list of EdD admission requirements.
Tuition and general fees charged by the University of Calgary are approved annually by the Board of Governors. Fees can be found in the Academic Calendar.
As a Graduate Student you are expected to devote the time, effort, and energy necessary to engage in scholarship. As a graduate student, you will determine the specific milestones and requirements of your program of study in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate Studies Calendar and with your graduate supervisor.
An integral part of this experience is working closely with a supervisor on the development and completion of a research project. A graduate supervisor mentors graduate students through regular meetings and research training aimed at research, scholarship, teaching and professional development. Graduate supervisors support students in the timely completion of their programs. As a Graduate Student, you are expected to meet with your graduate supervisor on a regular basis. While each student-supervisor relationship is unique, graduate supervisors can assist graduate students in a number of ways: advising on course selection, applying for awards and scholarships, obtaining research funds, applying for teaching assistant and sessional teaching opportunities, developing track records in refereed publications and conference presentations, getting involved in leadership and service, and encouraging and supporting apprenticeship in a research community of practice (collaborative review of papers, grants, academic writing, and data analysis).
In the EdD program a supervisor is normally appointed at the time of admission.
Students are eligible for some internal and external scholarships. See the awards page for details.
Please visit the candidacy and dissertation section of our website for information.
Program Schedule
A list of required courses for the EdD program can be found below. Please visit your specialization page for information regarding your required specialization courses.
Please consult the Graduate Calendar for course descriptions.
Course outlines are normally posted in D2L one to two weeks prior to the start of the term.
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Year 1
Summer (blended in person and online)
Two Specialization courses (Please visit your specialization page for details)
Fall (online)
EDER 711 Advanced Research Methodologies
Winter (online)
EDER 712 Advanced Research Methodologies II
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Year 2
Summer (blended in person and online)
Two Specialization courses (Please visit your specialization page for details)
Fall (online)
EDER 707 Collaboratory of Practice I
Winter (online)
EDER 708 Collaboratory of Practice II
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Years 3-6
The work completed in years 3-6 depends on your pace. Students have up to six years to complete their EdD program.
Candidacy
Candidacy must be completed within 28 months from the program start date.
Dissertation
Your dissertation is the focus of your degree program.
Students enroll in Dissertation Seminar once you have successfully completed your candidacy exam and have begun to work on your dissertation. Dissertation Seminar is offered every Fall and Winter term.
Fall Terms (online)
EDER 709 Dissertation Seminar I
Winter Terms (online)
EDER 710 Dissertation Seminar II
Watch an Information Session
Watch an online information session led by Werklund's academic experts, where you’ll gain insights into the Doctor of Education degree program and receive guidance on crafting a competitive application.