The Doctor of Education (EdD) is a blended delivery thesis-based degree program designed for practicing professionals
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.
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 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.
This program requires only a 2 week in-person component with remaining coursework completed remotely.
The 2027 summer residency will be held July 5-16, 2027. In-person attendance is mandatory. Students cannot attend lectures online during summer residency.
Online courses do not require in-person attendance. Students connect with their instructors and classmates through D2L and Zoom, allowing them to participate in live classes and complete coursework from anywhere in the world.
During a 13-week Fall or Winter term, synchronous Zoom sessions are typically scheduled every other week in the evening (5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Alberta Time). Specific dates and times will be provided at the time of registration; however, the frequency of synchronous sessions may be modified at the instructor's discretion to support course learning outcomes. Detailed scheduling information and participation requirements will be provided in the course outline.
For more information about online course delivery, please visit the eLearn website.
International students are only eligible for a study permit for in-person components and are ineligible for a post-graduate open work permit.
There is no guaranteed funding offered for this program.
EdD specializations and topics vary by program start year. The years below refer to when the program starts, not when you apply. For example, applications submitted from August 1 to November 1, 2026, are for a July 2027 start.
Specializations starting in even years
Specializations starting in odd years
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-, but applicants are encouraged to contact potential supervisors.
Students are eligible for some internal and external scholarships. See the awards page for details.
As a professionally oriented doctoral program, EdD graduates are not typically preparing for a research career but are accomplished professionals who will contribute to education and related fields in a vast number of ways as school and district leaders, policy makers, postsecondary leaders, managers, consultants and entrepreneurs. EdD students are encouraged to pursue dissertation projects that address a problem of practice. Problems of practice dissertations are typically approached with applied research methods (e.g., case study, program evaluation, action research) and lead to contributions to improved practice rather than theory. EdD dissertation may include: program evaluation, policy reports and papers, educational program design, course curricula, or validated assessment measures.
For more information, please visit the candidacy and dissertation section of our website for information.
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.
Year 1
Summer (blended in person and online)
Two Specialization courses (Please visit your specialization page for details)
Fall (online)
Advanced Research Methodologies
EDER 711
Winter (online)
Advanced Research Methodologies II
EDER 712
Year 2
Summer (blended in person and online)
Two Specialization courses (Please visit your specialization page for details)
Fall (online)
Collaboratory of Practice I
EDER 707
Winter (online)
Collaboratory of Practice II
EDER 708
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)
Dissertation Seminar I
EDER 709
Winter Terms (online)
Dissertation Seminar II
EDER 710