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
Why choose the EdD?
Our Doctor of Education (EdD) program is designed to support the needs and interests of practicing professionals across a variety of contexts. Providing advanced preparation for educational leaders, the Werklund School's EdD community includes a diverse range of learners including teachers and administrators in K-12 and higher education; community-based educators and facilitators; adult and lifelong learning educators and practitioners; health and wellness educators; outdoor education and environmental educators; human resource professionals and workplace learning facilitators; counsellors and career-development specialists; and leaders in non-profit public service organizations.
Lead change and innovation in your community
The EdD program develops scholars of the profession who can lead research-informed change and innovation in their communities. As a cohort-based program, it is compatible with the busy lifestyles of professionals, allowing students to continue working in their communities while developing new skills, engaging in scholarly discourse, and carrying out field-focused research.
EdD program components include: course work, candidacy, research, and completion of a dissertation. This is a blended (online and face-to-face delivery) program designed to accommodate working professionals whether you live in Calgary or internationally. Students have up to six years to complete all degree requirements. The first three years of the program include course work.
Year 1 includes: a two-week summer residency at UCalgary, followed by four weeks online course work, designed to develop students’ competencies as “critical consumers of educational research” and to develop skills to conduct field-focused research; online coursework through Fall and Winter semesters.
Year 2 includes: a two-week summer residency, at UCalgary, and four weeks online course work, designed to engage students in an in-depth analysis of an identified research focus in their specialized areas of practice; online coursework through Fall and Winter semesters.
Year 3 is designed to support students in synthesizing their Year 2 field-focused research projects into a dissertation.
Year 4-6 provides students with up to six years to complete all degree requirements.
Specializations accepting applications for 2024
Applications are open September 1 - December 1.
Specializations offered in 2023 (applications closed):
Program Details
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Application Dates
Application opens: September 1
Application deadline: December 1
Official supporting document deadline: December 1-No ExceptionsStudents must use the online application found at the How to Apply page.
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Program Delivery
Online with two on-campus summer residencies.
In years 1 and 2, EdD students are required to complete two Summer courses per year. Summer courses include a two-week face-to-face residency on-campus followed by four weeks supplementary online assignment submissions. Fall and Winter courses are offered fully online.
The on-campus summer residency for 2023 will Monday through Friday from July 10 - 21, 2023.
Applications, transcripts and all supporting documents must be submitted 11:59 pm MT on the application deadline date for each program. Please visit the FGS applicant transcript page to answer frequently asked questions on transcripts.
For additional information on transcripts and where to send them, please visit our How to Apply page.
References
Two (2) academic references are required. References will be asked to complete an online reference form. No hard copy letters of reference or documents will be accepted.
Please see the Faculty of Graduate Studies' advice on finding references for your application.
References are due by the application deadline, so you should complete the online application earlier in order to give your referees sufficient time to submit their reference. Referees will receive notification on how to submit their reference after you submit your application and are due on the application deadline regardless of when they receive the notification. Please ensure that your references are aware of the supporting document submission deadline. Applications without completed reference forms will be considered incomplete after the application deadline has passed.
Statement of Intent
Statement of Intent must be uploaded to your Student Centre after the application has been submitted. Applicants will receive a confirmation email with instructions and information regarding this process upon completion and submission of the online application.
Students are eligible for some internal and external scholarships. See the awards page for details.
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.
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 1-2 weeks prior to the start of the term.
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Year 1
Summer (blended - face-to-face and online)
Two Specialization courses (Please visit your specialization page for details)
Fall (fully online)
EDER 711 Advanced Research Methodologies
Winter (fully online)
EDER 712 Advanced Research Methodologies II
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Year 2
Summer (blended - face-to-face and online)
Two Specialization courses (Please visit your specialization page for details)
Fall (fully online)
EDER 707 Collaboratory of Practice I
Winter (fully 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 enrol 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 (fully online)
EDER 709 Dissertation Seminar I
Winter Terms (fully online)
EDER 710 Dissertation Seminar II