Online Schools with a Doctorate in Educational Administration: How to Choose

The doctorate in educational administration is a credential that demonstrates graduates' readiness for leadership roles with public and private schools. Online programs are particularly suited to the needs of working K-12 educators and administrators seeking advancement within their career.

How to Select an Online Educational Administration School

Internship and Fieldwork Requirements

Even when a student chooses an online degree, most educational administration doctoral candidates are required to engage in as much as 300 hours of professional work. This requirement comes in addition to the dissertation and any on-campus meetings that may be requested. Though many programs are available online, many of them require on-site attendance to summer practicum or as much as six credits of on-campus courses.
Students should choose a program whose professional requirements are in line with their current commitments. For many, this won't present a significant barrier since students at the doctoral level generally already work in the field of education.

Specialization Options

Student will want to consider what aspect of educational administration they wish to pursue. Not all schools maintain the same specializations. Programs at the doctorate level typically emphasize a particular licensure or specialization path, covering K-12 educations, post-secondary teaching, or educational leadership. These individual programs have different requirements, including on-site internships or additional coursework. It's important that students work with a school that is accredited or recognized by a recognized accrediting agency. Reputable online programs hold recognition from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Licensure Considerations

Most states have licensure requirements that must be met before a school administrator can serves as a principal. In choosing an online school, students should find out whether their online program meets education requirements for licensure in the state where they want to work. This may be an especial concern for students whose preferred school is in a different state. Many schools with online programs offer curricula tailored to licensure as principals or higher education administration. Administrators at universities, colleges and other postsecondary institutions have no such licensing requirements.

List of Online Educational Administration Programs

Doctor of Education in Educational Administration (Ed.D)

These doctorate-level programs last 3-4 years, with varying levels of summer coursework and hands-on experience. A Doctor of Education is a professional degree, best suited for students seeking careers in applied educational administration. Graduates could take on the role of principal, assistant principal or superintendent. Typical curricula cover human resources, pedagogical technique and research theory as they relate to educational administration. Online communication with peers and professors is asynchronous, allowing students to log on at any time to view lectures, speak with classmates or submit homework. However, course deadlines and test dates usually mirror the on-campus environment.

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration (Ph.D.)

While a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) focuses on extending an educator's knowledge into professional practice, the Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration prepares students for careers in scholarship and research. The difference between the Ph.D. and Ed.D. has been found, by some research, to be minimal, with both types of programs maintaining similarly rigorous curricular demands. The greatest difference, according to a 1994 dissertation in the Journal of Experimental Education, was with the Ed.D.'s greater reliance on collection of broad statistical in research, versus experimental research measuring an isolated variable under specific conditions.