Program Description
The Doctor of Education (EdD) is an applied professional doctoral degree designed for certified PK-12 practitioners who have previously completed an Education Specialist (EdS) degree or equivalent. In the EdD Program, students develop the theoretical and practical knowledge base and research skills needed to be effective educational leaders who design innovative solutions that positively impact local students, families, and communities in South Carolina and beyond. Students complete a Dissertation in Practice (DiP) focused on systemic, complex challenges facing educators related to race, rurality, and poverty in which they identify systems-level opportunities to apply improvement science for change and innovation. Accessing an educational setting(s) (e.g., PK-12 school/district) to conduct research for the DiP is necessary for successful completion of the program.
This degree is offered in partnership with The Citadel, Coastal Carolina University, and Winthrop University. Clemson is also a member of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED), a consortium of more than 100 colleges and schools of education in the United States and Canada. Clemson’s Program is based on the CPED Framework©, which includes guiding principles and a defined set of design concepts for the professional doctorate in education.
Designed for working professionals, the program helps students become scholarly practitioners while building a strong background in leadership, ethics, diversity, research, and educational improvement science. Improvement Science is a method of inquiry used to define complex problems, implement changes, and determine whether the changes result in improvement. The EdD Program includes field embedded research with the goal of moving theory into practice to improve education systems and outcomes.
Summary of Degree Requirements
This degree requires a minimum of 42 credits, including 18 hours of dissertation research. Coursework leading to the Doctor of Education (EdD) in Education Systems Improvement Science is planned to give students a comprehensive knowledge of educational leadership and a mastery of the methods of research. This degree is not awarded solely on the basis of coursework completed, residence, completion of preliminary or comprehensive examinations, or other routine requirements. The final basis for granting this degree is the student’s grasp of the subject matter across a broad field of study, competence in planning and conducting research, and the ability to express themselves adequately and professionally both orally and in writing. Ultimately, only the student’s advisory committee can certify that the student has earned this degree.
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