Program Overview
Program Overview
The EdD in Leadership and Innovation is a rigorous online doctoral program that can be completed in as few as 24 months. The program combines the discipline of a top-tier university with an innovative approach to education and leadership. Rooted in a rigorous, cohort-style academic experience, this advanced degree program is designed for cross-sector leaders who are motivated to create change in education and organizational learning.
Program Description
The EdD in Leadership and Innovation program serves current leaders from across sectors who understand that by working and learning together, they can affect sustainable and scalable change in their organizations. Coursework culminates in a completed Problem of Practice, an innovation or improvement study embedded in the student’s professional organization, which drives the actionable and practice-focused nature of the degree.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the EdD, Leadership and Innovation program emerge as versatile leaders prepared to tackle complex challenges across education, government, non-profits, healthcare, for-profit corporations, and philanthropy on a global scale. They assume key roles such as executive directors, chief officers, policy advisors, and academic deans, shaping policies, driving innovation, and fostering collaboration.
Admissions
Admission to graduate programs in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development requires the following minimum components:
- Résumé/CV
- Statement of Purpose
- Letters of Recommendation
- Transcripts
- Proficiency in English
Program Requirements
The program requires the completion of 42 credits beyond the master’s degree, comprised of the following:
- Major Requirements:
- EDLED-GE 3016: How Do We Learn & Why Does It Matter? (1 credit)
- EDLED-GE 3006: Introduction to Doctoral Studies (1 credit)
- AMLT-GE 2053: Organizational Theory (3 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3208: Management and Ethics of Data (3 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3032: Leadership I (3 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3321: Management of Resources (3 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3001: Research Methods in Education Leadership and Policy Studies (3 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3004: Cross-Sector Policy Analysis (3 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3219 or EDLED-GE 3215: Quantitative Methods in Educational Leadership or Qualitative Methods in Educational Leadership (2 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3218 or EDLED-GE 3217: Quantitative Methods in Education Leadership II or Qualitative Research Methods II (3 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3216: Organizational Change and Innovation (3 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3195: Capstone I (2 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3033: Leadership II (2 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3096: Partnerships for Leveraging Impact (2 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3196: Capstone II (2 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3198: Master Speaker Series (2 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3197: Capstone III (2 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3199: Capstone IV (2 credits)
- Total Credits: 42
Case Study Project
Students complete four culminating elements as part of the case study project:
Leadership
Students are required to write an auto-ethnography in this course. The auto-ethnography is an examination of the student’s educational and leadership development, the milestones the student has achieved as a professional.
Research Methods
Students are required to conduct an analysis (SWOT) of their own organization (or if students are not in an organization at the time of the assignment, they will be placed with one). The analysis entails students assessing the organization for strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats in its culture and overall functioning.
Capstone I and II
Students are required to identify a problem of practice (POP) emerging from their SWOT assignment; shape a research question; develop a POP proposal; develop a bibliography; conduct a research project for the POP; and demonstrate the potential solution or impact of the POP on the organization.
Final Capstone Project
Students will present their final POP to their POP chair and committee.
Sample Plan of Study
The sample plan of study is as follows: 1st Semester/Term:
- EDLED-GE 3016: How Do We Learn & Why Does It Matter? (1 credit)
- EDLED-GE 3006: Introduction to Doctoral Studies (1 credit)
- Total Credits: 2
2nd Semester/Term:
- AMLT-GE 2053: Organizational Theory (3 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3208: Management and Ethics of Data (3 credits)
- Total Credits: 6
3rd Semester/Term:
- EDLED-GE 3032: Leadership I (3 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3321: Management of Resources (3 credits)
- Total Credits: 6
4th Semester/Term:
- EDLED-GE 3001: Research Methods in Education Leadership and Policy Studies (3 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3004: Cross-Sector Policy Analysis (3 credits)
- Total Credits: 6
5th Semester/Term:
- EDLED-GE 3219 or EDLED-GE 3215: Quantitative Methods in Educational Leadership or Qualitative Methods in Educational Leadership (2 credits)
- Total Credits: 2
6th Semester/Term:
- EDLED-GE 3216: Organizational Change and Innovation (3 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3218 or EDLED-GE 3217: Quantitative Methods in Education Leadership II or Qualitative Research Methods II (3 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3195: Capstone I (2 credits)
- Total Credits: 8
7th Semester/Term:
- EDLED-GE 3033: Leadership II (2 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3096: Partnerships for Leveraging Impact (2 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3196: Capstone II (2 credits)
- Total Credits: 6
8th Semester/Term:
- EDLED-GE 3197: Capstone III (2 credits)
- EDLED-GE 3198: Master Speaker Series (2 credits)
- Total Credits: 4
9th Semester/Term:
- EDLED-GE 3199: Capstone IV (2 credits)
- Total Credits: 2
10th Semester/Term:
- EDLED-GE 3120: Capstone V (0 credits)
- Total Credits: 0
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:
- Apply relevant principles and concepts drawn from a range of theories in leadership, organizational management, cross-sector partnership, and policy to initiate innovation and improvement efforts within their sector.
- Conduct research and use quantitative and qualitative analysis to measure outcomes and performance of an organization or program.
- Develop multiple solutions to a POP through the systematic application of the extant literature research and reason, and ultimately, describe readiness for their organizational change using appropriate models/tools and communicate the plan to organizational and community stakeholders.
Policies
NYU Policies
University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.
Steinhardt Academic Policies
Additional academic policies can be found on the Steinhardt academic policies page.