Doctor of Education in Leadership
The Doctor of Education in leadership (Ed.D.) degree gives students skills and knowledge to be successful change agents in a variety of roles and fields. Students can tailor their degree by choosing from specialized tracks that include higher education, consulting and coaching, enterprise leading and managing, healthcare administration, interdisciplinary studies, organizational intelligence, pre-K-12 district leadership and professional practice.
Upcoming Start Dates:
- Online:
-
Jan. 16, 2024 -
Jan. 31, 2024
National Recognition
Trevecca’s Ed.D. is earning elite accolades from respected sources nationwide, including these recent rankings:
- #1 most affordable doctorate in education (Fortune)
- #3 online doctorate in education (Fortune)
- One of the nation’s best online Doctor of Education programs (Princeton Review)
Students in Trevecca’s Doctor of Education in leadership program choose one of these specialized tracks to tailor their degree:
- Higher Education (100 percent online): Designed for those interested in becoming a college professor or administrator, this track covers academic literature and research on the most effective undergraduate and graduate-level teaching and higher education practices.
- Consulting and Coaching (100 percent online): Structured to equip graduates to help others realize and reach their maximum potential, this track prepares students to analyze needs, design learning pathways and facilitate clients’ self-improvement and success.
- Enterprise Leading and Managing (100 percent online): Focused on developing executive-level leaders who work in complex entrepreneurial settings, this track examines recent academic literature and research on strategic leadership and teaches practical steps for system optimization.
- Healthcare Administration (100 percent online): This track prepares graduates for leadership and service in healthcare organizations at middle and senior management levels.
- Interdisciplinary Studies (100 percent online): This track allows students to transfer up to 12 doctoral-level credits from work at a previous institution.
- Organizational Intelligence (100 percent online): This track empowers graduates with strategy-level thinking that drives stakeholder efforts and decision-making by identifying how the different pieces of the organization fit together and how the organization works with the rest of the community, market, customers and stakeholders.
- Pre-K-12 District Leadership (in person or 100 percent online): This track equips graduates with the planning and leadership skills to influence optimization and improvement among a district’s students, schools, professionals and communities.
- Professional Practice (in person or 100 percent online): This track was specifically created to help graduates develop an understanding of how cultural influences, ethics, and strategic policies and planning influence the ability to lead in any workplace.
Program Benefits
- Complete your Ed.D. fully online with no residency requirements with any track, or in-person at our Nashville campus if you chose our pre-K-12 district leadership or professional practice track.
- Take only one class at a time with all materials delivered to you.
- Complete your program with a supportive cohort of students who are working toward similar goals.
- Enjoy the collaborative learning environments fostered by our small class sizes.
- Learn from faculty who possess the highest degrees in their fields and have relevant and valuable real-world experience.
What to Expect
As a student in Trevecca’s Doctor of Education in leadership program, you’ll garner skills and knowledge in exceptional leadership so you can make a difference wherever your passions and career take you. Our research-based curriculum moves you from theory to practice as you learn how to create effective organizations; plan for strategic improvement; use the latest tools and technologies; build diverse and collaborative teams; understand the value of intrapersonal effectiveness; and more.
You can work on your dissertation in conjunction with your coursework, researching a topic that pertains to your passions and career and finishing your degree with practical solutions in hand. If you choose one of our face-to-face learning tracks, you’ll meet for class one Saturday per month and take part in two 3-day summer residencies each summer you are enrolled.
Why Choose Trevecca?
Founded in 1901 and a leader in online education for more than two decades, Trevecca helps students discover and pursue an individual calling by providing innovative instruction; cultivating a supportive, Christ-centered community; and establishing relationships that open doors.
Recognized nationally and locally for academic quality, Trevecca has earned a reputation for providing the world with servant leaders, problem solvers and difference makers. Trevecca’s holistic approach to education encompasses intellectual, social, emotional, physical and spiritual growth.


Course Descriptions
Get details on all the courses you’ll complete as you work toward this degree at Trevecca.
Read MoreHere’s a look at the approximate tuition rates you could expect for this program at Trevecca, including the cost per credit hour and the total tuition expense for the full degree program. Please note that rates and fees are subject to change.
Here’s a look at the approximate tuition rates you could expect for this program at Trevecca, including the cost per credit hour and the total tuition expense for the full degree program. Please note that rates and fees are subject to change.
Cost/Credit Hour$699 |
Hours60 |
Tuition Cost*$41,940 |
*$150 Student Resource Fee assessed per course. Books are included.
- Additional Program Information
- Modes
- Admissions
- Testimonials
Led by faculty who also serve as highly credentialed experts throughout their respective fields, Trevecca’s Ed.D. takes a research-based, theory-into-practice approach to its curriculum, including the topics of:
- Leadership (how to initiate transformational change and lead oneself, a team and organizations).
- Research (applied research, statistics, research-based technology).
- Individualized Learning Track (Depending on your career goals, choose an area of focus—Higher Education; Consulting and Coaching; Enterprise Leading and Managing; Healthcare Administration; Organizational Intelligence; Pre-K-12 District Leadership; or Professional Practice).
As part of your Ed.D. coursework, you’ll learn how to create effective organizations; ways to plan for strategic improvement; tools to build teamwork and foster collaboration; the value of intrapersonal effectiveness and more. Students will receive instruction on cultural influences to consider when building and leading a team in addition to the latest insight on research-based technology.
Dissertation Details
The applied research dissertation is a comprehensive study of a significant problem that is important to the student in his or her area of professional work. The dissertation allows the student the opportunity to research their proposed topic, demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the relevant literature, explain the research methods used to conduct the study, and present the research findings and conclusions.
The goal of an applied research dissertation is to provide important evidence for improving the workplace while also adding to the body of knowledge. Our four-chapter dissertation model represents the highest standards for terminal degrees.
Trevecca’s curriculum is unique in that students work on their dissertation in conjunction with their classes. Students are assigned a faculty advisor and reader to work with throughout the process. We provide guidance and encouragement while you are working on your dissertation so that when you complete your courses in as few as 27 months, your dissertation is also complete.
Our highly qualified team of faculty and staff are committed to your success as you complete this doctoral program. We are behind you every step of the way! Throughout the Ed.D. program, you’ll have your own support team. From academic advisors to dissertation advisors, Trevecca is committed to helping you finish your degree and your dissertation at the same time.
We want to make earning your degree as easy as possible. That's why we offer two options for how you can complete the Ed.D. program—either face-to-face at our Nashville campus or 100 percent online.
Face-to-Face
Located in the heart of Nashville, our campus offers a warm and inviting atmosphere. Students enjoy small class sizes and personal relationships with faculty members who serve as both professors and mentors. If you enjoy face-to-face learning, you can join a campus cohort, which meets for class one Saturday per month with two 3-day residency requirements during each of the summers you are enrolled. Trevecca's cohort model is one of the reasons the school has become one of the fastest growing universities in Middle Tennessee in recent years. It’s a highly successful experience that allows students to begin and complete their degree alongside a group of other classmates working toward similar goals.
Learn more about our face-to-face program director.
Online
We understand life is busy and you may not have time to attend class on campus. That's why we offer our programs 100 percent online. Whether you are a working adult, a stay-at-home parent, or simply live outside of Nashville, we make it easy to earn your degree while focusing on one class at a time, any time—24/7. Classes are taught online with books and materials are delivered to your front door. And when we say the degree is entirely online, we mean it. With the way our program is structured, you never have to step foot on campus!
With our online degree programs, you can expect the same level of quality and rigor that Trevecca has provided students since 1901. Our online students also benefit from a cohort model, where students begin and complete their degree alongside a group of other online classmates working toward similar goals.
- Complete the free online application
Need help applying? Read the step-by-step instructions here! - Fill out FAFSA to be considered for financial aid (Trevecca’s school code: 003526).
- Request official transcripts from your previous graduate institution.
- Submit all additional materials to your dedicated enrollment counselor.
Requirements
- A master's degree from an institution accredited by a CHEA-recognized regional accrediting agency or the Association for Biblical Higher Education. Students who do not meet these degree requirements may be conditionally accepted in accordance with the Conditional Admission Policy.
- A 3.4 cumulative GPA for all prior graduate coursework.
- Official transcript sent directly from graduate institution to Trevecca.
- Two recommendations submitted directly by your professional and/or academic references using our online form.
- Current resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
- Writing sample, to be submitted to the program director (After all other application documents are submitted, a link will be sent to applicants where they can complete the writing assessment.)
- For students seeking an online degree, only: Introductory Video, to be submitted to the program director, selection committee members and Enrollment Counselor. (After submitting other application documents, an email with directions will be sent to the applicant).
- A photocopy of government-issued identification (e.g., driver's license, state ID, military ID, passport). This requirement ensures that Trevecca complies with the U.S. Department of Education expectations for student verification.
Emerald Mitchell ’16
Kevin Dyson ‘18
Career Opportunities: Educational Leadership Doctorate
The Doctor of Education in leadership provides professionals with the tools they need to be successful agents of change and influence in a variety of industries. Our graduates currently serve in respected leadership roles in fields like these:
- Business
- Technology
- Education
- Ministry
- Government
- Law enforcement
- Healthcare
“Studying at TNU has helped me to strengthen and confirm what I already knew about myself, while at the same time allowing me to discover new areas of personal development I was not aware of.”
Faculty
- James Agee, PhD Professor
- George Anderson Adjunct Faculty of Ed.D. Online
- Kristin Bledsoe Dean, School of Leadership & Interdisciplinary Studies, Associate Professor of Leadership Studies
- Melinda Burch Associate Professor
- Sam Green Director, Center for Worship
- Ryan Longnecker Associate Professor of Leadership Studies
- Chris Marczak Adjunct Faculty of Ed.D. Online
- Tom Middendorf University Provost, Senior Vice President
- Alice Patterson Director, Ed.D. Program
- Priscilla Speer Assistant Professor | Online Learning Services Librarian
- Heidi Ventura Professor, Associate Dean of Academic Research and Innovation
- Jeffrey Wells Professor, Communication Studies
- Robert Young Adjunct Faculty of Ed.D. Online
Course Descriptions
Get details on all the courses you’ll complete as you work toward this degree at Trevecca.*
Cohort Schedule
View a sample schedule of the courses you will be taking when you enroll.
Intrapersonal Leadership
EDD 8054
Research-Based Technology
EDD 8603
Research I: Foundations of Research
EDD 8601
Research II: Research Design and Measurements
EDD 8602
Leadership 2: Collaborative Teamwork and Team Development
EDD 8055
Applied Statistics
EDD 8604
Leading Transformational Change
EDD 8057
Leadership 3: Creating Effective Organizations
EDD 8056
Applied Leadership
EDD 8058
Dissertation
EDD 8211-8217
Choose a Track*
Consulting and Coaching
TRACK
Enterprise Leadership
TRACK
This course is designed to provide students with the information needed to lead an enterprise successfully. The course will cover topics such as leadership characteristics, ethical leadership, team leadership, inspirational leadership, and visionary leadership models.
Students will study enterprise leadership from an inspirational view of leadership from a Christian perspective in developing cohesive teams. Students will explore the levels of effective leadership, issues facing leadership, and strategic measures of leadership. Students will investigate the complexity of the leadership environment of an enterprise through related discussions, topics, and case studies to better understand the skills and the different ways in which leadership can be conveyed.
Credit Hours: 4
Healthcare Administration
TRACK
Healthcare delivery has been influenced by the legal issues surrounding the delivery, security, and research associated with the patient / provider relationship. The legal influences on the corporate healthcare environment will be presented. Discussions of the influences on the delivery process and policy will be reviewed, including, but not limited to, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX).
Outcome-based healthcare delivery and case management have been topics of discussion for some time, and the influence on delivery and reimbursement will continue to impact the healthcare environment. Topics include the quality of care and the influencers, such as staff shortages, educational shortcomings and technology velocity, and their influence on healthcare delivery. Patient safety and patient satisfaction will be presented through current data on the topic and the results of quality initiatives such as the Healthcare-focused Baldrige award and audit process. The influences of the organizational efficiencies on healthcare delivery and the opposing healthcare delivery process on organizational efficiencies will be reviewed and discussed.
Healthcare delivery in the U.S. has been influenced and changed significantly through the legislative process at the federal, state and local levels. These changes have significantly altered the strategic planning of healthcare delivery. This course will present and discuss the strategies available to address the changing landscape of healthcare delivery through the use and study of healthcare issues and how they will influence the future of healthcare delivery. Case studies will be a major portion of this course to determine how others have approached the policies in the past and how they have been impacted by the choices made.
Higher Education
TRACK
Interdisciplinary Studies
TRACK
Organizational Intelligence
TRACK
PreK-12 District Leadership
TRACK
Professional Practice Track
TRACK
*For a complete list of courses, tracks and other relevant information, view the program's course catalog.
*Track availability is based on demand. Student will provide multiple track choices in order of preference and will be placed in their highest preferred available track.