College of Education and Human Services’ Ed.D. program enrollment continues to grow in 2024

MURRAY, Ky. – The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in P-20 and Community Leadership program at Murray State University is one of the first doctorates in the nation to provide an innovative, integrated P-20 approach to educational leadership across the learning continuum.

The program features specializations in postsecondary leadership, pK-12 leadership and agriculture education. The College of Education and Human Services’ (COEHS) Ed.D. is designed for working professionals, intentionally integrating a cohort approach to learning.

The program faculty assist each cohort in developing an effective and productive learning community where students challenge and support one another. COEHS believes a cohort approach for adult learners fosters a spirit of camaraderie, leading to a higher completion rate compared to other approaches in doctoral studies.

Since the Ed.D. program started admitting students in 2014, 253 doctoral students have enrolled. The program admits students in both the fall and spring semesters, consistently admitting between 30-40 students per year. The current enrollment is 108. Of that, 66 students are now working on their dissertations, while the remaining 42 have not yet started. In total, 113 students have completed their dissertations. Twenty dissertations were started for 2023-2024 academic year, while twelve dissertations are expected to be finished this semester. Fifteen to twenty graduates are anticipated for this academic year.

The Ed.D. program has significant enrollment from the state of Georgia. More than 25 percent of their agriculture teachers completed a degree at Murray State University, such as an Master of Science (M.S.) or Education Specialist (Ed.S.), in the Hutson School of Agriculture (HSOA) and the Ed.D. in the COEHS. The program is gaining popularity in Alabama and other states as well.

The program offers an Ed.S. to Ed.D. bridge specialization that allows up to 30 hours of transfer credit for those who hold an Ed.S. degree. A proposal has been submitted to the University to offer a post master's degree bridge. If approved, the program will provide up to 24 hours of transfer credit for those holding more than one master's degree. This option will be shared broadly with school districts throughout Kentucky. The post master’s bridge will also be marketed on a national level.

Students can complete the Ed.D. program entirely online. No on-campus components are required, and they can access classrooms virtually for weekend courses. Tuition for the program is among the most affordable for doctoral programs in the area, offering the same costs for both in-state and out-of-state students.

Prior learning assessment is available to earn credit for coursework already mastered in the workplace. Once admitted to the Ed.D. program, students are assigned an advisor from the graduate faculty in the Ed.D. program. The advisor's role supports the student through various program benchmarks and assists the student in the further clarification of research interests.

To learn more about the Ed.D. in P-20 & Community Leadership program, contact Program Director Dr. Randal H. Wilson at rwilson6@murraystate.edu.