Redesign of EdD and PhD Educational Leadership Programs

Over the past three decades, numerous calls have been issued from professional associations, government entities, researchers, and university faculty and administrators to strengthen the preparation of U.S. educational leadership programs. Survey responses were compared for educational leadership doctoral programs that have been redesigned versus those that have not. The results suggest that in spite of substantial numbers of EdD and PhD programs reporting redesigns, few changes have been made to align with emerging research or best practice. The only substantive change is in the use of a cohort-based design. Implications for future redesign efforts are discussed.