Community College Leadership Emphasis, Ed.D. in Education

The School of Education at Iowa State University offers a Doctor in Education (Ed.D.) with an emphasis in:

  • Community College Leadership

This program is designed to prepare transformational equity-focused community college leaders. Students who complete the program are prepared to work as leaders in community colleges, state departments of education, and a variety of other educational agencies.

New cohorts start every two years in odd-numbered summers.

The program begins with two years of cohort-based coursework and culminates with a dissertation in practice in which each student demonstrates the use of critical inquiry to address a complex problem of practice. In addition to community college focused coursework, students complete a core curriculum to develop understanding of the scope, substance, and inter-relationship of the P-20 schooling continuum. The program’s cohort model aims to stimulate a shared learning experience among students, foster the development of professional networks, and encourage dialogue among emerging leaders across the educational system. To best meet the needs of working professionals, the program is delivered through a hybrid format that balances limited in person class time with a combination of synchronous and asynchronous online delivery.

The program is a total of 54 credits. Because the program is designed as a cohesive, cohort-based experience with a planned curriculum, no transfer credits are accepted.