Doctor of Education in Leadership
Degree: Doctor of EducationTotal Credit Hours: 54
Tuition: $550 per credit hour
Cohort Format: One in-person session per week
Program Length: 3 years
Program Overview
The Doctor of Education in Leadership prepares advanced leaders to design, implement, and scale solutions to complex organizational and social challenges. Rooted in Kingtopia’s Kingdom-centered approach to leadership formation, the program is designed for experienced professionals who want to lead systems change, strengthen institutions, conduct applied research, and produce leadership scholarship that contributes to their field and community of practice.
Students will explore advanced leadership theory, organizational change, applied research, systems thinking, ethics, strategy, and community impact. The program is designed for leaders in education, nonprofit, ministry, public sector, and community-based settings who want to move from effective practice to transformational leadership.
Courses for DOCTOR OF EDUCATION IN Leadership
EDL 701 - Doctoral Foundations: Leadership, Identity & Inquiry (3 credit hours)
This foundational doctoral course establishes the intellectual, scholarly, and personal framework for doctoral study in leadership. Students examine the nature and purpose of practitioner scholarship, develop their doctoral identity as scholar-practitioners, and situate their leadership experience within broader theoretical and organizational contexts. Topics include the epistemology of practice, the role of the scholarly practitioner, doctoral writing and academic voice, leadership theory at the advanced level, the formation of a Problem of Practice, and the integration of Christian calling with doctoral-level inquiry. Students begin developing their Problem of Practice statement, which serves as the organizing framework for the Dissertation in Practice.
EDL 710 - Advanced Organizational Theory (3 credit hours)
This course provides a rigorous examination of classical and contemporary organizational theory at the doctoral level. Students critically analyze the theoretical frameworks that explain how organizations function, adapt, fail, and transform — and develop the capacity to apply organizational theory to complex real-world leadership challenges. Topics include structural, human resource, political, and symbolic frames; institutional theory; complexity and adaptive systems; critical organizational theory; and the application of organizational theory to the design of doctoral research.
EDL 720 - Qualitative Research Design & Methods (3 credit hours)
This course develops students' mastery of qualitative research design and methods as tools for practitioner inquiry and doctoral scholarship. Students design and conduct a small-scale qualitative inquiry project and develop the methodological knowledge needed for dissertation-level research. Topics include qualitative research traditions (phenomenology, grounded theory, case study, ethnography, action research), data collection methods (interviews, observation, document analysis), qualitative data analysis, trustworthiness and rigor, and the ethical dimensions of qualitative research in organizational and community settings.
EDL 730 - Quantitative Research & Statistical Reasoning (3 credit hours)
This course develops students' capacity to understand, critically evaluate, and apply quantitative research methods and statistical reasoning in organizational leadership contexts. Students develop statistical literacy sufficient for doctoral-level research design and literature engagement, with emphasis on applied statistical reasoning rather than advanced statistical computation. Topics include descriptive and inferential statistics, survey design, hypothesis testing, effect sizes, regression, mixed methods approaches, and the critical evaluation of quantitative research in leadership and organizational contexts. Statistical software (SPSS or equivalent) is provided through KC's institutional license.
EDL 740 - Problem of Practice Seminar (3 credit hours)
This intensive seminar focuses on the development, refinement, and scholarly grounding of each student's Problem of Practice — the organizing focus of the Dissertation in Practice. Students workshop their Problem of Practice statements, develop preliminary literature maps, and receive structured feedback from faculty and peers. Topics include the definition and characteristics of a Problem of Practice, literature search and review strategies, theoretical framing, the relationship between practice problems and research questions, and the scholarly articulation of organizational and community challenges. By the end of this seminar, students submit an approved Problem of Practice proposal.
EDL 750 - Concentration Core I (3 credit hours)
Concentration Core I provides advanced theoretical and applied content specific to each student's chosen concentration: Organizational Leadership, Education Leadership, or Global Development & Justice Leadership. Students engage deeply with the scholarly literature of their concentration, examine leading frameworks and debates in their field, and begin connecting concentration-specific theory to their Problem of Practice and dissertation focus. Specific course content varies by concentration and is finalized by the Chief Academic Officer and Cohort Mentor in consultation with concentration faculty.
EDL 801 - Dissertation in Practice I: Problem of Practice & Literature Review (6 credit hours)
This course represents the first formal stage of the Dissertation in Practice. Under the supervision of their dissertation committee chair and Cohort Mentor, students complete and refine their Problem of Practice statement, conduct a systematic review of the relevant scholarly literature, and develop the conceptual framework that will anchor their dissertation. Students produce Chapters 1 and 2 of the Dissertation in Practice — the Introduction (Problem of Practice) and the Literature Review — and present their work for committee feedback at a formal milestone review.
EDL 760 - Concentration Core II + Advanced Leadership Ethics & Justice (6 credit hours)
This combined course advances students' concentration-specific knowledge while integrating a rigorous examination of leadership ethics and justice at the doctoral level. Concentration Core II deepens applied scholarship in the student's chosen concentration, building directly on Concentration Core I and the emerging dissertation framework. Advanced Leadership Ethics & Justice examines the ethical responsibilities of senior leaders — including issues of power, equity, accountability, and the integration of Christian ethics with organizational leadership at scale. Students produce a major written synthesis connecting ethical leadership theory to their concentration and Problem of Practice.
EDL 770 - Program Evaluation & Applied Learning Systems + Scholarly Practitioner Elective (6 credit hours)
This combined course develops advanced skills in program evaluation and organizational learning, paired with a scholarly practitioner elective tailored to each student's dissertation and professional focus. Program Evaluation & Applied Learning Systems examines advanced evaluation theory and practice, including utilization-focused evaluation, developmental evaluation, systems-level learning, and the design of learning organizations. The Scholarly Practitioner Elective allows students to engage deeply with a specialized area of scholarship directly relevant to their dissertation, chosen in consultation with the dissertation committee chair and Chief Academic Officer.
EDL 802 – Dissertation in Practice II: Methodology, Findings & Defense (4 credit hours)
This course represents the second stage of the Dissertation in Practice sequence. Under the supervision of the dissertation committee, students finalize their research methodology, complete any required ethical review or institutional approval process, and begin conducting their applied research study. Students refine their research design, develop or finalize data collection tools, identify participants or data sources, and carry out data collection aligned with their approved Problem of Practice. Emphasis is placed on methodological rigor, ethical research practice, data management, and the connection between research design and real-world organizational or community impact. By the end of the course, students submit a completed methodology chapter and evidence of substantial progress in data collection.
EDL 803 - Dissertation in Practice III: Findings, Defense, publishable Playbook (5 credit hours)
This course represents the final stage of the Dissertation in Practice sequence and serves as the culminating doctoral experience. Under the supervision of the dissertation committee, students complete data analysis, write the findings and discussion chapters, identify implications for practice, and prepare for the formal Dissertation Defense. Students also develop a Publishable Playbook, a practitioner-facing resource that translates key findings, insights, and recommendations into usable tools for their field or community of practice. The course culminates in the successful defense of the Dissertation in Practice, submission of the final committee-approved manuscript, and completion of the Publishable Playbook.
Why choose the Doctor of Education in Leadership? This doctoral program gives experienced leaders the opportunity to deepen their research capacity, strengthen strategic thinking, address complex organizational problems, and lead systems-level change. The EdD is designed for senior and emerging senior leaders in nonprofit, ministry, education, government, community development, and mission-driven organizations who want to connect applied research with real-world leadership impact.
Chief Executive Officer
President
Executive Director
Superintendent
Provost
Dean
Vice President
Senior Director of Global Programs
Director of Advocacy
Director of Community Development
Executive Pastor
Denominational Leader
Organizational Development Executive
Senior Consultant
University Faculty Member, Practitioner or Applied Track
Policy Director
Senior Government Administrator
Director of Research and Learning
Social Enterprise Executive
Impact Investment Leader
Career Opportunities
