Leadership and Innovation, EdD
Administration, Assessment, Innovation, Research, School, edulp, leadership, teachers college, teaching
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College is changing their name, effective Fall 2025. The new name is Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation.
At one of the top-ranked graduate colleges of education in the U.S., our personalized leadership program is designed to develop transformative innovators who bring people and ideas together, enrich the lives of learners, amplify the impact of educators and improve the performance of education systems.
The Doctor of Education program in leadership and innovation prepares scholarly practitioners and is designed for practicing educator-leaders who work in a range of settings who want to transform and improve their practice to create better learning opportunities for students of all ages.
This three-year, cohort-based program is offered in two modalities: hybrid (a combination of classes delivered at ASU's West Valley campus and online) and 100% online, with similar coursework and structure and taught by the same faculty.
Students begin as accomplished teachers, teacher leaders, principals, superintendents, higher education professionals or leaders in other educational contexts. Through the coursework, students deepen their abilities to lead change and implement innovation in their local educational organizations.
The program focuses on action research and includes required coursework, strengthening students' abilities to reflectively and critically think about problems of practice in one of the following contexts: pre-K--12 change leadership; higher education change leadership; or systems, professional and reimagined change leadership.
Differentiation among these contexts and students' interests occurs within the required coursework and program-related activities as students apply their learning to their specific work contexts.
Students conduct multiple cycles of inquiry throughout the program and learn research within their own workplace. They have multiple opportunities to virtually share their ongoing research throughout each academic year.
Leader-scholar communities, formed at the end of the first year and consisting of six to seven students and one faculty member, meet regularly for the second and third years of the program to supply academic and personal support. Through these communities, students support each other, under faculty guidance, in the conceptualization, implementation and study of change initiatives. Each student's community leader serves as the dissertation chair, along with two additional committee members who ultimately make up the doctoral committee.
Successful students make a commitment to continuing systematic study of their professional practice and sustaining innovation and leadership by making a positive difference in their local settings. The program aims to enable more thoughtful, intentional and informed leaders who are willing and able to implement and study continuous improvement.
The program makes a difference in the way a student thinks and works as a leader in education for the immediate and local benefit of school children, adult learners, schools or other organizations, and local communities.
The program is not designed to prepare students for academic research-oriented tenure-track positions.
- College/school:
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College
- Location: West Valley or Online
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
90 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation
Required Core (24 credit hours)
Research (9 credit hours)
Advanced Professional Studies (6 credit hours)
Directed Field-Based Study (3 credit hours)
Participation in Leader-Scholar Communities (6 credit hours)
Electives (30 credit hours)
Dissertation (12 credit hours)
Additional Curriculum Information
Students should see the academic unit for an approved course list.
Students register for required research and dissertation hours as part of the leader-scholar communities requirement.
When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree. If students do not have a previously awarded master's degree, the 30 hours of coursework is made up of electives to reach the required 90 credit hours.
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution or equivalent.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- three letters of recommendation
- personal statement
- guided writing sample
- curriculum vitae
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Recommenders should be individuals who can speak to the applicant's potential for success in a graduate program. The personal statement should describe the applicant's interests and reasons for seeking this degree, along with potential problems of practice to serve as a guide for applied research in the program.
GRE scores are not required for admission.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
Graduates possess skills in thinking critically about problems of practice, designing and conducting action research, collaborating with teams in leader-scholar communities and leading change in an educational organization. They are prepared to expand or pursue leadership positions in pre-K--12 schools and higher education institutions.
Career examples include:
- community college leader
- educational consultant
- educational professional developer
- principal
- superintendent
- teacher leader
- university administrator
Educational Leadership & Innovation, Division
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ED 118
doctoraleducation@asu.edu
480-965-5555
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
