Doctor of Philosophy
in Education (PhD-Ed)

The Curriculum and Teaching specialization provides you with the professional competencies to make significant contributions to the areas of instruction and courses of study. You’ll have the opportunity to examine and evaluate contemporary theories, designs, development, application, and assessment of curriculums and instructional strategies. You’ll also have access to a support system of advisors, faculty, and tools to guide you through your coursework, research, and the intensive, yet rewarding dissertation process.

The E-Learning specialization integrates curriculum development, instructional design, and course delivery using technology and online learning management systems. Instruction will concentrate on a variety of instructional design methodologies incorporating educational media. You’ll build a broad knowledge base regarding the planning and implementation of teaching and delivery modalities through the examination of current research and analysis. You’ll also have access to a support system of advisors, faculty, and tools to guide you through your coursework, research, and the intensive, yet rewarding dissertation process.

In the Early Childhood Education specialization, you’ll focus on research and theory that builds on the foundational principles of early childhood education. Areas of emphasis include curriculum, assessment, and program administration as they align with theories on the growth and development of young children. Additionally, you’ll investigate early childhood literacy and literature along with the roles of families, caregivers, schools, and communities. Throughout the program, you’ll have access to advisors, faculty, and tools to support you through your coursework, dissertation, and your future work as a researcher contributing to the body of knowledge surrounding early childhood education. 

The English Language Learning (ELL) specialization prepares you to be a research scholar in the field. You’ll build on your existing knowledge and skills in preparation for continued investigation around teaching, assessing, and developing curricula for English language learners. The final course considers significant issues in ELL education, one of which may inspire your dissertation. Throughout the program, you’ll have a support system of advisors, faculty, and tools to guide you through coursework, research, and your dissertation process. Please note: if you’re seeking ELL/ESL certification, you should verify with state officials that this specialization meets applicable requirements.

In the General Education specialization, you’ll select courses from a broad range of electives to fit your personal interests and professional goals. This customized, comprehensive program allows you to complete your specialization requirements by taking a minimum of 18 credit hours at the 7000 or 8000 course level, and up to two of these courses may be taken from other fields, i.e., psychology, technology, and business. With dean approval, you may even consider additional courses (more than two) from other disciplines to fulfill this requirement.

The Instructional Leadership specialization provides educational scholars and professionals with a strong background in leadership research, theory, and practices applicable to higher education. Coursework focuses on exploring organizations, cultures, decision-making processes, change strategies, and community advocacy that improve instruction and enhance student achievement. Throughout the program, you’ll conduct research and analysis to identify innovative directions for higher education that focus on instructional change, policy development, and educational reform.

The International Education and Globalization specialization focuses on educational phenomena, practices, institutions, and organizations within different societies and cultures. Coursework explores international organizations, policies, initiatives, and challenges faced by global practitioners. Further, it prepares you to apply your organizational training, development, and ethical leadership to programs and institutions within diverse cultural environments. You’ll examine practices and challenges within international education; societal differences in conflict and mediation; and equity, inclusion, and social justice in a global context.

The Leadership in Higher Education prepares professionals to lead and conduct research in a variety of higher education institutions, including public, private, for-profit, and nonprofit. You’ll investigate the role and process of instructional leadership across many different functions and considerations, such as student services, strategic planning, academic programs, curriculum development, legal issues, and financial concerns.

The Learning Analytics in K-12 Education specialization immerses you in the growing field of educational learning analytics. The coursework explores the foundations of learner analytics and its key theories, leading experts, best practices, and K-12 applications. You’ll study the difference between academic and learning analytics, and examine the role technology and data mining play in both. Ultimately, you’ll learn how to identify, measure, and apply relevant data in the K-12 educational environment, such as demographics, academic ability, student engagement and support initiatives, technology and online measures, financial aid, and socioeconomic background information. 

The Organizational Leadership specialization prepares you for leadership roles within education, corporate, government, or community organizations by providing you the tools necessary to make things happen. The program is grounded in applied research and explores issues and resolutions in contemporary organizations while providing the opportunity to contribute new knowledge in the field. Coursework provides you with a foundational understanding of research methods, statistics, data analysis, and the dissertation process, while the specialty studies focus on strategies for conflict resolution, building capacity, change management, and inspiring a shared vision.

The School Safety, Security, and Emergency Management specialization provides educational leaders with the skills and tools to keep schools safe and secure for students, teachers, and the learning process. Students who feel safe are better able to learn by engaging with the curriculum, their teachers, and their peers. Program coursework provides you with a foundational understanding of research methods, statistics, data analysis, and the dissertation process, while the specialty studies focus on technologies for managing safety, security, and emergencies; threat assessments; restorative justice and alternatives to student discipline; and ways to implement and improve school safety plans. A theoretical underpinning of these issues and necessary responses will also be examined.

The Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) specialization provides education professionals, advanced classroom teachers, school counselors or psychologists, and administrators with a more intensive examination of the five core competencies identified by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, and social awareness. From a K-12 practitioner’s perspective, you’ll examine how these competencies are applied across all educational touchpoints, including classrooms, schools, homes, and communities.

The Special Education (SE) specialization is designed for professionals who work with gifted and disabled students in a variety of settings. The program covers a spectrum of related issues, including the development and characteristics of students, learning differences, and instructional strategies that address these special needs. The coursework provides you with the knowledge and contemporary research skills to plan, assess, and deliver instruction to gifted students and those with mental, physical, behavioral, or learning disabilities.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Sport and Athletic Management specialization is a research-based program that requires you to apply educational concepts and management principles to the planning, organizing, and directing of sports and athletics. Coursework focuses on producing, facilitating, promoting, and organizing sports products and services. As this growing field requires scholar-practitioners with proficiency across a wide range of skills, NU’s curriculum allows for multifaceted exploration that aligns with industry standards. You’ll further your competencies in athletic administration and coaching, explore current problems and potential solutions within sports management, and build an understanding of educational theories related to this field.

In the Trauma-Informed Educational Practices specialization, you’ll explore and integrate the theoretical fundamentals related to trauma-informed teaching and learning. The doctoral coursework will provide an in-depth understanding of research methods, statistics, data analysis, and the dissertation process. For your specialty studies, your work will extend across various educational settings and populations to examine how trauma manifests in different populations and communities, specific trauma-informed strategies for the classroom, and theories that strengthen resilience among students and educators.

The Learning Analytics in Higher Education specialization prepares you for research and leadership in the growing field of learner data and analysis. You’ll explore the history of data analytics, key theories, best practices and tools, research methods, and analytics applications in higher education. Coursework focuses on the proper identification, utility, and application of relevant data, as well as building and improving institutional capacity by effectively employing learning analytics to educational outcomes. Throughout the program, you’ll be examining current issues within learning analytics, including technology and the role of learning management systems (LMS) in personal learning, intelligent data, and adaptive modeling. You’ll also address key components of data integrity, such as data privacy (FERPA), data security, and time sensitivity.

This specialization integrates curriculum development, instructional design and course delivery using technology and online learning management systems. The specialization focuses on providing a knowledge base of current research for the planning and implementation of teaching and delivery modalities using instructional design methodologies incorporating educational media.

The specialization is designed to allow students to develop and enhance academic and practical skills for success in the academy and other career paths. The specialization reinforces principles in leadership, research, appreciation of literature, and data driven decision making, allowing graduates to create or enhance their own niche in the many disciplines of athletic coaching and sport management. Students will integrate professional and ethical essentials of leadership including DEI in athletic coaching and sport management and validate research principles to make data driven decisions in athletic coaching and sport management. Further, students will justify continual professional development in athletic coaching and sport management and cultivate effective communications with all audiences using a variety of delivery modalities. Finally, students will synthesize literature for research-based practice in athletic coaching and sport management and develop specialization content knowledge in the core and related courses.  The specialization blends coursework, research, and practical experience to prepare the graduates for careers in interscholastic, intercollegiate, professional, and recreational sport settings.