Online D.Ed. Program
Frequently Asked Questions
The deadline is February 15 for Fall Semester and September 15 for Spring Semester.
What is the application deadline?
The ideal candidate for this online Doctor of Education program is a dedicated and accom-
plished professional who has exhibited unwavering commitment to the field of education at any
level, including birth/early childhood all the way through post-graduate. We seek passionate
individuals with a wealth of experience who aspire to attain the highest academic distinction in
education. You should be a visionary leader, ready to engage in a rigorous academic journey.
As an applicant, you should demonstrate a profound dedication to the advancement of education,
combined with the skillset that comes from years of hands-on experience. This program is highly
selective, designed for individuals who stand out as leaders or future leaders in education, higher
education, government, corporate, non-profit, military and other educational settings.
Who should apply?
Acceptance is very competitive for this highly selective program.
What is the acceptance rate?
Admissions are not rolling. Generally, allow six to eight weeks from the deadline for an email
informing you of the status of your application.
When will I hear if I am admitted to the program?
A completed master’s degree in education or education adjacent is required for admission.
Those applicants with other post-baccalaureate degrees will be considered but may need to take
additional foundation credits.
Based on the admissions committee review, some students admitted may be required to enroll
in additional [electives] to provide foundational knowledge necessary to accomplish their profes-
sional and personal goals for their capstone project.
The GRE is not required for admission.
What are the academic requirements for admission?
Visit the program webpage:
https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/penn-state-online-doctor-of-education
Courses are oered in the Fall, and Spring semesters over 15 weeks. There is one summer
session with courses that run for 12 weeks. Summer courses are more intensive. All courses are
oered asynchronously, with faculty available for one-one meetings. All World Campus D.Ed.
courses are designed and taught by College of Education faculty.
Components of the asynchronous learning modality oered through
Penn State World Campus include:
Flexible schedule: You don’t have to attend classes at specific times. You can access course ma-
terials, lectures, and assignments whenever it’s convenient for you.
Location independent: You can participate from anywhere with an internet connection. You’re
not tied to a physical classroom.
Access to resources: All the necessary learning materials, such as videos, readings and quizzes,
are available online for you to access whenever you need them.
Individual focus: Asynchronous learning is more self-directed. You must manage your time and
motivation to stay on track with the course.
Great for busy schedules: It’s ideal for people who have work or other commitments and can’t
commit to fixed class times.
Research and personal resources: Students will have access to all academic, professional, career
and student support resources provided by Penn State World Campus and access to all research
and support resources provided by Penn State Libraries.
What is the course structure?
Although the amount of dedicated necessary time may fluctuate, generally plan for between 10
to 20 hours of engagement (reading, writing, viewing, discussing, planning, etc.) with course
material each week per three-credit course. Summer courses oer 15 weeks of content over 12
weeks and are commonly more intense due to the shorter period. World Campus oers one sum-
mer session in which D.Ed. students may enroll.
Periodically, live webinars on timely topics will be oered through the D.Ed. program oce. Live
webinars will be recorded and made available for students who may not be able to attend at the
given time.
What type of time commitment will the courses require?
The World Campus D.Ed. is an all-college degree. Candidates select options from coursework
available across the departments in the college. Specializations exist within departments and
extensive faculty expertise is available to students. Departments include Curriculum and Instruc-
tion; Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education; Educational Policy Studies;
and Learning and Performance Systems.
This degree does not lead to specific licensure or certification credentials. Some students may
wish to pursue additional elective coursework that may lead to licensure or certification.
What kind of specialization does the D.Ed. oer?
The Doctorate in Education (D.Ed.) and the Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) are synonymous.
According to the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate “The professional doctorate in ed-
ucation (D.Ed. or Ed.D.) prepares educators for the application of appropriate and specific prac-
tices, the generation of new knowledge, and for the stewardship of the profession.”
What is the dierence between a D.Ed. and an Ed.D.?
No. Penn State World Campus is the “real” Penn State. Every student — regardless of their
campus — receives an identical diploma or certificate that signifies they have completed a Penn
State program. There is nothing on the diploma that indicates whether courses were taken on-
line or on campus.
Will my certificate or diploma look any dierent than what
other Penn State students receive?
Letters of Recommendation: Letters of recommendation are crucial for your application. Three
recommendation letters are required. Emphasis should be on academic and professional refer-
ences. References should highlight achievements, leadership qualities and academic potential.
We value insights from those who can confirm your abilities, dedication and impact, and who are
familiar with your academic achievements, career path and potential.
Personal and Career Goals Statement: The goal statement plays a vital role in the admissions
process. Successful applicants focus on weaving a compelling narrative that addresses their
work, challenges and areas of interest. The goal statement should express the relevance of this
professional doctoral degree to your present and future interests. While not required, applicants
may emphasize any aliations or interest in particular faculty or programs in the College of Edu-
cation. Central to the World Campus D.Ed. is the exploration of compelling problems of practice
in education. Applicants are welcome to identify and share problems of practice relevant to their
work in their goal statement. We believe an acceptable personal and career goals statement can
be addressed in three to four double-spaced pages.
What should I include with my application?
The possibility of six non-degree credits may transfer in toward total degree requirements.
The program’s structure is carefully crafted, and as a result, the possibility of transferring in
credits is extremely limited — specifically, to a maximum of six elective credits total. While the
door is open, the pathway is not a common one and is undertaken with careful consideration,
aligning with the program’s ecient curriculum. We believe in upholding the program’s integrity
while ensuring that the academic commitment remains cohesive and aligned with our objec-
tives. Transfer credits will only be assessed after admission to the program.
How many credits can be transferred from a
dierent institution?
A minimum of 37 credits (post-master’s prerequisite) is required to complete the
online D.Ed. Students are required to complete common core/foundation classes (18
credits), specialization courses (minimum 12 credits), the residency
requirement (Summer Summit, 1 credit, repeatable), and the Doctoral Capstone Project (DCP;
EDUC 894) (minimum 6 credits, repeatable). The number of credits required in the disciplinary
specialization and the DCP beyond the minimum are dependent on several factors including
recommendations by the advisor, and timeline to complete the DCP.
A. Foundation Core (18 credits). Completion of a set of foundation core courses
designed specifically for the online D.Ed. students.
Required Foundation Core Courses:
EDUC 815 Foundations of educational research – Includes SARI (3 credits)
EDUC 801 Global trends in education culture (3 credits)
EDUC 802 Education research design and methods (3 credits)
EDUC 804 Program evaluation (3 credits)
EDUC 810 Quantitative data analysis workshop (3 credits)
EDUC 811 Qualitative data analysis workshop (3 credits)
B. Concentration courses (minimum 12 credits)
Concentration courses are intended to expand the student’s knowledge base to an area beyond
the focus of their existing master’s degree. This requirement is intentional. To address problems
of practice in contemporary society, practitioners are increasingly required to bring an interdisci-
plinary focus to identify, develop, and implement appropriate and practicable solutions. See the
World Campus D.Ed. website for sample course electives.
C. Milestones
Qualifying Examination For the qualifying examination, you will complete a portfolio that will be
used to evaluate your past performance and potential for successfully completing the program.
This exam is typically completed after the student has completed nine credits but must be com-
pleted before the candidate completes 18 credits.
The Comprehensive Examination will take place after successfully passing the qualifying exam
and the completion of the majority of course work. The comprehensive examination must be
scheduled within a year of completion of all required course work and no later than five years
after passing the qualifying exam. To be eligible for the comprehensive examination you are
required to have a minimum grade-point average of 3.00 for work completed at the University as
Do you have a sample course plan?
There is a suggested sequence. Students will take six to seven credits in both the fall and spring
semesters and three to four credits during the summer. However, there is some flexibility in the
number of credits each semester as some students may take fewer or more as their schedule
permits. It is recommended that core courses be taken as early as possible. Core courses will be
oered on a set schedule as the program expands.
Is there a suggested sequencing for classes?
a graduate student and may not have deferred or missing grades. Working with the Culminating
Experience Adviser, students will submit a written project proposal (15 to 20 pages) to the advis-
er, identify the Professional Doctoral Committee (following) and present an oral presentation of
the project proposal.
Doctoral Capstone Project (minimum 6 credits, repeatable). Completion of a research capstone
experience is required for the D.Ed. The doctoral capstone project is synonymous with a dis-
sertation and is expected to address problems of practice and engage students, practitioners,
a community, or leaders in an educational setting, as relevant and appropriate to the student’s
interests. This capstone project should be an independent eort by the student that extends be-
yond their course work and will result in a formal written document. It is intended to support the
student in gaining a better understanding of, and possibly provide solutions to, a local problem
of practice in the student’s professional setting. Students will complete their research capstone
projects through the Research Practicum course (EDUC 894), which may be repeated for credit:
EDUC 894 Doctoral level research practicum (initial six credits required and additional one cred-
it required in all ensuing semesters until a successful defense of the project has been achieved).
This experience will include support modules to benefit students as they complete their projects
and degrees.
Summer Summit
Students will meet in person for a five-day summer summit at the University Park campus to
fulfill the residency requirement for online professional doctoral degree programs. Each student
will complete a minimum of one summit for the year(s) they attend. Students may complete the
residency at any time during their D.Ed. experience, with the strong recommendation that this
be completed prior to their last year of their program (i.e., before enrollment in the majority of
their credits for the capstone experience).
The summer summit will engage students from all classes and include a series of workshops and
professional development opportunities. In addition to addressing the residency requirement,
the summer summit achieves two additional goals.
First, the summit will enhance students’ understanding of issues in educational research by ex-
tending competencies developed in course work.
Second, the summit will build community among students and faculty through academic en-
gagement and social activities on campus.
The program requires students to enroll in the in-person summer summit during at least one
summer during their degree program. Students will be responsible for additional expenses
related to the residency such as textbooks, materials, travel to and from, room and board, and
incidentals. [Penn State will provide lunch every day during the residency (Monday–Friday) and
a welcome dinner on Sunday evening prior to the start of the residency. Students will be respon-
sible for all other meal expenses.]
Normally the Summer Summit takes place during the first week of August.
Length of Program
The typical student is expected to complete the program in three to four years. Students are re-
quired to complete the program within eight years of completion of the qualifying exam.
Graduate tuition is calculated based on the number of credits for which you register. Tuition is
due shortly after each semester begins and rates are assessed every semester of enrollment.
For Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024, tuition per credit is $1,017.
For Fall 2024, Spring 2025, and Summer 2025, tuition per credit is $1,027.
Should students enroll in residential coursework there will be additional tuition and fees assessed.
Currently, the World Campus Doctor of Education program does not oer any specific scholarships.
Please see the links below for additional information on tuition, financial aid, and scholarships.
https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/penn-state-online-doctor-of-education#costs
https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/tuition-and-financial-aid/scholarships
What about tuition and scholarships?
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of Equal Opportunity and Access, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-
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