An EdD from Liberty University will have many overlapping benefits with a PhD program. Still, the most important differences lie in each program’s focus for either finding new ways to apply currently available research or developing new approaches with innovative research projects. Liberty’s EdD degree includes advanced research and writing that will help you demonstrate your experience and mastery of learning theory. However, the PhD’s dissertation project emphasizes the development of new, groundbreaking research in the field of education. 

With these differences in focus, EdD students tend to go on to pursue roles that are more focused on the practice of teaching, and PhD students tend to go on to roles in academic research and scholarship.

As the highest level of academic scholarship, a PhD can open many doors to academic roles and the latest research. If you want to focus your studies toward the end goal of becoming a leader in the field of academic educational studies, earning your PhD can help you get there. Graduates of Liberty University’s PhD in Education or PhD in Higher Education are well-equipped to pursue roles as:

• Curriculum coordinators
• Education policymakers
• Education research designers
• Higher education or K-12 administrators
• Research scholars
• University professors

Any role that requires advanced education expertise and excellent research skills will benefit from the practical training and scholarship in Liberty University’s PhD in Education programs.

Both EdD and PhD graduates are qualified to teach at the college level. A PhD may, in some cases, fit better with a university’s specific needs for faculty research. At the same time, an EdD graduate may be better equipped with curriculum development or teaching practice to cover educator training. There is a place for both EdD and PhD graduates in the college setting.

Our online doctoral degree programs offer students great benefits:

• We are recognized by multiple institutions for our academic quality, affordability, and accessibility. Our commitment to excellence also helped us rank in the top 10% of Niche.com’s best online schools in America. Earning your online degree from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field.
• The majority of tuition for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs has not increased in 9 years. While many other online colleges have raised tuition, Liberty has been able to keep costs low as a nonprofit university.
• Our education degrees are offered in 8-week course formats, with 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times!
• All of our School of Education initial and advanced licensure programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
• Our students have the ability to join Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), which is an international honor society in education, to promote excellence in future professionals and recognize outstanding contributions made to education.