PhD in Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in Virginia Beach United States | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

The EdD program is structured around cohorts of about 15 working professionals at each location. The PhD track, offered exclusively at the Blacksburg campus, caters to those aspiring to academic teaching or policy-focused careers. Annual PhD admissions are intentionally kept small to ensure personalized faculty mentorship.
Curriculum: Degree requirements include 63 post-master's credits for the EdD and 69 for the PhD, spanning 36 months. Studies encompass foundational concepts, applied research, specialized cognates, and dissertation work. Part-time participants enroll in at least two courses per term, including summer sessions, completing the program in roughly three years. Subjects range from policy governance and research methodologies to specialized areas like educational facility planning and instructional program administration. Elective topics address contemporary issues including educational equity, assessment standards, accreditation processes, and the intersection of ethics and education politics. Each student's curriculum is customized based on their academic history, experience, and professional goals.