The EdD program at Webster University is designed for preparing well-rounded educator-scholars who have the passion and competency to make a difference in the world through scholarship and service. Admission to this program is every even year.

Holistic Framework

The program is based on a holistic framework with four foci: theory, research, practice, and leadership. Knowledge of theory and research build the foundation of our program. This includes immersing the students in contemporary and classical theories that relate to students' specialty areas and education in general. It also includes learning a selection of research methods so that students can make a difference by conducting a systematic research study in their dissertation. The foundation of theory and research informs practice, which entails applying what is learned through teaching and service. With theory, research, and practice, we advocate for our doctoral students to become leaders in any education-related capacity. Students will gain the essential tools they need in order to serve in leadership positions in their specialty area and take initiatives to foster social and institutional changes.

Beyond the four foci, the program values social consciousness, criticality, and advocacy. Social consciousness corresponds to the connectedness of the dissertation projects to the sociopolitical, socioeconomic, and sociocultural contexts. As Webster is well respected as a leader in global citizenship, our program values dissertation projects which engage in cross-cultural research with global contextual relevancy. Criticality refers to our critical thinking and analytical capacity to challenge the status quo and create new proposals for advancing the knowledge base and specialty area. Advocacy reminds us to take the findings from our dissertations to the next level and become a voice and advocate for the people that we represent and care for.