Doctor of Education (EdD) or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Thanks in advance
If the field of study and research is education (the theory and practice of teaching), then the degree per se wouldn't matter so much as the institution granting the degree.
If the field of study and research is education (the theory and practice of teaching), then the degree per se wouldn't matter so much as the institution granting the degree.
Does anyone know the difference between the EDD (Doctor of Education) and PHD in Education?
My take is that Studying a EDD program is basically for those who aspire to be in leadership positions in managing and leading all levels of educational organizations- be they elementary, Primary, Secondary, tertiary and higher education. Whereas, a PHD is only specific to Philosophy of Education and limited to understanding a specific system such as just higher education.
There are lots of pros and cons to consider. Whereas a PhD generally requires the candidate to write a thesis of 100,000 words or so on a single issue, EdD programmes typically involve several taught modules (each assessed at doctoral level by a submission of, say, 6000 or 8000 words), plus a thesis of about 50,000 words. That is to say that the total number of words written for both PhD and EdD is likely to be similar, but the EdD is completed step by step. In my view, this makes EdD study more attractive if you are engaging in doctoral study alongside full-time work.Then, EdD programmes tend to focus more on the student's work context and professional practices than do PhDs. Hence the oft-quoted aphorism that PhD graduates are professional researchers, whereas EdD graduates are researching professionals. Finally, I agree with Karl Pfeifer. If you want to do a doctorate in the Education area, then one thing to bear in mind is that an EdD from Harvard or Cambridge will carry more weight, once successfully completed, than will a PhD from a little-known institution. The other side of the coin, however, is that some people are rather sniffy about so-called 'professional doctorates' like EdD and DBA, regarding the PhD or DPhil as the gold standard.
So, as I said, various factors for you to weigh up.
I agree with the first part of Jimela Dora Kialo's comment. I think it is generally true that those who study on EdD programmes are either people in senior management positions in schools (though sometimes in higher education), or those who aspire to achieve senior management positions.
I think that the motivations for PhD study in an Education area are much more diverse. Of course, traditionally a PhD was seen as the key way of entering academia, and as a preparation for a life of research and publication. That is still true today, but in many countries these days only about a third of PhD graduates go into academia.
But keep in mind that some professional doctorates also use "PhD" and aren't distinguished by a different label. And some doctorates are less demanding than a master's. And some master's are no better than an undergrad degree. Etc. 👨🎓🤷🏾♂️
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