Learning and Inquiry in Practice, Ed.D.

Keonya Booker, Director of the Ed.D. program 

Mission Statement

The Doctor of Education in Learning and Inquiry in Practice is a multidisciplinary terminal degree for learners who desire to work for the public good and make a meaningful impact in their communities. The foundation of this program underscores the idea that those in positions of leadership and workforce development understand the complexity of systems as they relate to learning and inquiry. Graduates will be able to provide comprehensive, inclusive, and divergent approaches to benefit all citizens in formal and informal educational settings. Rigorous inquiry and professional practice will drive the roles of compassionate individuals as community impact members.

Program Description

Constructed within a supportive framework, this program is designed for the working professional. Ideal candidates for this program will include school counselors, non-profit organizers and leaders, P-12 teachers and administrators, philanthropists, and community activists. Inquiry will drive the roles of individuals as community-impact members. The culmination of student work and learning is a dissertation of applied innovation (DAI) where learners will conduct scholarly research focused on the practical application of their newly acquired learning and inquiry skills to solve existing problems in their respective disciplines. 

The three-year, 60 credit-hour hybrid program includes carefully sequenced, multidisciplinary coursework grounded in the principles of the School of Education and expanded to include varied perspectives (i.e., Public Administration and Communication). Coursework will include current outlooks that focus on program evaluation, high impact practices in education, and grant writing. Students will take courses primarily fully online, with three, one-hour research intensive residencies planned for one week during each summer of the program. Students will come to Charleston during that week to connect with faculty and cohort peers, begin planning their dissertation research, and learn more about educational innovation at the local, regional, and national levels. 

Admission Requirements and Application Deadlines

Learning and Inquiry in Practice, Ed.D. Admission Requirements  

Transfer Credit Policy

An applicant or student of the Ed.D. in Learning and Inquiry in Practice Program can seek approval from the Program Director to accept up to six transfer credit hours. These courses must have a grade of B or higher. Courses with a grade of “Pass” or “Satisfacthetory” will not be accepted. Also, note that the courses must be catalog courses and not professional development courses to count in a program.

Program Requirements 

Learning and Inquiry in Practice, Ed.D.  

Program Learning Outcomes