Just last week, I had a couple of good friends who completed their doctoral degrees.  What an amazing accomplishment!  I was so happy for them.  The journey that they had embarked on years before had culminated in this great celebration highlighting their significant academic accomplishment.            

              I remember my journey through the process.  I started the doctoral program when I was 22, and I hammered out a path that allowed me to finish by the time that I was 25.  I remember that my grandmother used to always say that no matter what, they can’t take away your educational accomplishments.

              Through the years, I have had many friends and former students who have asked me about whether they should complete a doctor of education (Ed.D.) or a doctor of philosophy (Ph. D.).  It is a valid question, and I have shared my perspective with them during these conversations.  I felt that I would include it here also because it is such a common question for those who work in the field of education.

              The two degree programs historically have had two distinct purposes.  The Ed. D. was for those wanted to apply their newly acquired knowledge to practice, while the Ph. D. was more focused on providing individuals with the knowledge to conduct research and teach.  I remember hearing this distinction when I started exploring the options in the early 1990s at the University of Alabama and thinking that the former was the direction that I should pursue.  Well, there was a moratorium on the Ph. D. program in Higher Education Administration at the time, so I didn’t have an option.  My advisor, Dr. Michael Thomas Miller, encouraged me to consider the research and teaching option, but he knew that it was not an option at that time.  However, in designing my program, that is determining what classes I would take to complete the degree, he directed me to complete courses that aligned very much with the content of the Ph. D. program.  Specifically, I took 15 hours of research-related courses during my Ed. D. program, which was far more than typically required for the degree.  It was a major blessing for many reasons as I will explain later.

              Three years after completing my degree, along with the assistance of Dr. Miller with getting a research agenda started, I received a faculty position at the University of Oklahoma…with an Ed. D.  The department saw my research, and they hired me with that degree versus the Ph. D.  I don’t recall the topic of Ed. D. ever coming up during my interview.  I have continued to teach in a variety of institutions through the years, and never has there been a conversation about my Ed. D. during the interview progress.  Also, through the years, I have rarely had anyone to ask me what degree specifically I had other than when this particular topic comes up with friends and former students.  I am just Dr. Pope.

              Likewise, I have noticed through teaching in a variety of programs at various institutions around the country through the years that the lines between the two programs continue to blur.  There is not a set in stone list of courses that consistently appear in these programs from institution to institution.  Needless to say, I would encourage you to do your research on these programs, determine if you like what they have to offer, and try to connect with the program faculty more than anything else.  Fit is the key, and that fit is not merely the degree program, but finding your fit with the culture of the program – finding a place where you can thrive and achieve your goals.  That seems to minimize the decision-making quite a bit to what may seem like a simple process, but that’s what has resonated the most in working with and mentoring many people through the years.  Talk to people who are in the programs that you are considering, and try to connect with those who have recently completed these programs to gain insight about their experiences.  Find good mentors who can assist in guiding you through the process to help you to do what needs to be done so that by the time you complete the program, you are on track to be successful.  For instance, if you are interested in engaging in research and teaching, find a program that provides students to engage in research so that they can begin to develop a research agenda and hopefully get some publications under your belt.  Also, make sure that these programs offer some opportunities to teach, possibly as a graduate teaching assistant. 

              This is probably an oversimplification of the decision-making process, but I wanted to share my perspective on the topic.  There are a myriad of options available for those who are interested in completing their doctorate, from full-time programs to executive programs designed for busy professionals who are squeezing in these programs with other aspects of their lives.  At the end of the day, you are trying to advance your career, and I commend you for that.  Once you are done with either, rarely will you be asked what degree you will have.  You will simply be Dr. Whoever.  However, finding fit, and making sure that you have good mentors to talk you through this process will ensure that you end up selecting the best option for you.  I wish you well, and please let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.