Ed.S. and Ed.D. Postsecondary Teaching and Instructional Leadership

About the Ed.S. and Ed.D. Postsecondary Teaching and Instructional Leadership

Do you aspire to advance your higher education teaching career by earning a doctorate and deepening your pedagogical work through doctoral-level research in your area of study?

The Ed.S. and Ed.D. majors in Postsecondary Teaching and Instructional Leadership are advanced programs for faculty and instructors in higher education who want to earn a terminal degree with a focus on teaching to support their work with students, and for career security and advancement. These programs serve instructors and faculty from across all subject areas seeking to deepen their professional practice through advanced study of adult learning theory, instructional design, educational leadership, as well as pedagogical and andragogical practice. The program is suited for faculty in career and technical institutes, undergraduate programs, and technical trainers or consultants with Masters degrees who are looking for career advancement and the professional credibility associated with an earned doctorate presenting original research and a dissertation supervised by highly qualified and supportive doctoral faculty.

This program prepares educators for a variety of professional roles related to instructional leadership in postsecondary institutions. Through coursework, students will deepen their knowledge of higher education culture, teaching practices related to pedagogy and andragogy (teaching adults), and ways of building subject matter expertise while networking and researching. Doctoral students in Postsecondary Teaching also learn theories of adult learning and cultural proficiency, apply knowledge of curriculum theory at the postsecondary level, and know-how to design effective, stimulating online and blended courses. The program’s culminating experience is crafting a doctoral research project and dissertation framed by curricular problems of practice and contributing new knowledge to the field. 

By the end of the program, graduates master how to utilize their specialized subject matter expertise and knowledge of higher education to foster effectiveness in college-level teaching, academic leadership, and program improvement.  

Depending on your specialization, earning your doctorate in education can also prepare you for positions in: 

• Higher education (college faculty or staff in student-centered roles)
• Private organizations (subject matter expert, learning experience designer)
• Public institutions and civil service (non-profit director, training developer, researcher, education lobbyist)
• Consultancies or other professional advisory organizations in education-related presentation or consultative roles. 

This program is offered fully online. At mid-program all students are invited to participate in the Higher Education Leadership Colloquium in-person, but those who cannot or prefer not to may participate online.

Our faculty go out of their way to support students and build community in both formats, including offering optional synchronous zoom sessions with the class, online office hours, and other ways to engage.

Questions?

Contact Marci Mazza, Director of Enrollment: MMazza@nl.edu 

Student Spotlight

Meriem Diouri, Ed.D. Postsecondary Teaching and Instructional Leadership

"The doctoral journey at National Louis University has been an uplifting and transformative experience. The Postsecondary Teaching & Instructional Leadership program allowed me to pursue my interests, build autonomy, and strengthen the necessary tools to persevere and succeed. The courses are designed to engage and challenge students in their thinking while receiving feedback that promotes expansive growth. The positive interactions and engagements inspired me to acquire substantive knowledge, collect relevant research, and keep my focus on my dissertation throughout the program. I am forever appreciative of the academic and social experiences that NLU's teaching and learning program has offered."  

Katie Boyer, Assistant Professor of Education, University of Dubuque

"My doctoral research examined an Iowa school district’s elementary wellness program. I found that many teachers, while certified by the state to teach health, are not qualified to teach the content. The findings illustrate why physical education and health curriculum courses in undergraduate teacher preparation programs are essential. My research also revealed a gap in educating our future professionals, which informs my work as a faculty member of a teacher preparation program. I am working to fill that gap to enhance the equity and inclusion of all learners.”