Description of Program
Instructional design (ID) is a craft – a blend of science and art. Students who earn the Doctor of Education in Instructional Design (EdD-ID) will manage complex design projects and apply advanced design skills within work settings spanning all industry sectors. The EdD-ID program outcomes are aligned to the advanced and managerial ID competencies established by the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction (IBSTPI), the Association for Talent Development (ATD), and the standards of the Association for Educational Communication and Technology (AECT). These competencies and standards include planning, analyses, universal design, development, rapid prototyping, implementation, evaluation, and project management of instructional and training interventions.
**Note: Program availability may vary by state - please contact the Enrollment Office for more information**
Learning Outcomes
- Manage complex design processes and products collaboratively with diverse stakeholders
- Interpret leadership theories for their relevance in solving instructional and training problems
- Evaluate technologies used in instructional and training solutions
- Synthesize different principles, theories, and analyses for design projects
- Construct strategies to address ethical, legal, and political factors influencing instructional and training solutions
- Improve professional practice of instructional design
Basis for Admissions
A conferred graduate degree from a regionally accredited academic institution or an international institution determined to be equivalent through an approved evaluation service.
Degree Requirements
The Doctor of Education in Instructional Design (EdD-ID) requires 54 credit hours for degree completion. Coursework includes foundations, educational leadership, research methods, the comprehensive exam course, and the dissertation. Additional credit hours may be allowed as needed to complete dissertation research in alignment with the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and Academic Maximum Time Frame policies. Students who do not complete their program within these requirements may be dismissed
The EdD-ID degree program has the following graduation requirements:
- A minimum of 48 credit hours of graduate instruction must be completed through NCU
- Successful completion of all courses with a “B” or better
- Official transcripts on file for all transfer credits accepted by the University
The University may accept up to 12 semester credit hours earned with a grade of “B” or better for graduate coursework completed at an accredited college or university and evaluated to be substantially equivalent in content with the required course work for the EdD-ID program. See the Transfer Credit Policy for additional information.
Dissertation Completion Pathway
The NCU mission is dedicated to assisting students in achieving their academic aspirations and helping them become valuable contributors to their community and profession. To support our mission, NCU now offers a dissertation completion pathway for students who have successfully completed their doctoral coursework and achieved doctoral candidacy at a previous institution but were unable to complete their dissertation. NCU’s Dissertation Completion Pathway (DCP) offers a unique opportunity for students to complete their doctorate in one of the doctoral programs offered at NCU (excluding the PhD in MFT and DMFT). Students successfully meeting the entrance and application requirements will complete a minimum of 23 credit hours to earn their doctorate.
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Time to Completion
NCU allows 7 years to complete all doctoral programs of 60 credits or less.
Normal time to completion for this program is 83 months.
Time to completion varies depending upon the pace in which a student completes courses and the number of transfer credits accepted. As most NCU students are working adults balancing educational, professional, and personal commitments, our academic and finance advisors will work with you to develop a program schedule that works best for your needs.
The normal time disclosed above reflects the experience of students who may have entered under different program requirements. In the quest for continuous improvement, academic leadership has revised the program to optimize curriculum and pace, facilitate student learning, and improve chances for success. Therefore, the program is now designed for students enrolling today to take advantage of these revised course structures, lengths, and schedules. New students following the preferred schedule designed by the Dean for this program, and applying no transfer credits, can expect to finish in as little as 41 months.
Students who are unable to complete a degree program within the stated time limits are dismissed. If a student believes they have extenuating circumstances they may document the circumstances and send a request for consideration to their respective School Dean or designee. Exceptions to the policy are determined on a case-by-case basis and are granted only once.
Certification and Licensing
The School of Education serves educational leaders by providing online graduate studies in education to reach worldwide populations. The EdD-ID program is designed to reach national and international markets and does not purport to provide licensure or certification in any particular state or country.
Dissertation Process
Faculty assists each NCU Doctoral student to reach this high goal through a systematic process leading to a high-quality completed dissertation. This process requires care in choosing a topic, documenting its importance, planning the methodology, and conducting the research. These activities lead smoothly into the writing and oral presentation of the dissertation.
A doctoral candidate must be continuously enrolled throughout the series of dissertation courses. Dissertation courses are automatically scheduled and accepted without a break in scheduling to ensure that students remain in continuous enrollment throughout the dissertation course sequence. If additional time is required to complete any of the dissertation courses, students must re-enroll and pay the tuition for that course. Continuous enrollment will only be permitted when students demonstrate progress toward completing dissertation requirements. The Dissertation Committee determines progress.
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