Degree Requirements
The minimum requirements for the doctoral degree are the completion of 60 semester hours of graduate credit, including completion of the doctoral dissertation. Students must have a minimum of *48 credit hours of content and research doctoral level courses, taken at Widener before they begin the doctoral dissertation. The doctoral dissertation phase includes 12 credit hours of Dissertation Seminar and Dissertation Research related to the dissertation activity. A minimum of 12 dissertation credits are required. If needed, ED 903 is taken after ED 902 until a student has a successful dissertation proposal defense. After a successful dissertation proposal defense, ED 999 is taken at least twice, or until a student successfully completes a final dissertation defense. Please note that a waiver of any requirement for the degree must be approved in writing by the student’s academic advisor and the Director of the Center for Education.
*Credits taken in a master’s program at Widener or transferred cannot be applied to the 48 credits; however, other doctoral level courses can be applied as electives.
Dissertation Completion Option
The Center for Education’s EdD Dissertation Completion Option provides a way for students who began doctoral programs, and left the programs before completing their dissertations, to write their dissertations and graduate. This option has been designed for students who have demonstrated a commitment to doctoral study and who have been successful in their former doctoral programs.
Students who pursue EdD degrees through the Dissertation Completion Option may possibly earn the degree in as little as 18 months. The amount of time varies, depending on the number of courses a student has successfully completed when entering the Dissertation Completion Option, as well as the amount of transferable coursework that has been completed. In most cases, Dissertation Completion Option students can complete their degrees 100% on-line. Graduate Program Directors will work closely with each student to determine an appropriate course of study for successful completion, which at a minimum, will include ED 901, ED 902, and two semesters of ED 999.
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