EdD in Educational Leadership and Management - Advanced Executive Leadership

What Is an EdD Degree in Advanced Executive Leadership (EXLD)?

The EdD Advanced Executive Leadership is an accelerated professional doctoral program designed to be completed in a cohort-based, hybrid, executive weekend model in two years. It includes two immersive experiences—a study abroad in the first term followed by a policy-related immersive experience in year 2—to inform students’ development as scholarly practitioners and global leaders.

Who Should Pursue an EdD in Advanced Executive Leadership?

• K-12 Cohort (enrolling Summer 2026)
  • K-12 Central Office Senior Level Personnel (e.g., superintendents, deputy superintendents, assistant superintendents, curriculum directors, etc.)
  • Independent School Leaders
  • School Board Directors
  • Charter School and Public School Leaders
  • Charter School Network Leaders
  • State level Education Directors
• Higher Education Cohort (Enrolling Summer 2028)
  • Higher Education Administration
• Nonprofit and Corporate Leader Cohort (Enrolling Summer 2030)
  • Nonprofit Executive Directors
  • Nonprofit Senior Level Staff
  • Corporate Executives
  • Military Leaders

Why Pursue an EdD in EXLD at Drexel

This EdD Advanced Executive Leadership program is designed for leaders who want to lead significant changes in their organizations. It begins with a cohort-customized summer study-abroad experience to examine programs and practices in ways that expand perspectives on US-based challenges. A second policy-focused immersion experience occurs in the second summer term, customized to students’ praxis and scholarship, e.g., international, federal, or state policy. This part-time, hybrid executive leadership program requires two 3-day residencies on the Drexel University City campus each term, offset with asynchronous coursework.

EdD in EXLD Super-Hybrid Learning Format

The EdD in EXLD is offered in a super-hybrid format, requiring students to be on campus twice each term (Thursday evening through Saturday evening). This program carries a 60% workload, with students enrolling in 7.5 credits per term compared to the 6 credits per term in the standard three‑year program. Students must secure employer approval and ensure they can meet the program’s more‑than‑half‑time commitment.

Immersive Study Experiences

A unique feature of this EdD higher education program are two immersive study experiences. In Term 1, students will travel to a country outside the United States for two weeks to study leadership from that perspective and specific to that sector. As an example, the K-12 cohort will travel to Japan to examine Japan’s education system, from the classroom to the state-house, examining desired outcomes in terms of student learning, leadership and policy implications, and considering how the perspectives gained from another system can inform their own. These immersive experiences will involve a mixture of course-related field trips, class time, and cultural excursions.

In Term 5, students will engage in a second immersive experience related to policy. These experiences will be customized to each student’s problem of practice and positioned to help them experience the influence of policy – as well as the opportunity to influence policy itself. Students may engage in these in small groups, or individually, depending on their problems of practice and the ideal situation related to policy. Policy immersions will not exceed two weeks but may be shorter and may or may not include travel overseas.

This program is designed to be completed in two years. Most EdD programs take three years or more to complete.

The super-hybrid model will build strong relationships between students and faculty. Program components and students will be guided by expert faculty and high-profile industry leaders.

Is the EdD in EXLD Right for You?

This EdD program is intended to position leaders to drive significant organizational change. Students must have at least five years of experience leading in a position of authority and employer permission to participate in the program which will require approximately 20 hours of study time per week and two long weekends (Thursday evening to Saturday evening) each term in Philadelphia.

This program is not intended for leaders looking for their next job. Instead, its focus is to build the capacity of leaders to make the changes they wish to see in their current organization.

EdD in Advanced Executive Leadership Courses and Curriculum

This program is designed for executive leaders who wish to advance their leadership capacity to address persistent, complex problems of practice within their organizations.

Two years of coursework involve deep exploration of key leadership practices that focus on the socio-political aspects of executive leadership, such as stakeholder engagement, the strategic use of authority, adult learning, and leading complex systems.

• # of credits required to compete the program: 60.5
• # of transfer credits accepted into the program: None

This program will not have a transcriptable concentration, but it has a heavy subset of educational policy built into the broader leadership context. Note that this first cohort is K-12 – so it will be oriented to K-12 policy. The policy orientation will adjust to future cohorts as relevant to that sector.

FAQs about EdD in EXLD

What are the immersive experiences for this degree?
Students in this program will engage in two immersive experiences. In Term 1, students will travel to a country outside the United States for two weeks to study leadership from that perspective and specific to that sector. As an example, the K-12 cohort will travel to Japan to examine Japan’s education system, from the classroom to the state-house, examining desired outcomes in terms of student learning, leadership and policy implications, and considering how the perspectives gained from another system can inform their own. In Term 5, students will engage in a second immersive experience that focuses on policy related to the problem that is orienting their study. These immersive experiences will involve a mixture of course-related field trips, class time, and cultural excursions.

Why is it necessary to come to campus so often?
Our EdD program is built upon the belief that leaders learn through leading, and that learning is an integral part of leading. Your visits to campus will also support content integration. In this program, you will be taking 7.5 credits per term: Two three-credit courses and one 1.5 credit research seminar. We will have time for fun too! Philadelphia is a vibrant city known for its food, music, theatre, and sports. We’ll make sure you experience it all!

How can I write a dissertation in two years?
You will be writing your dissertation from day one in this program as you embark upon a reflective journey to capture your inner development as a leader and the evolution of your thinking around your problem of practice. This will be a focus of your 1.5 research seminar, a class you will take each term as you progress toward your dissertation defense. The reflection case study falls within our portfolio of experiential dissertations and has been customized for this program.

What is the difference between an EdD and a PhD?
The EdD is a different type of doctoral degree designed for people who want to, in their own exercise of leadership, be able to change systems for the better. As a member of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED), our EdD program is specifically structured to develop students as scholarly practitioners with the necessary skills to address problems of practice in their contexts. PhDs study the world, while EdDs change it.

State restrictions may apply to some programs.