Category Archives: Doc students

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What is the Difference Between an Ed.D. and a Ph.D.?

Like many of my colleagues in higher education programs, I am often asked what is the difference between an Ed.D. and a Ph.D.? As a holder of an Ed.D., yet also a research faculty member, I may get these questions even more. I want to describe the major differences between the degrees (at least on paper). Also, I want to challenge our field to move our rhetoric about the differences more toward reality.

Photo credit: Alan Turkus
The simple answer is that the Ed.D. focuses on practice and application while the Ph.D. prepares for research and theory development.

Unfortunately, in most higher education programs, the reality is that the degrees often differ very little.

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5 Easy Steps for How to Choose a Dissertation Topic

For a student pursuing a doctoral degree, selecting a dissertation topic can cause an existential crisis. You spend your entire academic career learning more and more information. Then, you have to select one narrow topic to spend your life on for the next year or two. Additionally, one of the most common questions that you’ll get after graduation is, “What did you write your dissertation on?” — even years after completing your degree. Selecting a topic doesn’t have to be stress inducing. I want to share 5 easy steps for how to choose a dissertation topic.

Photo credit: David Blaikie

Most students see a sea of options and have no idea how to select a great dissertation topic.