Graduate Catalog 2025-2026

Doctorate in Education in Leadership and Instruction in Online Education (EdD)

The doctoral degree in education in Leadership and Instruction in Online Education is designed to develop avant-garde educational leaders who promote the quality, evolution and development of online education. Graduates of this program will show evidence of leadership skills in effective decision making in the management and operation of an educational program. The program promotes pedagogical mastery, the application of theories, models and strategies tailored for the online teaching-learning process. Emphasis is given to the application of innovating strategies for the best practices in the online instructional process.

This program will be offered by means of the online studies modality.

The Ponce Campus is authorized to offer this program through online education.

Program Goals

  1. Provide the theoretical bases for the practical competence of leadership skills in the decision-making, administrative, evaluative and formative process in distance education.
  2. Promote the enrichment of the instructional process in virtual teaching through the implementation and assessment of innovative pedagogical strategies.
  3. Enrich distance education with the various information and communication technologies.
  4. Promote the development of research or application projects at a national and international level in areas related to the corresponding subject of study.

Competencies Profile of Graduates

The program is designed to develop the skills that enable students to:

Knowledge

  1. Describe the new paradigms and challenges of the leader of online education programs.

  2. Identify the appropriate teaching methods and techniques for instruction in online education.

  3. Discuss the instructional design models that make it possible to create virtual learning environments.

  4. Recognize the impact of instructional technology on the evolution of online education.

  5. Describe the statistical methods and procedures used in educational research.

  6. Examine the methods, procedures and resources necessary for the application of the project.

Skills

  1. Apply the theories, principles and models of evaluation in the evaluation process of the organization, management and administration of the online education program.
  2. Develop strategic plans that will enable the implementation and operation of a online education program.
  3. Apply the principles and theories of the virtual teaching-learning process.
  4. Application of descriptive, inferential, parametric and non-parametric statistics through a computer program.
  5. Apply various technological means for the production of instructional multimedia materials.
  6. Apply the techniques and research methods proposed for the solution of problems in the area of leadership and instruction of online education.

Attitudes

  1. Evaluate the challenges facing institutions who venture in offering online education programs.
  2. Appreciate the actions that encourage interaction and active learning in the virtual learning process.
  3. Assess technology as a useful means to address various learning styles and needs in the leadership of online education programs.
  4. Demonstrate the importance of the ethical principles of research.

Admission Requirements

  1. Meet the admission requirements in the current Graduate Catalog.
  2. Hold a master’s degree.
  3. Realize an argumentative article, evaluated by the Admissions Committee of the program.

Graduation Requirements

  1. Pass all the courses of the program with a minimum grade of B.
  2. Successful complete, present and defend a doctoral dissertation or applied project.
  3. The approval of a comprehensive examination is not required to pass to the dissertation or applied project phase. 

Students must meet the requirements for the degree within the term of eight (8) years. The graduate committee may recommend to the pertinent authorities the extension of this term by a term no greater than two (2) years in exceptional worthy cases.

Requirements for the Doctoral Degree in Education in Leadership and Instruction in Online Education

Core Course Requirements in Education 18 credits
Specialization Requirements 15 credits
Operational Requirements 6 credits
Total 39 credits

Core Courses in Education - 18 credits

EDUC 7000Educational Research Writing

3

EDUC 7050Statistics

3

EDUC 7060Quantitative Research

3

EDUC 7070Qualitative Research

3

LIDE 7005Online Teaching and Learning

3

LIDE 7080Leadership in Online Education

3

Specialization Requirements - 15 credits

LIDE 7030Instructional Technology in Online Education

3

LIDE 7060Instructional Design for Virtual Environments

3

LIDE 7090Planning and Management of Online Education Programs

3

LIDE 8010Evaluation of Online Programs

3

LIDE 8970Research Seminar

3

LIDE 8980Applied Project Seminar

3

Operational Requirements - 6 credits

LIDE 8991Dissertation I

3

LIDE 8902Dissertation II

3

LIDE 8993Applied Project I

3

LIDE 8994Applied Project II

3