Doctor of Education candidate presents research

Become a highly-qualified system leader with a doctorate in Educational Leadership

Graduates of our Doctor of Education program are prepared for roles as school district leaders and for positions in educational coordination and policymaking at local, regional and statewide levels.

Tuition & Fees

46 credits
(8-credit practicum also available)

$850 per-credit*
*Different rate applies to NYC cohorts

Length & Format

27 months
to graduate

7 Semesters

Hybrid
program delivery
Cohorts meet in Albany, Long Island, or New York City

About The School of Education

Professors at the Esteves School of Education include distinguished researchers, experienced classroom teachers, and respected program directors, principals, superintendents and district administrators with connections to schools and school districts throughout New York state.

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Specialties in our Doctor of Education program

Expand your knowledge and skills in this Doctor of Education program, while immersing yourself in a community of like-minded peers examining current issues and research.

Part of the Esteves School of Education, which is accredited through AAQEP, this Ed.D. program is designed for public school leaders, independent school heads, charter school leaders, higher education leaders and those with statewide responsibilities in educationally related organizations.

What sets our Ed.D. program apart is the support that comes from your cohort (15-20 candidates per group), your professors and your executive coach.

You will collaborate and work with your cohort to complete team research as well as your own doctoral dissertation.

Coaches are professionals in the field with years of experience who will support you throughout the program and allow you to build a network of other education professionals.

Doctor of Education candidates may join a cohort that meets on the Russell Sage College campus in Albany, New York, or cohorts in Long Island and New York City.

Priority for the New York City cohort is given to members of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, which serves administrators within the New York City Department of Education.

Faculty in our Ed.D. program have a wealth of knowledge and experience. Throughout their careers, our faculty have conducted research in educational leadership while serving as program directors, principals, assistant superintendents, superintendents and district superintendents.

Easily Apply

Apply by May 15 and start in the fall. Applicants should:

  • Official undergraduate transcripts from all institutions attended
  • Official graduate-level transcripts totaling at least 60 credits of study with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher from all institutions attended
  • Three letters of recommendation that address your potential relationship to system leadership: two from a current or former supervisor; the third may be from a colleague
  • Career goals essay supporting your choice to enter doctoral study at this time: We want to hear your voice. Russell Sage College values authenticity, critical thinking, and personal expression. We ask that all application essays be written solely by the applicant with only ethical use of AI technology, such as tools that support but do not generate content.
  • Current resume
  • If selected, a personal admissions interview including an on-demand writing sample to determine readiness and capability for scholarly writing
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Course Requirements

Credits and Completion

Candidates for the Ed.D. will complete 106 credits of graduate study, 46 of which must be completed in the Sage doctoral program. Those credits include core coursework, an experiential component integrated throughout the program, and a culminating research activities. The program is designed to be small; a maximum of 15 part-time candidates will be accepted. They will proceed through the program as a cohort that begins, after initial start up, every other year. The seven semester program design includes summer residencies, weekend format courses, online components, and interaction with state and national experts.

View Program Catalog

The Esteves School of Education has held continuous accreditation since October 2001. Russell Sage College is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The programs listed below have been awarded full accreditation by AAQEP through June 30, 2028. Full accreditation acknowledges that a program prepares effective educators who continue to grow as professionals and has demonstrated the commitment and capacity to maintain quality.


AAQEP accreditation has helped the School of Education articulate the qualities that a Sage educator possesses. Our tenets – knowledge and use of best practices, research, reflection, valuing diversity and inclusion, and leadership – will help you distinguish yourself in your practice as teachers, counselors, and leaders.

View our annual AAQEP report


AAQEP-Accredited Education Degree Programs at Sage:

Bachelor of Science, Childhood Education
Bachelor of Science, Physical Education
Master of Science in Education, Literacy Education
Master of Science in Education, Special Education
Master of Science, Childhood and Special Education
Master of Science, Childhood and Literacy Education
Master of Science, Literacy and Special Education
Master of Science, School Health Education
Master of Science, Sport Science: Coaching & Mental Performance
Master of Arts in Teaching, Art Education
Master of Science, Professional School Counseling
Master of Science, Professional School Counseling with Counseling Services
Master of Science, Professional School Counseling with Inclusive Practices
Advanced Certification, Professional School Counseling
Doctor of Education, Educational Leadership

About AAQEP
Founded in 2017, AAQEP is a membership association and quality assurance agency that provides accreditation services and formative support to all types of educator preparation providers. The organization promotes excellent, effective, and innovative educator preparation that is committed to evidence-based improvement in a collaborative professional environment. AAQEP is nationally recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Visit aaqep.org for more information. www.aaqep.org

The course objectives are based upon the National Education Leadership Preparation Standards. The department also references the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders.

Personal advising, experienced faculty

Our Educational Leadership program comes with a deep, Russell Sage-level of support from an assigned faculty advisor who works with you to ensure your success.

Francesca Durand, Educational Leadership faculty
Francesca
Durand

Associate Professor and Chair, Institutional Review Board

Learn more about Francesca
Marlene
Zakierski

Professor (New York City)

Learn more about Marlene
man in dark suit with light blue shirt and tie.
Daniel S.
Alemu

Professor of Educational Leadership

Learn more about Daniel
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Michael
Piccirillo

Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership

Learn more about Michael
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Joseph
Dragone

Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership

Learn more about Joseph
Janice White, Educational Leadership faculty
Janice
White, Ed.D.

Lecturer of Educational Leadership

Learn more about Janice
David
Casamento

Assistant Professor of the Practice of Educational Leadership

Learn more about David
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Clarence
Ellis

Assistant Professor of the Practice of Educational Leadership

Learn more about Clarence
Students in Ed.D. program at conference table with laptops

Your Future Career with a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Professionals with a doctorate in Educational Leadership hold a variety of positions, primarily in K-12 education. They are assistant principals, principals, program directors, assistant superintendents, district superintendents, New York State Education officials, education consultants and leaders/teachers in higher education.

Learning Experience

Classes are hybrid, taking place online and in-person. Whether you join a cohort that meets in Albany, Long Island, or New York City, you will find a learning experience that is both individual and collaborative.

You will apply your skills to two field experience sites during the first year. You will have opportunities to work on a variety of teams, enabling you to share ideas, research and reflections on current issues and topics. Learn about leadership, organizational governance, change theory, and community building.

Doctorate in Educational Leadership Course Format & Program of Study

  • Semester 1-3: core content courses scaffolded to prepare for dissertation; project learning in two field sites
  • Semester 2: begin research courses
  • Semester 3-6: work on team research and dissertation research
  • Semester 7: finish dissertation, collaborate with team to present at Research Colloquium

Quick Links

Educational Leadership Research Colloquium & Dissertations
Executive Coach and Third Reader Forms
EDL Strategic Plan

Recent Posts for our Doctor of Education

 Doctorate of Educational Leadership FAQs

In short, a doctorate in educational leadership is a practitioner-focused degree that places emphasis on the skills needed to work effectively in the realm of education, while a Ph.D. in educational leadership is typically a more research-focused degree program intended for people pursuing careers in academia.

In addition to resulting in divergent career outcomes, the Ed.D. and Ph.D. programs tend to differ in practice. For example, a Ph.D. program can take up to six years to complete, and most students attend full time and are unable to work outside of potential teaching assistant roles.

Conversely, Ed.D. programs like the one at Russell Sage College are optimized for working professionals and can be completed in less than three years while students maintain their professional career trajectories. Ed.D. students seeking leadership positions in public, independent, or charter schools and school districts in New York state are best served by taking the Ed.D. route.

Ed.D. graduates can make a significant impact in policy reform and higher education administration. An Ed.D. program teaches students how to evaluate and advocate for education policies. At Sage, for example, Ed.D. students are required to take a course titled Law, Policy, and Values, which covers “the legal and regulatory parameters and the formation, implementation, and evaluation of education policy.”[1] Coupled with institutional knowledge, this type of education is valuable for future Ed.D. graduates as they pursue policy advocacy within their education careers or as a career avenue on its own.

Ed.D. graduates may also step into higher education leadership roles, directing research initiatives, enrollment and admissions strategy, student affairs, academic programming, or institutional planning and operations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,[2] approximately 4,000 new jobs in postsecondary education administration are expected to be added between 2024 and 2034, which represents a growth of about 2%. While that growth is slower than average for all professions, the BLS indicates that the median salary for these administrators is $103,960 per year.

[1] https://grad-catalog.sage.edu/edl/edl-730

[2] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/postsecondary-education-administrators.htm

The most common capstone or dissertation topics in educational leadership today tend to involve a “problem of practice,” which is a real-world challenge that educational leaders have encountered in their professional practices that requires focused effort and fresh research to improve or solve.

According to a study published in Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, three common categories exist for Ed.D. capstone or dissertation topics: “supporting marginalized students, increasing the quality of educator professional development, and supporting novices’ entry into the profession.” [3]

All of these fall under the umbrella of problems of practice. By focusing on problems they have experienced, either from personal experience or observations in schools or school districts, Ed.D. students are able to use their research and dissertations to propose real solutions to actual problems.

[3] https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1357990

Both data analytics and strategic planning are integrated into the Ed.D. in educational leadership program at Sage. A dissertation project is required and is a significant part of the Ed.D. program, meaning that research and research skills are critical. Over the course of the 27 months typically required to complete the Ed.D. degree, students will take six different courses focused on research, either at a foundational level or specific to their dissertation projects. Research methodologies include working with data analysis both in the assessment of existing data and in any new research undertaken by students.

Strategic planning is also critical in completing this Ed.D. program. For example, Ed.D. students at Sage take the required course Accountability and Leadership for School Districts, which focuses on “the principles and policy that determine funding for public schools, the revenue sources that support a school district, budgeting, financial management, and reporting,” all of which are important aspects of strategic planning within school leadership roles. 

Some leadership trends shaping the future of K-12 and higher education governance include embracing technological tools, fostering community engagement beyond the classroom, and leveraging data-driven decision-making.[4],[5] In terms of technology, one published study from Social Sciences & Humanities Open indicates that educational leaders want to “transcend siloed digital innovations and embrace a transformation mindset,” when it comes to incorporating new technologies. Furthermore, as many school districts face tumultuous enrollment numbers, school leaders are embracing community engagement initiatives as well as student well-being programs to boost enrollment and improve the health and performance of enrolled students.

In higher education, a 2024 study from the Deloitte Center for Higher Education [6] indicates a few growing and critical trends in administration and governance, including the assessment of academic offerings to align with a shifting job market, mission-based budgeting models, and ultimately finding creative ways to maximize funds while meeting student and alumni needs.

[4]  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291123000840

[5] https://www.hanoverresearch.com/insights-blog/k-12-education/k-12-leaders-lean-into-change-with-these-2025-education-trends

[6] https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/articles-on-higher-education/2025-us-higher-education-tre nds.html

Need help?
Francesca Durand
Associate Professor and Chair, Institutional Review Board
duranf@sage.edu
518-292-1835

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