Academic Programs Frequently Asked Questions

Ed.D. - The Doctor of Education Program

• Are housing and meals available on campus during intensive courses?

  Guest rooms in the residence halls and a limited number of furnished apartments are available on a first come, first served basis. A main meal is offered at noon in the cafeteria during the week, and residence halls have microwaves and refridgerators available.. Numerous restaurants and hotels are within a 10-minute drive from campus, and students often carpool for meals and shopping.

• Are there prerequisites for the program?

  A minimum of 12 semester hours of undergraduate or graduate study from an accredited institution is required, with one course in each of the following areas:

  • Biblical studies, theology, or Bible book study
  • Bible interpretation or hermeneutics
  • Christian life development or spiritual formation
  • Missions

  Prerequisites may also be satisfied by (a) a Bible certificate (30-hour program) or (b) a total of 30 credit hours of coursework in Bible and theology. Prerequisites must be completed prior to the qualifying examination.

• Can I transfer credits into the Ed.D. program?

  Up to 15 credit hours of graduate education courses from a 36-hour master’s degree or other graduate study beyond the master’s degree at an accredited university may be transferred into the Ed.D. program. Transfer courses may be applied only to electives in the program and must be in education or educational leadership. All required courses must be taken at CIU.

• How is the program delivered?

  New students are admitted in the summer only, and begin with a program orientation and core values seminar, plus one or two three-hour courses. During subsequent years, students take up to three intensive courses in July and one online course each fall and spring. Intensive courses involve readings and pre-session assignments in June, one week of Monday-Friday class (40 hours) for each course in July, and post-session assignments and research in August and September. The intensive sessions are scheduled during the last three weeks of July.

  Online courses are offered in the fall and spring, running from mid-August to mid-December and late-January to mid-May, respectively. The final research course is offered in an intensive format in February on campus.

• How long does it take to complete the program?

  The Ed.D. degree is a 66-hour program. It is designed for working practitioners and can be completed without interrupting your career. Typically, students complete the degree in four to six years, taking four or five courses per year. The maximum time limit is six years from the start of the first course or two years from candidacy (dissertation stage), whichever comes first. In extenuating circumstances, a two-year extension may be considered.

• What are the admission requirements?

  A faculty admissions panel reviews applicants based on the following criteria:

  • A master’s degree from an accredited institution. A concentration in education is preferred, but not required.
  • Performance in graduate coursework indicating a strong ability to be successful in doctoral-level studies.
  • Evidence of speaking and writing ability in English demonstrated by a writing sample. A published article or graduate research paper is required for review.
  • Christian maturity that is appropriate for leadership.
  • Administrative leadership or related experience in a Christian school, college, or training agency.
  • Graduate Record Exam (GRE) results with a desired minimum of the 50th percentile on Verbal and on Analytical, or a Miller Analogies Test (MAT) score with a desired minimum of the 50th percentile. The exam must have been taken within the last five years.
  • Indication that the applicant will make a significant contribution to the future of Christian education through completion of a doctoral degree. This is evaluated through a required telephone interview with program faculty members.

• What distinguishes CIU’s Doctor of Education program from other doctoral programs?

  CIU’s Ed.D. degree is designed for educational leaders serving in Christian schools, colleges, and training organizations. Our mission is to equip Christian educators to think, teach, and lead biblically in Christian educational settings throughout the world. The Ed.D. program achieves this through foundational prerequisites in Bible and theology, a curriculum that addresses both biblical principles and educational theory in each subject area, a faculty of experienced Christian educational leaders, and graduate outcomes that reflect biblical leadership skills in distinctly Christian educational contexts. This emphasis is not typical of most Ed.D. programs.

• What does the program cost?

  For current tuition and fee information, click here.

  Students may participate in a monthly, interest-free contract payment plan, which affords a $50 per credit hour discount off the current tuition rate and a lock-in at that rate for the remainder of the program. Payments are made over a 48-month period via automatic credit card charge. Students who withdraw from the payment plan and continue in the program pay the then current tuition rate and any applicable fees.

• What specializations are available in the Ed.D. degree?

  Every Ed.D. student completes a core of studies in Christian educational leadership and specializes in one of four concentrations:

  • Christian School Leadership – for administrators in Christian K-12 schools
  • Christian Higher Education – for administrators in Christian colleges, seminaries, and graduate schools
  • Curricular and Instructional Leadership – for curriculum specialists, instructional designers, academic support professionals, and others focused on teaching and learning roles in K-12 and higher education
  • Leadership in International Theological Education – for administrators, educators, and trainers in missions and theological training organizations in international settings. The ITE concentration is offered through CIU’s campus in Korntal, Germany, and requires fluency in German.