Navigating the Terrain: PhD vs EdD?

I will never forget the moment Dr. Poole and I decided that we were going to get serious about pursuing a doctoral degree, which was shortly after graduating from our Masters Program in Clinical Mental Health. We gave ourselves a year to get our affairs in order and vowed to apply that next spring. Immediately following that decision, questions began to inundate my mind: Where would I seek enrollment? What program would I apply to? Would I go full-time or part-time and how would I pay for it all (see our blog post on funding your doctorate)? As I often do when questions arise that I don't have the answer to, I researched all options and formulated a plan to ease my anxiety. For those Ebonies who have considered pursuing a doctorate or are in the contemplation or action stages of the decision-making process, we want to help navigate the terrain. As always, it is our mission to demystify the doctoral process so in this post we will explore options as it relates to degree programs, specifically the differences between a PhD and EdD.

Even before I enrolled into my doctoral program, I was familiar with the timeless debate on whether a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) or EdD (Doctor of Education) was more respected or held more weight (keep in mind this debate occurs among those in the field of Education). Regardless of personal opinion, both of these degrees have their respective selling points and are equally advantageous to scholars that enroll in them, as  Dr. Dewitt Scott of Inside HigherEd attests to:

PhD

• More Research Intensive: This was actually one of the main selling points as to why i wanted to pursue a PhD in general. I have always been extremely inquisitive and have always had a profound respect for data-informed theorizing and decision making. Although an EdD program incorporates scholarly research in its own right, PhD programs encourage scholars to produce new research that can be addressed through a theoretical framework and can be beneficial in the classroom or workplace as well as to the specific field.

• More Common Route to Professoriate: Just as PhD programs are more research intensive, they are also designed to prepare students for faculty positions in the academe for the cultivation of future scholars. Throughout their programs, PhD students are encouraged to engage in scholarly research, publish articles, and present at conferences specific to their field, which mimics portions of the faculty tenure process. Of course those with EdDs too serve as professors (I personally know a few), however, it is more commonplace for those who have earned a PhD to pursue a career as a higher ed faculty member.

• More Program Options: For those set on a specific institution or location, the availability of PhD programs at universities and colleges that offer doctoral programs far outweighs that of EdD programs. This factor alone may drive one’s decision to pursue a PhD vs. EdD

• Funding opportunities: Unfortunately there are often more opportunities to receive funding in a PhD program than there are for EdD scholars. It is common for institutions to provide full or partial funding to its PhD students. Additionally, PhD students are given the opportunity to serve as Instructors and teaching assistants, which further prepares them for faculty roles.  
  

  EdD
  

• More Pragmatic:  While research and theory has its place, EdD programs are generally more centered around developing best practices that can be applied to current pressing issues in education.  

• Full-Time Employment Friendly: Because EdD programs are traditionally practical, generally course scheduling is designed with the expectation that students will continue to hold their full time positions within the field of education as they study to become more effective administrators. Thus, EdD students can maintain employment, even though they may not necessarily receive funding through their institution. This undoubtedly makes the EdD a very attractive option.

• Professional capital among classmates: The opportunity to network and create professional learning communities is especially rich among those in an EdD program whose students are already integrated in their field. There is an increased opportunity for a valuable exchange of information to take place amongst peers that is grounded in experiential knowledge, as students will most likely already hold significant roles within their respective institutions of learning. As an aside, those within an EdD program may also retain hiring power, which could also prove to beneficial to a cohort member down the road.

Additionally, outside of the field of education, one might be faced with the task of deciding between a PhD versus a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology), DBA (Doctor of Business Administration, DSW (Doctor of Social Work, DFA (Doctor of Fine Arts), etc. Choosing a doctoral program should be a decision that is based on one’s personal alignment with availability, career, financial, etc. options that are respective to the particular design of the degree program.

For Ebonies who are contemplating embarking upon the doctoral journey, or for those who have already pursued a doctoral degree, has the theoretical versus pragmatic approach, when comparing a PhD to other professional doctorates, played a role in considering a degree program? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!