Vanderbilt University Peabody College of education and human development has announced it will offer a new online Doctor of Education degree (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Learning in Organizations specifically for global learners. The program will first be offered to citizens and residents of the United Arab Emirates beginning in August 2024.
"The Ed.D. program in Leadership and Learning in Organizations (LLO) will equip high-level professionals with the skills and expertise to analyze information, solve complex problems, drive organizational change, and lead by example in a variety of contexts," said Eve Rifkin, senior lecturer of leadership, policy, and organizations and program director for the new degree program. Typical students and graduates of the program serve as leaders, heads of school, directors or executive directors in education, business, and the non-profit sector, as well as in other industries.
Vanderbilt, located in Nashville, Tennessee, will be the first U.S. university to offer an education doctorate in the United Arab Emirates. The new program has been recognized as equivalent by the Ministry of Education in the United Arab Emirates, Certificate Equivalence Department for online degree programs.
Designed to meet the learning needs of established global professionals, the program is unique in being delivered completely online, through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous coursework. Students learn together in a cohort and develop strong networks. Enrollees can expect to expand their skills and elevate their career prospects. English language proficiency is necessary, and students must have completed 30 transferable hours from an accepted master's degree or equivalent.
"Peabody College has extensive experience in the education sector in the United Arab Emirates, primarily in Abu Dhabi," said Camilla P. Benbow, Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development. "Working with the Abu Dhabi Education Council from 2011-2018, Peabody faculty and staff conducted principal leadership training, established model preschool and elementary schools, and developed STEM curricula for high schools. We're excited to build on our past collaboration at an even grander scale."
Peabody College is one of the top research colleges of education and human development in the world, with a faculty of more than 180, and degrees offered at the bachelor's, master's, Ed.D. and Ph.D. levels. Almost 2,700 students are enrolled in on-campus and online programs.
Since 2017, Vanderbilt has offered an online Ed.D. to U.S. domestic students who seek to add leadership skills and advance in their professions. LLO-Global will share this focus on leadership and be taught by the same distinguished faculty.
Students will gain knowledge of research methodologies, data analytics, and program evaluation as well as how to use these tools to make evidence-based decisions, plan successful strategies, and lead organizational change. A culminating capstone project will allow them to apply their learning and demonstrate expertise. Graduates will be ready to make an immediate impact in managerial and executive roles across a variety of industries.
The unique capacity of the LLO-Global program to develop leaders may make it of interest of government entities or large organizations looking to partner or host a cohort.
Deadline for admission to the inaugural student cohort is July 5, 2024. To learn more about LLO-Global and request information, please visit http://vu.edu/llo-uae.
