Develop critical problem-solving skills to positively influence the course of educational practice in classrooms, communities and beyond with Rider’s Doctor of Educational Leadership. Our cohort program also promotes peer-to-peer learning, networking and the development of close mentoring relationships between faculty and students.
$101.3K+
median salary for principals (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022)
15,300
projected job openings for postsecondary administrators each year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022)
A defining element of this innovative doctoral program is its cohort model of 10 to 12 students. This design creates a highly supportive and interactive learning environment that promotes peer-to-peer learning and networking, as well as close mentoring relationships between faculty and students.
Rider’s Ed.D. program transforms skilled professionals into strong decision-makers and impactful leaders. Through the required coursework, you’ll develop a greater understanding and sense of context for today’s major educational challenges.
Where will a Rider education lead you? Read the stories of our alumni and current students to discover how they use their experience in the Ed.D. program to transform school districts and lives.
Our 36-month, 51-credit Ed.D. program involves two years of coursework and a year of dissertation research and analysis. Program coursework will relate to issues facing your own school, district or college, giving you practical knowledge and insights that can be applied immediately to real-world settings.
The Ed.D. curriculum is built around the National Policy Board for Educational Administration’s student-centric 2015 Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (formerly known as the ISLLC Standards).
Prepared for and by educational leaders, the standards focus on 10 high-impact areas that drive and measure excellence in professional practice:
Rider University is also a member of the prestigious Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED), a consortium of over 100 colleges and schools of education which have committed resources to work together to undertake a critical examination of the doctorate in education (EdD) through dialog, experimentation, critical feedback and evaluation.
Rider University is proud to partner with The State of New Jersey and give back to educators by offering a tuition discount and additional benefits to eligible employees, as well as their immediate family members under the age of 24, for undergraduate or graduate study. As of the fall 2022 semester, this also includes Rider's Doctor of Educational Leadership program. Other partners include Lawrence Township Public Schools, West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District and Ewing Public Schools.
Assistant Professor, Director Teacher Leadership/Principal Leadership
Graduate Education, Leadership and Counseling
blehet [at] rider.edu
609-896-7750
Academic Focus: Educational Leadership
