Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation
Program Vision & Mission
Our vision is to promote a future where professionals from various fields lead positive systemic change efforts that result in high-performing, innovative, and inclusive environments.
Our mission is to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to thrive as scholar-practitioners and leaders within their professional fields. Our approach to education is interdisciplinary, and we believe that different backgrounds and knowledge bases contribute to well-rounded and diverse ways of thinking and leading. We value reflection, innovation, and inquiry to examine complex problems and to effectively develop solutions to promote positive and sustainable change.
54
Credit
Hours
3
Years
(Average)
Class Type:
100% Online, 8-week courses
Connect with an Advisor

Jessye Torneten
Program Advisor
Email: torneten@midlandu.edu
Phone: 402-719-9545
Program Information & Outcomes
The Doctor of Education (EdD) in Leadership and Innovation is a rigorous program designed for mid-career professionals from a range of industries who are interested in driving positive systemic change within their organizations. This program is a 100% online cohort-based program designed for working professionals. Students who are accepted into the program bring real-world professional challenges with them. This program challenges students to develop professional inquiry skills and to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Through a comprehensive curriculum and applied research, students develop the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to identify and pose evidence-based solutions to complex organizational and societal problems. The Walker School of Education’s EdD program develops leaders who communicate, collaborate, and innovate to drive positive systemic change.
Program Outcomes
- Students will assess leadership theories and models that promote the success of individuals, organizations, and communities.
- Students will examine complex equity and social justice issues and propose appropriate solutions to enhance a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion for individuals, organizations, and communities.
- Students will demonstrate collaboration and professional communication skills that promote building partnerships in their communities.
- Students will apply ethical decision-making frameworks to propose solutions for complex problems that affect individuals, organizations, and communities.
- Throughout their coursework and Dissertation in Practice, students will combine practical knowledge, inquiry, research, and theory to apply and construct knowledge that leads to positive change in the lives of individuals, organizations, and communities.
- Students will articulate concepts that influence innovation and select effective strategies for developing and sustaining change within an organization.
Midland University’s EdD program is not designed to meet the educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification that is required for employment in an occupation. As such, Midland has made no determination regarding prerequisites for licensure or certification in any state or jurisdiction.
Career Outlook
Earning a Doctor of Education (EdD) degree at Midland University prepares graduates for leadership roles in a variety of industries with a focus on fostering positive systemic change in diverse settings. A doctoral degree qualifies candidates for advanced roles in the following areas: K-12 education, higher education, human services, healthcare, business, government agencies, and nonprofit sectors. The EdD equips students with credibility, respect, and hands-on experience transforming organizations.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for school administrators and related professionals are expected to grow at a faster-than-average rate through the year 2030. Earning an EdD degree prepares students for jobs such as:
- College President
- Chief Learning Officer
- Provost
- School Superintendent
- K-12 Principal
- Academic Dean
- Professor
- Executive Director of Education
- Non-Profit Director
- Training and Development Manager.
Accreditation
Midland University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, Illinois, 60604-1411, (800) 621-7440, and the Department of Higher Education of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Individual programs are accredited by the Nebraska State Board of Nursing, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, and the Nebraska State Department of Education. Documentation of accreditation may be viewed upon request in the Office of the President.