UM-Dearborn’s accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools has been expanded to include the campus’s new doctorate in education degree program.
The School of Education‘s Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program, which began this fall with 18 students enrolled, meets the needs of educators looking to broaden their skills and advance their careers.
“The students in the first cohort are representative of the diverse population of southeastern Michigan,” says Gail Luera, associate professor of science education and associate dean of the School of Education. “These students have varied research interests that will address current issues and concerns in education in the metropolitan area.”
A main difference between an Ed.D. degree and a Ph.D. is the focus on applied research. UM-Dearborn’s program has been designed to produce graduates who can solve practical problems in a specific context.
Students in the program are required to complete 60 credit hours beyond a master’s degree. The capstone requirement is a research project focused on how to solve the problems facing the educational systems in this area.
UM-Dearborn has been accredited by the commission since 1973, and received a 10-year renewal of its accreditation in 2003.
The Higher Learning Commission is one of six accrediting agencies in the United States recognized by the U.S. Department of Education that provide institutional accreditation on a regional basis.
