Since joining the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED), Kent State University has exemplified what it means to reimagine doctoral education for practitioners. The online Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Interprofessional Leadership stands as a model for how the CPED Framework can transform professional learning, collaboration, and impact.
Grounded in Purpose: Preparing Scholarly Practitioners
At the heart of CPED’s Framework is a redefinition of the Ed.D.:
“The professional doctorate in education prepares educators for the application of appropriate and specific practices, the generation of new knowledge, and for the stewardship of the profession.”
Kent State’s Ed.D. program fully embraces this vision by preparing scholarly practitioners: leaders who blend theory and practice to create change across diverse sectors such as K–12 education, higher education, health care, and public service. Through this lens, graduates don’t just study leadership, they live it, using data, collaboration, and ethical inquiry to improve systems and outcomes in real-world contexts.
Equity, Ethics, and Social Justice at the Core
CPED’s first guiding principle frames the Ed.D. around questions of equity, ethics, and social justice. Kent State’s program centers these same values through its Interprofessional Leadership focus, which brings together leaders from varied professions to learn how to co-create solutions that honor community voices.
Each specialization—whether in Leadership for Educational Contexts, Cultural Foundations of Education, Educational Technology, Curriculum and Instruction, or Special Education—asks candidates to apply these values to authentic challenges of practice, driving measurable change in their organizations and communities.
Collaboration and Inquiry in Action
In alignment with CPED’s call for collaboration and field-based inquiry, Kent State’s program fosters deep partnerships across sectors and disciplines. Candidates engage in “Laboratories of Practice,” settings, when applicable, where they apply research and leadership theories to real problems, evaluate outcomes, and refine solutions through continuous feedback.
This design mirrors the CPED principle of Inquiry as Practice, helping candidates use multiple lenses to analyze and address complex problems. The result is a transformative learning experience that bridges academic rigor with professional relevance.
Learning that Transforms Practice
Kent State’s Ed.D. program engages in teaching that is deliberate, pervasive, and grounded in both theory and authentic practice. Faculty mentors guide students through reflective inquiry, collaborative projects, and data-informed decision-making.
This approach builds the “habits of mind, hand, and heart” that Shulman (2005) describes, helping leaders act with moral purpose and social responsibility in every context they serve.
Dissertation in Practice: Research with Real Impact
The Dissertation in Practice (DiP) is a defining feature of both CPED and Kent State’s Ed.D. model. Rather than producing purely theoretical research, candidates investigate a Problem of Practice, a persistent, context-specific challenge within their own professional setting.
At Kent State, this process is highly individualized and mentored, ensuring each dissertation contributes tangible improvements to policy, programming, or organizational culture. Graduates leave not only with a doctorate, but with a legacy of impact that continues in their field.
Why Kent State Shines
Kent State’s participation in CPED has shaped a program that stands out for its interdisciplinary approach, commitment to social justice, and dedication to authentic professional learning. The Ed.D. in Interprofessional Leadership exemplifies how CPED’s principles come alive when a university truly invests in the practitioner-scholar model—one that honors both the complexity of leadership and the power of community-centered change.
In short, Kent State doesn’t just prepare leaders. It cultivates change agents who embody CPED’s vision for the next generation of educational and organizational leadership.
