Online Doctor of Education, Organizational Leadership,
Development and Change (EDOL)

School of Education
Online Format: Online Mixed (synchronous and asynchronous)
Program Website


Program Description 

Lehman College’s 52-credit Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership, Development and Change (EDOL) program seeks talented individuals who come from diverse backgrounds and want to lead change in their organizations and communities.

Highlights Include:

  • Low residency, online program designed for working professionals with busy lives.
  • Three-year (36-month) program following a three-semester annual schedule (fall, spring, summer).
  • Professors with both academic expertise and practical know-how.
  • Cohorts of highly qualified and committed candidates focused on strengthening their organizations.
  • Interdisciplinary curriculum that integrates theory, research, and best practices from education, business, health and human services, psychology, and public administration.
  • Transformational approach to dissertation

The following is a listing by term of the courses that comprise the 52-credit EDOL program, which can be completed in three years (36 months). The program is delivered on a full-year schedule.

Semester I: (7 credits)
EDL 911: Leaders as Scholars (4 credits)
EDL 930: Research I: Introduction to Research Methods (3 credits)
*Dissertation: Parts of Chapter One due in EDL 911

Semester II: (9 credits)
MSB 700: Organizational Behavior (3 credits)
EDL 912: Doctoral Studies Seminar (3 credits)
EDL 940: Research II: Introduction to Applied Research (3 credits)
*Dissertation: Chapter Two Due

Semester III: (6 credits)
EDL 903: Collaborative Leadership Through Communication (3 credits)
EDL 950: Research III: Practice-based, Service and Action Research (3 credits)

Semester IV: (9 credits)
EDL 960: Leveraging Human and Financial Resources for Social Impact (3 credits)
EDL 902: The Ethical Leader (3 credits)
EDL 913: Guided Dissertation (3 credits)

Semester V: (6 credits)
EDL 904: Strategic Leadership (3 credits)
EDL 970: Teaching and Learning (3 credits)

Semester VI: (6 credits)
EDL 905: Leadership Analytics and Grant Writing (3 credits)
EDL 980: Systems Thinking Through a Social Justice Lens (3 credits)

Semester VII: (3 credits)
EDL 913: Guided Dissertation (3 credits)
*Dissertation: Chapter Three Due

Semester VIII: (3 credits)
EDL 913: Guided Dissertation (3 credits)
*Dissertation: Chapter Four Due

Semester IX: (3 credits)
EDL 913: Guided Dissertation (3 credits)
*Chapter Five and Complete Dissertation Due

Admission Requirements

  1. A master’s degree from an accredited college or university;
  2. A minimum 3.3 (B) grade point average from a completed graduate degree program;
  3. Currently working or hold a substantial leadership role in a community or service-related organization;
  4. Two letters of recommendation:

    • one must be from a current supervisor at the applicant's place of employment who can best evaluate the applicant's leadership potential; and
    • one must be from a faculty member from prior studies who can best evaluate the applicant's potential for success as a graduate student or from an individual who has conducted training sessions/workshops that the applicant has attended professionally;

  5. A current resume detailing all past professional employment and any community or professional organization leadership positions, memberships and service;

  6. A 750-word essay describing a specific area of professional interest the applicant wants to research in the EDOL program and explain the ways this line of inquiry fits into his/her/their professional goals; and

  7. Applicants who satisfy the preliminary admissions requirements will be invited to an individual interview with the EDOL program coordinator and faculty. (As part of this interview, applicants will provide a real-time writing sample in response to a case study presented to them during the interview.)

Note: Prospective students whose native language is not English, or who have completed all or part of their post-secondary education in a country where English is not the first language, are required to submit TOEFL scores.


Career Opportunities

The EDOL program will prepare candidates for advanced careers and develop their capacity for change-making, innovation, and ethical leadership in both non-profit and for-profit sectors.

  • EDOL graduates will be prepared to lead in a variety of institutional contexts, serve as leadership consultants/coaches, and teach leadership studies in formal and informal settings. 
  • Potential job titles for EDOL graduates include but are not limited to: Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Diversity Officer, Hospital Administrator, Principal Consultant, Assistant Professor, and School Superintendent.

Application Deadline  

Information Sessions
Register for an Ed.D. information session.


Program Coordinator

headshot of professor

Gaoyin Qian

Professor/Graduate Program Literacy Studies, Counseling, Leadership, Literacy & Special Education

gaoyin.qian@lehman.cuny.edu Carman Hall, Room B01G 718-960-8307

New York State prides itself in the high quality of its licensed and certified professionals.  For the protection of its citizens, each license and certificate has requirements that individuals must meet in order to be licensed or certified in New York State.  CUNY’s academic programs leading to licensure or certification are carefully designed to meet and exceed these State requirements. This is a role CUNY plays in protecting the public.  Other states frequently have their own requirements, so if your goal is to practice in another state, this disclosure will help you check to see what that state requires.

Per U.S. Federal Regulations, §668.14 and §668.43, and in compliance with the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) Manual, CUNY Lehman College provides the following disclosure related to the educational requirements for professional licensure and certification. 

This Disclosure is strictly limited to the CUNY Lehman College determination of whether this academic program, that if successfully completed, would be sufficient to meet the educational licensure or certification requirements in a State for Teaching.  CUNY Lehman College cannot provide verification of an individual’s ability to meet licensure or certification requirements unrelated to its educational programming.  Such individual determinations are made by state licensing boards and are fact-specific determinations.

This disclosure does not provide any guarantee that any particular state licensure or certification entity will approve or deny your application. Furthermore, this disclosure does not account for changes in state law or regulation that may affect your application for licensure and occur after this disclosure has been made. Enrolled students and prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact their state’s licensure entity using the links provided to review all licensure and certification requirements imposed by their state(s) of choice.

CUNY Lehman College has determined this academic program curricula, if successfully completed, is sufficient to meet the licensure and certification requirements for an initial teaching certification license in the following states:

New York State:  New York State Education Department Teacher Certification

CUNY Lehman College has made no determination that the curricula is insufficient to meet the licensure and certification requirements for initial teaching certification in any of the 50 states and territories. After making all reasonable efforts, CUNY Lehman College cannot determine whether its educational programs curricula for this academic program, if successfully completed, is sufficient to meet the licensure and certification requirements for certification in the following states:

List of states(pdf)