By Dr. Will Deyamport, III
On April 30,
2013, I officially graduated from Capella University with a Doctor of Education
degree in Educational Leadership and Management. The thing is, so many people
have congratulated me on earning my Ph.D., and while I appreciate every
congratulations and best wishes, I want people to know that not every doctorate
is a Doctor of Philosophy or Ph.D. The following is the four most well known non-Ph.D.
doctoral degrees.
Psy.D. – Doctor
of Clinical Psychology
The Psy.D. is a professional doctorate in
psychology. It is known for its emphasis on being practiced-based, and focusing
on the real world skills needed to make a difference in the lives of
individuals. Sometimes referred to as a scholar-practitioner doctorate, the
Psy.D. concentration is the on applied methods of clinical psychology as
opposed to the theoretical or research methods of the Ph.D. in clinical
psychology.
Individuals who seek this doctorate are not
general looking for a career in academia. The Psy.D. usually attracts
individuals who drawn to the hands-on work of counseling and mental health
care.
Dr.P.H. – Doctor
of Public Health
The
Dr.P.H is an interdisciplinary professional degree program with a focus on
training individuals to be leaders, policymakers, and practitioners with the
field of public health.
Individuals
who seek this doctorate are those interested in obtaining leadership positions in
their chosen area of practice. Those positions can be found in government,
think tanks, and other institutions where they can have influence over public
health policies, development of programs, and the direction over
decision-making.
D.S.W. – Doctor
of Social Work
The D.S.W. is a professional doctorate
aimed at individuals who want to advance their knowledge and professional skill
set in clinical social work. It is also designed to develop leaders in clinical
practice. The DSW is different from the Ph.D. in social work in that it is a practice-based
degree and not a research-based degree. As such, it is a degree for experienced
social workers who want to advance in their careers.
Individuals who seek out this degree program are often interested in pursuing leadership positions in human services or governmental agencies.
Ed.D. – Doctor
of Education
The Ed.D is an education-focused,
practiced-based degree program and is usually pursued by individuals seeking
leadership positions in K-12 leadership or who have interests in teaching,
consulting or executive leadership in government, non-profits, or higher
education. Ed.D. programs are primarily designed to take existing research and
apply it to a specific issue, problem or setting.
Individuals who choose an
Ed.D are people who want to take a more hands-on role within an organization.
Though it may not be known, Ed.D candidates do conduct scholarly research. And it
is important to note that being education-focused doesn’t mean that all Ed.D
programs are designed with K-12 or higher education in mind. University of San
Francisco, for example, offers an Ed.D. in Learning and Instruction, which
focuses on teaching, learning, and instructional design. It is a great option
if you are a corporate or teacher trainer or have an interest in instructional
design or consulting.
If you are interested in a tenure-track
teaching position and interested in pursuing an Ed.D., be sure to choose an Ed.D.
that requires a dissertation. Not all Ed.D.’s require one; some opt for a field
project
I hope this is helpful to anyone who is considering a doctoral degree. Please feel free to leave your comments.
About the author: Dr. Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. is an eLeader who specializes in digital learning and development. His research is in technology leadership and using web tools and social technologies for professional development, teaching and learning, and social good.
Congratulations, Dr. Deyamport! You are a power of example to me and so many others with your commitment and ability to see this through to completion. Best wishes for a great future! @juliaerickson
ReplyDeleteJulia,
ReplyDeleteThanks. I appreciate the compliment and your support throughout the years. It has been an interesting journey, and one I hope takes me to new and even more interesting experiences. I look forward to our continued dialogue and hopefully we will work on a project together.
Dr. Will