Prepare to take the lead in our virtual classrooms and in your career. If you are ready to take this important next step, apply online now. The documents specified below are required for all Ph.D. applicants:

• Admissions Requirements
• Application Checklist

You will take four research methods courses and four required theory courses in the field of educational leadership. These courses build the foundation for electives, which you may pursue in your specialized area of study. Courses are valued at four credit hours.

Trident University accepts no more than four credit hours of doctoral level credits from regionally accredited doctoral granting institutions provided the transferred course meets the same content standards as the Trident course.

DEL 602 – Leadership and Leader Roles in Education
DEL 610 – Qualitative Research
DEL 612 – Program Evaluation in Education
RMS 600 – Research Methods
RMS 608 – Quantitative Research and Advanced Statistics I
RMS 618 – Quantitative Research and Advanced Statistics II
DEL 622 – Dissertation Research
DEL 699 – Dissertation Seminar
DEL 700-702 – Dissertation Series

Note: Students are required to purchase IBM SPSS Statistical Software for the quantitative research courses and dissertation research.

See the Trident University Catalog for full descriptions of all program course offerings.

In addition to required core courses, you will engage in three concentration courses to complete this degree plan. Select one concentration from our four areas of study:

• Educational Technology
  This concentration prepares educational leaders to understand and create new technologically and sound pedagogies grounded in innovative research and practice.
• Health Education
  The concentration in Health Education prepares students to serve in the field of health education through teaching, research, and service. We will provide a contemporary curriculum that empowers our students to translate knowledge to meet the growing needs of domestic and global health education. Courses include Research in Educational Leadership, Health Promotion, Program Planning, Design and Evaluation, and Health Behavior and Change.
• Higher Educational Leadership
  This concentration prepares professionals from community colleges and higher education institutions.
• Teaching, Learning and Development
  This concentration prepares professionals from various sectors in pre-kindergarten through high school level teaching.

Designed to help doctoral students follow their progress, Trident’s new Doctoral positioning System (DPS) allows students to track completion of tasks and milestones that are required to obtain their doctorate. The Trident DPS includes 2 features:

1. ePortfolio – To save everything related to the development of your dissertation in a single place.
2. 800 Dissertation Tasks Course – Provides a single place to submit, track, and gain approval for completed tasks.

This includes a written and oral qualifying exam to test your understanding of research methods and statistical concepts within the research process. Upon completion of all courses, the exam is conducted via phone conference or e-conference.

Our Ph.D. programs require a five-chapter Dissertation format. Within the Dissertation, students must defend a comprehensive synthesis of their Ph.D. study by demonstrating knowledge and scholarship with a significant and novel research project which contributes to the body of knowledge in the field(s) potentially affected by the research. Students will collaborate with dedicated faculty who guide you through coursework, qualifying exam, and dissertation study.

A Dissertation Committee (one chair and two members) will be assembled in course DEL 622. Three members must be from Trident University. The fourth optional member could be an external member to Trident. The chairperson and the committee members will be responsible for guiding the student during the dissertation process.

Pursuant to Federal law and regulations, Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval is required for research involving human subjects. Accordingly, prior to conducting research involving human subjects, including the collecting and analyzing of data, the proposed study must be reviewed and approved by the Trident IRB.

Tuition cost for the Ph.D. program:

*Assumes no transfer credits and that student enrolls in an average of 16 credits per year. Does not include cost of dissertation continution courses, the number of which vary based on dissertation completion date.

All per semester credit hour costs are for program level (600/700) courses. Students in the dissertation stage register for one course of four semester credit hours per session.  In addition, there are dissertation continuation courses which are $800 per course at 0 credit hours.

University Fees: 

• Books and Supplies: $0
• Bounced Check Fee: $30
• Course Materials: $0
• Diploma Copy: $30 (optional)
• Food, Housing, and Transportation: N/A
• Graduation Fee: $150
• Official Transcript: $10 (rush fee $35)
• Other Expedited Shipping Fees: varies based on region
• Payment Plan Set-up: $35-$55 (non-refundable)
• Student ID Card: $10 (optional)
• Technology Fee: $0
• Other fees may apply and are subject to change without advance notice.

Seeking more information on the cost of attending Trident? Visit Trident’s Financial Aid Resources page where you will find financial aid tools including Trident’s Net Price Calculator and Shopping Sheet, a guide to assist in early financial planning for college.

Get Started Today – Apply Today!