PhD or EdD?

I know this is an old thread. I was enrolled in an EdD program once. At the Doctorate level of education you are really learning to be a knowledge generator rather than a consumer through an apprenticeship. Yes you take classes but it's preparation to be a researcher. You should select a program based on the faculty as that will shape education. I left the program because my adviser didn't get tenure and no other professor could guide me in my topic.

Also PhD programs are focused on training theoretical researchers. EdD usually for training practical researchers.

I obtained my MSN/Ed this past February. I am considering both EdD and PhD. But i am not sure which to do first? What do you recommend?

In general if you see yourself doing research because you want to know why and don't care about practical applications go for the PhD. If want to apply theoretical research results to solve real world problems go for the EdD.

PhD for me! When I was trying to decide, most told me that the PhD is the “gold standard”. I like research and had a couple of research topics in mind when applying. You just need the idea-you will not be held responsible to create your question before classes started. I ended up tweaking my interest just a smidge. Good luck!

I just received my Ed.D from Walden University. I decided to go for an Ed.D instead of Ph.D because I believe in being a scholar/practitioner. Both of the degrees are terminal degrees and are research-based. However, unlike the Ph.D degree that prepares researchers and educators, the Ed.D is an educational based degree that prepares one to be a practicing educational researcher. For Ed.D, the Walden program insists on Project study instead of just dissertation. So you do a research and use the results to develop a project. It was tedious but exciting.

Good luck! I am proud of you that you are considering this educational journey.

llg,

I would love to work in education and do research on education. So you do not think that getting an EdD in, for example, curriculum development will not make me a better educator? Or will everything just overlap? Am I over thinking this? I am having a hard time obtaining an educator position so I am really frustrated and feel like if I have a degree in this and a degree in that, all pertaining to nursing education, then I will finally land a job. I have decided to obtain my PhD but I was not sure if the EdD will enhance my education or just be a waste of time.

I did a PhD program several years ago. It qualifies me to teach at a university and also to work in a hospital as a researcher and in Staff Development. It's a degree that works in both the academic and practice environments.

I would like to be able to have both of these options, like you, llg. Seems like PhD will do it then?