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The first terminal degree in education (Ph.D.) was granted by Columbia University in 1893. While the excat date of that the degree was conferred is debated, the year marks the beginning of a new trend in education. Source: Shulman, L.S., Golde, C.M., Bueschel, A.C. & Garabedian, K.J. (2006). Reclaiming education’s doctorates: A critique and a proposal. Educational Researcher, 35(25), pp. 25-32. Doi:10.3102/0013189x035003025
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In the year of 1920, in an effort by education faculty to break away from the strict requirements imposed by the Arts and Sciences Department, education faculty at Harvard University developed the first Doctor of Education (Ed.D.). Source: Perry, J. (2012). To Ed.D. or not to Ed.D.? Phi Delta Kappan, 94(1), pp. 41-44.
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The action by Harvard ignited a movement in the field of education. In 1934, Teachers College responded by establishing an Ed.D. program that focused on training education workers to deal with issues common to their field. Source: Perry, J. (2012). To Ed.D. or not to Ed.D.? Phi Delta Kappan, 94(1), pp. 41-44.
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From 1934 to 1940, several other institutions, including the University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford, also began offering Ed.D. options. The justifications included breaking free of stringent arts and sciences rules, preparing better educational professionals, and preparing students for entrance into Ivy League programs. Source: Perry, J. (2012). To Ed.D. or not to Ed.D.? Phi Delta Kappan, 94(1), pp. 41-44.
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In the 1960s academia began to suspect that there were no clear distinctions between the two degrees. Sources: Brown, L.D. (1990). A perspective on the Ph.D.-Ed.D. discussion in schools of education. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Boston, MA.
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Brown determined that while there were no significant differences between the two, Ed.D. programs were slightly more structured due to their additional foundation and cognates requirements. Source: Brown, L.D. (1990). A perspective on the Ph.D.-Ed.D. discussion in schools of education. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Boston, MA.
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A 1994 study of Ed.D. and Ph.D. dissertations by Nelson and Coorough compared 1,007 Ph.D. degrees in education to 960 Ed.D. degrees over a 40 year period. They compared types of research, research design, statistical analysis, results significance, and target populations, and developed a list of each doctorate program’s typical features. Source: Nelson, J. & Coorough, C. (1994). Content analysis of the PhD versus EdD dissertation. Journal of Experimental Education, 62(2), 158.
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Not much has changed in the Ed.D. and Ph.D. comparison since the Nelson and Coorough study. The Carnegia Project is currently working towards better defining what the Ed.D. degree should be, but this doesn't mean that there will be consensus in the field. Only time will tell!
