UTEP’S COLLEGE OF EDUCATION LAUNCHES THE UNIVERSITY’S FIRST FULLY ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DOCTORAL DEGREE PROGRAMS WITH A FOCUS ON EARLY CHILDHOOD AND CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION LEADERSHIP
NEW DEGREE OPTIONS WILL PREPARE DOCTORAL-LEVEL SCHOLAR-PRACTIONERS FOR EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES
UTEP’s College of Education is proud to launch The University’s first fully online professional doctoral programs-- the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership & Administration with a concentration in Early Childhood Education and the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership & Administration with a concentration in Curriculum & Instruction.
Drawing from the success of the College of Education’s catalog of fully online masters-level programming, these first-of-their-kind at UTEP doctoral degree programs will allow educators to remain embedded in their own professional contexts while engaging deeply with nationally recognized faculty whose expertise is shaped by the rich cultural, linguistic, and educational landscape of the borderlands.
The new fully online doctoral programs offers educational professionals an accessible and flexible pathway to advanced study, expanding opportunities for those who cannot relocate, leave full-time employment, or fit traditional schedules into their lives. By removing geographic barriers, the new doctoral programs open doors for working professionals across local, rural, national, and international settings, while supporting modern degree-seeking students who often live complex lives.
“We have deliberately worked hard to expand our graduate online programming to meet the needs of professionals at all stages of their career who require the flexibility and
convenience that the online format offers, while providing the high quality graduate-level training experiences that UTEP is known for as an R1 institution. I am particularly excited about the focus on Early Childhood Education, as there are not many doctoral programs like this one available for professionals who work in the Early Childhood Education field”, said Dr. Alyse C. Hachey, Co-Chair of the Teacher Education Department.
Dr. Clifton Tanabe, Dean of the College of Education, added, “Our new fully online Ed.D. programs really embody the College of Education’s mission of access and impact-- providing a terminal degree that can be completed from anywhere in less than three years to help educators on the ground drive research-based decision-making and innovation in their own communities. This is the type of forward-thinking programming we are striving for in the College of Education to meet professional preparation needs in today's educational landscape.”
The programs’ cohort design—featuring asynchronous coursework, modern digital learning tools, and opportunities for virtual collaboration—allows students to balance doctoral work with their professional and personal responsibilities. Because students in the programs remain embedded in their workplaces, they can conduct meaningful action research, case studies, and program evaluations to design applied dissertations of practice that can create immediate, community-grounded impact.
These practitioner-focused programs are aimed at experienced educators who want to advance their careers, contribute to innovative applied research, and lead change in their own contexts—all while benefiting from the convenience and inclusivity of a high-quality online doctoral experience. For full details on the course of studies and application information on the new programs, visit HERE.
