Doctoral Degree Overview

The Doctor of Education prepares students as professional leaders, educators and practitioner-scholars who actualize the knowledge base in their respective field. Students will:

• Create and model ethical evidence-based best practices

• Lead organizational change 

• Establish a caring and collaborative learning community

• Support the principles of teaching and learning practices

• Utilize the principles of effective leadership

• Develop proficiency utilizing and applying technologies

• Evaluate the individual, organizational, and societal contexts of learning

• Design research that addresses professional policy issues

• Integrate ethical sensitivity toward diversity and social justice in research, teaching and learning

The Doctor of Philosophy prepares students as researchers, faculty and/or discipline-based scholars who contribute to the knowledge base of their respective fields. Students will:

• Engage in ethical, empirical, theoretical, and/or conceptual inquiry

• Develop an active research agenda

• Engage in grant-writing, proposal and manuscript preparation and presentations

• Develop understanding of pedagogies and content 

• Contribute to professional organizations, societies and/or academies

• Engage in appropriate outreach/service 

• Integrate ethical sensitivity toward diversity and social justice in research, teaching and learning

The Doctor of Athletic Training provides advanced knowledge in the field and improves professional clinical skills as a practicing certified athletic trainer. Students will:

• Understand the history and wider context (including barriers and future potential) of athletic training

• Become well-versed in manual therapy paradigms

• Utilize state-of-the-art rehabilitation strategies to improve clinical outcomes

• Integrate evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence into their clinical practice

• Study manual therapy approaches and outcomes in multi-site research 

• Learn to treat patients from a holistic integrative approach

• Participate in meaningful clinical research

• Develop meaningful strategies and skills to help prepare the future generations of athletic trainers to effectively treat patients