Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies professional doctorate programs are designed for working professionals to address problems of practice through coursework—based on developing professional, scholarly, and research expertise— culminating in an original research project. The programs are guided by industry-leading faculty and are built on the scholar-practitioner model. Students conduct research that is related to their professional experience and designed to solve new and emerging problems.
The Doctor of Education
The Doctor of Education empowers students to bring about solutions to complex problems of practice in their local context, while leveraging a global network to magnify students’ boundless experiential learning to build a more socially just world. The Dissertation in Practice, the culminating component of the EdD, is designed to prepare leaders who can construct and apply knowledge to transform their organizations and communities through laboratories of practice where students implement change and then measure and analyze the impact to improve their professional practice. This knowledge is the start of students’ potential for meaningful change work. Students magnify their ability to generate socially just change by leveraging Northeastern’s global network of students, alumni, employers, and entrepreneurs.
Doctor of Law and Policy
The Doctor of Law and Policy prepares experienced professionals to become transformative leaders who understand and influence the intersection of law, policy, and practice. Our diverse students develop expertise in legal reasoning, policy analysis, and practical implementation while pursuing a thesis tailored to their professional interests and goals. The DLP empowers exceptional citizens to leverage their professional experience with advanced academic training to solve complex problems in organizations, policymaking, and democratic governance. Through rigorous coursework and mentored research, students master advanced analytical methods, develop a nuanced understanding of governance systems, and build expertise in evidence-based decision making within their chosen specialization. The program's distinctive hybrid format accommodates working professionals while fostering a collaborative learning community where intellectual diversity enriches academic discourse. Graduates emerge equipped to drive meaningful change in their organizations, industries, and communities, with the intellectual adaptability to navigate evolving regulatory environments and emerging societal challenges throughout their careers.