Franklin University Expands Ed.D. in Instructional Design Leadership with Three Specialized Focus Areas

Contact:

Sherry Mercurio
Executive Director, Office of Community Relations
(614) 947-6581
Email: sherry.mercurio@franklin.edu

Franklin University, a recognized leader in online education, has expanded its Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Instructional Design Leadership program—building on its existing specializations in Educational Technology and Curriculum & Instructional Design—with three new focus areas: Higher Education Leadership, PK-12 Educational Leadership, and Leadership Dynamics & Organizational Behavior. These additions reflect the evolving demands of the education and organizational leadership landscape and are designed to prepare professionals for emerging roles across sectors such as K-12 schools, higher education, corporate training, government, and healthcare.

As the landscape of education and workforce development rapidly evolves, so does the demand for doctoral-trained professionals with advanced skills in instructional design, leadership, and systems thinking. The U.S. is seeing a sustained increase in the number of education doctorates awarded — up more than 20% over the past decade — as organizations seek qualified leaders who can drive innovation, lead change, and design effective learning experiences across diverse environments.

Franklin’s 100% online Ed.D. in Instructional Design Leadership is uniquely positioned to meet this need. The program is designed for working professionals who want to advance their careers by applying research, strategy, and instructional design in real time to the challenges faced by their organizations.

Explore Focus Areas That Match Career Goals
Franklin offers three new specialized paths within the Ed.D. program, each designed to help students build leadership and instructional design expertise tailored to their career aspirations:

Higher Education Leadership
Shape teaching strategy, faculty development, and academic innovation within colleges and universities. This focus area helps higher education professionals strengthen institutions through informed policy guidance, program development, and organizational leadership.

PK-12 Educational Leadership
Prepare to lead instructional strategy and district-wide initiatives within PK-12 environments. Coursework focuses on curriculum leadership, equitable learning practices, resource management, and system-level change to positively impact student outcomes.

Leadership Dynamics & Organizational Behavior
Drive organizational performance and shape workplace culture across corporate, nonprofit, and government organizations. This focus area combines instructional design theory with organizational behavior principles to help graduates foster learning, engagement, and measurable organizational improvements.

Flexible and Applied for Working Professionals
Franklin’s Ed.D. program is built for busy professionals and can be completed in as few as three years. Students take one or two courses at a time in an asynchronous online format, engage in applied projects, and receive structured support through the No-Fear Dissertation® process. By aligning coursework and research with their current roles, students graduate equipped to drive meaningful improvements within their organizations.

Learn more about Franklin’s Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Instructional Design Leadership and discover how specialized expertise in instructional design and leadership can help you advance your career through focus areas in Higher Education Leadership, PK-12 Leadership, or Leadership Dynamics & Organizational Behavior: https://bit.ly/40geVeC.

About Franklin University

Accredited, nonprofit, and dedicated to educating adults since 1902, Franklin provides onsite course options at our Main Campus in downtown Columbus, Ohio, and is an innovator in providing personalized online education. The University offers applied in-demand undergraduate, masters, and doctorate programs that enable adult learners to achieve their educational and professional goals. Through agreements with partner institutions, the University also offers international academic programs, including its top-ranked MBA.

Franklin University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds specialized accreditations for specific academic programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, and the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education. The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated Franklin University as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE).