D’Youville University announces a new PhD program to prepare educational leaders for 21st century challenges in school districts, colleges, and universities

D’Youville University announces a first of its kind PhD program in Educational Leadership, Society and Change beginning in August 2024. This program is the only PhD program in New York State, and one of very few in the nation that acknowledges the current turbulence we see in schools and on campus – and seeks change leaders who want to make a difference. It is a hybrid degree program aimed at P-12 school and higher education administrators who are seeking to increase their skills to solve the troubling challenges we are seeing in educational environments. These leaders will be prepared to take on critical challenges in today’s school systems – both k-12 and higher education. This innovative program’s coursework will prepare leaders to become change agents during the times of generational poverty, social division, and national economic fears that we are currently living in.

The program is designed for adult learners or practitioners that rely on a hybrid approach for continued work as they earn a PhD. All courses will be offered online and in-person. “Education is critical to create social change,” states President Lorrie Clemo, PhD. “ D’Youville University’s intention is to offer a program that enables education administrators to enact change in their communities by examining – and taking action – on how structural and economic forces shape education from kindergarten through college. This program seeks to provide a robust curriculum that supports leaders to transform social foundations and develop solutions for academic success for all students, regardless of economics, race, religion, gender, abilities, or geographic location.”

There is an urgent need for leaders who possess an expansive scope of critical abilities to create equitable learning success for a wide range of students. "This new degree program will fill a current gap in the doctoral landscape within New York State, as it will focus on a social foundational scope, which will significantly contribute to the overall development of leaders in the field of education,” says Program Director Jeffrey Rabey, PhD. “The goal is to cultivate collaborations and partnerships that can be formed between the program and local educational institutions, organizations, and stakeholders."

To find out more about this program contact admissions@dyc.edu or (716) 671-3010.