Skip navigation
Students in a class: Pursue an Ed.D. Adult Education degree at Regent University.

Ed.D. – Adult Education

Be Equipped to Excel Through Regent’s Ed.D. Adult Education Program

No matter the age, we should never stop learning. For those with a passion to teach adults, you’ll quickly discover that adult learners seek a return on their investment, so real-life applications must be linked to what you teach. Regent’s Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) – Adult Education equips current and aspiring organizational and institutional decision-makers with the knowledge and skills to design, implement and evaluate professional development programs for adult populations. Through a curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking, scholarly research, writing, and learning you’ll be prepared to deliver results-based programs that further the professional practice of adult learners within your organization.

Online
61+
May 6, 2024
Download PDF

INCREASE YOUR EARNING POTENTIAL

Make a larger salary doing what you love most – teaching.

FILL THE GAP THROUGH AN ED.D. IN ADULT EDUCATION

Knowledgeable experts are needed for service delivery in this in-demand area.

EXPAND YOUR CAREER PATH

Enjoy career opportunities within education institutions, corporate America, and workforce development settings.

Presented from a Christian worldview, the Ed.D. in Adult Education is supported by award-winning faculty in Virginia Beach.

Please complete the Request Information form on this page to learn more about this program.

On completing the Ed.D. – Adult Education degree, you can:

  • Develop a useful curriculum that is applicable to adult learners and supports their current needs or job role.
  • Integrate effective technology tools and trends to improve adult learning.
  • Execute organizational changes that drive learning and motivation to meet job demand.

Career Opportunities

  • Higher Education Administrator
  • Corporate Trainer
  • Adult Education Instructor
  • Adult Education Curriculum Developer
  • Continuing Education Professional
Ranked Among Top National Universities U.S. News & World Report, 2019, 2020, 2022 & 2023
Examines strategic planning and the role of program evaluation in the planning-implementation-evaluation cycle to include the curriculum planning process. Topics include various theoretical and philosophical perspectives, alternative evaluation designs and related methodologies including collaborative action research and issues related to design, measurement and utilization. The goal is to help educators become active collaborators in the evaluation process and to give them the tools to judge the value of an evaluation. Whether the task is designing an internal evaluation of a local program, contracting for an external evaluation at the district level, or critically reviewing an evaluation report as a basis for making an administrative decision, this course offers important leadership preparation. Each student will prepare an evaluability assessment related to a self-selected educational program in his/her area of concentration. Prerequisite: a graduate level research course.
Provides an overview of the major theorists associated with adult learning based on historical and philosophical perspectives. This course will review and evaluate theory and research that make adult education a distinctive field of philosophy and practice.
Examination of the study of lifelong learning issues, policy, and policy making at national and international level of education.
Current trends, issues, and global perspectives that impact adult learners.
Basic principles of supervision to insure continuous and effective professional development for adult learners.
Major theories in developmental psychology using select criteria including a Christian worldview.
Reviews current theory and research on adult development and learning, and critically examine claims for distinctive forms of adult cognition including social and psychological aspects of adult learning. Topics include participation, motivation, autonomous learning, and self-efficacy.
Examine current trends and issues surrounding the development and administration of programs for adults including environment, social, political, cultural, and demographic variables along with organizational and institutional roles and differences.

2023-24 Semester Check-In Deadlines

All students are expected to check-in for the semester two weeks before the session start date. Students should apply, be accepted, enroll in their first courses, and confirm a plan to pay for their courses prior to this date.

SessionSemester Check-InSession Start Date
Session AFriday, August 11Monday, August 21
Session MFriday, September 8Monday, September 18
Session BFriday, October 13Monday, October 23
Session CThursday, January 4Monday, January 8
Session TFriday, January 26Monday, February 5
Session DFriday, March 1Monday, March 11
Session EFriday, April 26Monday, May 6
Session FFriday, June 7Monday, June 17

Admissions Requirements

Step 1: Apply to Regent University

Submit your application using the Regent University Online Application.

Note: If you are unable to complete our application due to a disability, please contact our Admissions Office at 757.352.4990 or admissions@regent.edu and an admissions representative will provide reasonable accommodations to assist you in completing the application.

Step 2: Submit Your Unofficial Transcripts

Submit your unofficial transcripts to regent.edu/items.

Upon submitting your application, you will receive an email requesting authorization for Regent University to obtain your official transcripts from your U.S. degree-granting institution. International transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES, AACRAO or NAFSA approved agency.

Step 3: Submit Your Government-Issued ID

To ensure academic integrity, Regent University requires a copy of a government-issued ID. Please submit a scanned copy or photograph of it to regent.edu/items.


Please feel free to contact the Office of Admissions at 757.352.4990 or admissions@regent.edu should you have any further questions about the application process.

Note: All items submitted as part of the application process become the property of Regent University and cannot be returned.

PART-TIME STUDENTS

DegreeTuition Cost Per Credit HourAverage Credit Hours Per SemesterAverage Tuition Per Semester
Master of Education (M.Ed.)$5656$3,390
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.)$8006$4,800
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)$8003$2,400
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)$8003$2,400

Full-Time Students

DegreeTuition Cost Per Credit HourAverage Credit Hours Per SemesterAverage Tuition Per Semester
Master of Education (M.Ed.)$5659$5,085
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.)$8009$7,200
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)$8006$4,800
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)$8006$4,800

Student Fees Per Semester

University Services Fee (On-Campus Students)$850 (Fall & Spring)
$700 (Summer)
University Services Fee (Online Students)$700

Military Admissions & Aid » | Cost of Attendance »

Part-Time Students

DegreeTuition Cost Per Credit HourAverage Credit Hours Per SemesterAverage Tuition Per Semester
Master of Education (M.Ed.)$5656$3,390
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.)$8006$4,800
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)$8003$2,400
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)$8003$2,400

Full-Time Students

DegreeTuition Cost Per Credit HourAverage Credit Hours Per SemesterAverage Tuition Per Semester
Master of Education (M.Ed.)$5659$5,085
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.)$8009$7,200
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)$8006$4,800
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)$8006$4,800

Student Fees Per Semester

University Services Fee (On-Campus Students)$850 (Fall & Spring)
$700 (Summer)
University Services Fee (Online Students)$700

Military Admissions & Aid » | Cost of Attendance »

*Rates are subject to change at any time.

Advanced Standing

Students possessing an Ed.S. or equivalent may be admitted to the Ed.D. program with advanced standing after a review of their post-master’s transcript(s). Offered in a cohort model. Students may begin the program in the spring, summer or fall semesters. Courses are delivered online with some required face-to-face components. School division cohorts are also offered in varying formats.

Faculty

Dr. Finn is the concentration chair for Adult Education and is committed to your success.

Dr. Don Finn has been a faculty member since 2006 and served as the School of Education Dean from July 2015-2018. Specializing in Adult Education, he has been an educator for over 25 years and possesses a current Virginia Postgraduate Professional teaching license in secondary education.

Dr. Finn earned his B.S. in Secondary Education, Social Sciences concentration and his M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction with an Adult Education concentration from Radford University. He taught 7th through 12th grade social studies and in the adult night high school program in Montgomery County, Virginia. In 1999, he accepted a position to provide statewide leadership through the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center located at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). While at the VCU School of Education, he served as a collateral faculty member, a grant and project coordinator and instructor. He earned his Ph.D. in Adult Education and Organizational Learning from VCU in 2005.

His service has included leadership at the state and national levels as president of the Virginia Association for Adult & Continuing Education (VAACE) and various appointed roles, and as an elected executive board member for the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE). His COABE service includes: Secretary, Region 2 representative (2013-2015), national conference chairman (2012, 2015, 2018), conference program chairman (2016 & 2017), and President-Elect (2017-2019). He has been a textbook consultant, an article reviewer for select journals, and a consultant to adult education programs in Virginia and other states.

Finn has served on various Regent University committees including chairing the university Curriculum and Instruction Review Committee (CIRC), faculty senator, chairman of the School of Education Doctoral program and the Masters of Curriculum & Instruction (M.Ed.) program. He was named the School of Education Outstanding Faculty Member in 2010, VAACE Outstanding Adult Education Leader in 2013 and received the 2014 VAACE President’s Award for outstanding service.

Finn has authored and co-authored numerous articles and book chapters about effective instructional practices for adult learners, university professors and other diverse learners.

“A Regent education will open up doors for you. It certainly has for me.”

Roxie Godfrey, Ed.D., 2005 Teacher Educator & Assistant Professor, Texas Tech University

“It literally was one phone call with a Regent faculty member that convinced me this is the place that I needed to be.”

Rev. Dr. Colleen Derr, Doctorate in Christian Education Leadership, 2013 President, Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University

“Looking back, I can take almost every single facet of my daily work and tie it to my training at Regent. ”

Thomas "Randy" Brunk, M.Ed., 1989 Head of School, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy

“I am grateful for Regent’s rigorous, Christ-centered Special Education program. I look forward to sharing my passion and experience with the next generation of special education teachers. I’m also excited to continue my research on educational practices utilized in public schools.”

Allisha Beerwart, Ed.D., 2018 Assistant Professor of Education, School of Education, GSW State University

“One of the biggest skills I learned through my studies at Regent was confidence. I learned that I am worthy, and I can go forward in my career and affect more students than just those in my own classroom.”

Kathy Galford, Ed.D., 2018 School Principal, Chesapeake Public Schools