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A person smiles while looking at his laptop: Pursue a Ph.D. in Education – Educational Technology and Online Learning degree at Regent University.

Ph.D. in Education – Educational Technology & Online Learning

Use Technology to Advance Classrooms & Your Career

Do you have the desire to facilitate improved performance through technological processes and resources, and go further too? Regent’s Doctor of Philosophy in Education – Educational Technology & Online Learning prepares you for teaching and leadership positions in K-12, higher education, or corporate learning settings. The research-based Ph.D. can prepare you more specifically for a career in academia. You can also study the principles of curriculum, instruction, assessment, and evaluation, and apply them to an online education setting.

Online
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January 13, 2025
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INCREASE YOUR EARNING POTENTIAL

Capitalize on a higher salary with your Ph.D. degree.

EXPAND YOUR CAREER PATH

Take your career to the next level with exciting leadership opportunities.

MAKE AN IMPACT

Present ground-breaking research to improve the world of education. Presented from a Christian worldview, this specialty degree is supported by award-winning faculty in Virginia Beach.

ALIGN YOURSELF WITH EXCELLENCE

Regent has been ranked among the Top National Universities by the U.S. News & World Report (2024). Our programs have also been ranked among the Top 10 Best Online Graduate Education Programs in Virginia for 11 years in a row (2013-2023). Our graduates are empowered to make a difference in lives, which has led to more than 900 alumni being recognized as Teachers of the Year in Hampton Roads since 2004.

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

On completing the Ph.D. in Education – Educational Technology & Online Learning degree, you can:

  • Explain the online learning instructional design process and practices of effective teaching and learning with technology.
  • Research solutions to online-learning problems and ways to deliver research-based educational concepts or services to individuals or groups at a distance.
  • Examine strategic planning and the role of program evaluation in the planning/implementation/evaluation cycle to include the curriculum planning process.

Career Opportunities

  • University Faculty
  • Program Director
  • Technology Administrator
$96Thousand
Approximate mean annual wage for postsecondary teachers U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022
Featured Courses
EDCO 801Strategic Planning & Program Evaluation3
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.
EDDE 820Instructional Design for Online Learning3
Theoretical and experiential examination of the online learning instructional design process.
EDDE 822Teaching, Learning, & Technology3
Examines theories and practices of effective teaching and learning with technology.
EDDE 823Advanced Online Learning3
Critical examination of theories, research, and trends in online education.
EDDE 825Special Topics in Educational Technology3
Examines current issues in educational technology with an emphasis on research and leadership opportunities.
EDDE 830Trends in Educational Technology3
Surveys trends and developments in educational technology with a particular emphasis on their application to online learning.
EFND 726Foundations of Online Learning3
Explores foundational theories and research-based practices associated with development of online learning programs.

2024-25 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 9Monday, August 19
Session MFriday, September 6Monday, September 16
Session BFriday, October 11Monday, October 21
Session CWednesday, January 8Monday, January 13
Session TFriday, January 31Monday, February 10
Session DFriday, March 7Monday, March 17
Session EFriday, May 2Monday, May 12
Session FFriday, June 13Monday, June 23

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.

Ph.D. Requirements

A Ph.D. student will (a) complete 21 hours associated with the Ed.D. core curriculum, (b) complete 24-26 hours associated with an Ed.D. concentration, (c) complete an additional 6 hours of research related credit, and (d) complete 16 hours of dissertation research credit—the total program is 67 hours. A candidate for the Ph.D. degree must present an acceptable research-based dissertation. The dissertation demonstrates that the candidate has technical competence in the field and has done research of an independent character. It must add to or modify what was previously known in the candidate’s field of interest or present a significant interpretation of the subject based upon original investigation and research.

Ph.D. students are required to take the following courses:
EDCO 806 Multivariate Statistics (3)
EHEA 805 Advanced Research Design and Analysis (3)

Faculty

Dr. Finn is the concentration chair for Educational Technology & Online Learning 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.

“I just can't say enough about the program—it's everything I wanted.”
Gary Maestas, Ed.D., 2010 K-12 School Leadership
“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
“I found Regent's School of Education to be a place where I could obtain some of those practical skills I needed to help others. The TESOL curriculum included a good balance of instruction in reading, writing, and conversation skills that I can apply with adults or children.”
Jason Clark, M.Ed., 2010 TESOL
“Regent's Christian education program taught me best practices in education, and the faculty inspired and challenged me to reach my full potential.”
Randy Brunk, M.Ed., 1989 Head of Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
“If you are considering a career in teaching,
 consider preparing at Regent University.”
Doreatha White, M.Ed., 1997 Principal, J.J. Roberts Elementary School