Doctorate in Education
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As with any doctorate awarded, the doctorate in education is given to a person who has achieved research/academic standards in their area of study. They are able to use doctor preceding their name, and either Ed.D or D.Ed after it. In fact this is a professional doctorate that enables the person to work in educational administration, specialized educational job positions, and even teach academic subjects to students.
In the United States, Australia and Europe, a doctorate in education is allowed to hold the positions of either a professor or lecturer in any university. The person in question is able to work on varied projects in these roles, whether in teaching or in research. However, in the United Kingdom, there is more flexibility in the areas of study that can be used for a submission or thesis to acquire this professional status.
The doctorate in education is fairly new, though. Harvard University has been using it since 1921; where as the United Kingdom did not award such doctorates until 1992. Most university and pre-post education roles were considered to be vocations versus professional jobs.
There is a debate amongst professionals in education as to the standards amongst doctors in education. University standards have always varied greatly in their ability to educate students for any doctorate award. Not only do universities compete to be the best educators of educational professionals, but doctors in education debate over who is best trained to do the professional job that they are trained to do. This creates a very competitive environment within the education systems worldwide, especially in relation to the standard of education these professionals are able to give to their students. It is more than likely that a doctorate in education, who received their training at a more prestigious university like Oxford or Harvard, will be given more importance over one trained at another university when trying to ascertain a job.