The Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership and Change (ELC) from Empire State College is designed to prepare mid-career practicing professionals to hold leadership positions in higher education, where graduates serve as change agents. The ELC uses a scholar-practitioner model, which starts with the assumption of self-directed, collaborative learning among researchers, practitioners, educators, and students to produce scholar-practitioners.

Learning in a community of practice through cohorts is one of the central tenets of this program and is facilitated through face-to-face and online interaction among students and faculty. Four residencies, which are generally two-day intense, face-to-face meetings with workshops and course meetings, support this approach.