EdD in Transformational Leadership & Coaching

Gain one-of-a-kind expertise in coaching

MIU offers one of the few doctoral-level coaching programs in the US that is recognized by the Graduate School Alliance for Education in Coaching (GSAEC) and is the only EdD that features Consciousness-Based Education.

This program equips you with the advanced scholar practitioner skills needed to excel in diverse fields such as coaching, education, business, training, human services, or any field in which you are seeking greater influence and leadership. Throughout your doctoral journey, you’ll cultivate and apply these skills to inspire growth and excellence in both yourself and those you lead and coach.

Employ a consciousness-based approach to education and leadership

This EdD is not just about academics and the application of skills to become a better coach and leader. It’s also about you becoming the person you want to become. Your personal development is the foundation on which this curriculum rests.

Like all MIU students, you’ll learn Transcendental Meditation, a technique shown to enhance creativity, learning ability, and decision-making, and reduce stress and anxiety. You’ll also study how the development of consciousness impacts all areas of life, just as watering the root of a plant impacts the state of the whole plant.

Get started by contacting Sunita

Sunita Martin, admissions counselor Sunita Martin is this program’s admissions counselor for US students. Sunita will provide you with all the details of becoming a student, including connecting you with the program director or faculty.

Contact Sunita >

International applicants may connect with us through our international inquiry form.

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Elevate your leadership potential

As a student in this program, you’ll gain the proficiency to assess the unique needs and challenges of individuals or groups under your guidance, and guide them towards their envisioned future. With a focus on coaching and a comprehensive set of leadership skills, you’ll empower individuals and teams to unleash their fullest potential, driving meaningful change within organizations and beyond.

Tailor your research to your own field

While you develop proficiency in the essential domains of coaching, you’ll have the opportunity to tailor your research and apply your skills to the professional and personal contexts that are most relevant to you.

As a graduate, you’ll possess the expertise to craft and execute transformative visions and strategies for individuals, groups, and institutions.

Program structure

During this two-and-a-half-year online program, students should expect to dedicate 14 hours per week to coursework, including six hours of live class time (three two-hour classes). US students are required to come to our campus in Fairfield, Iowa, for two weekends in the first year of the program. International students cannot receive visa approval for short residencies in the US and will be offered an online equivalent.

MIU’s EdD in Transformational Coaching & Leadership covers five areas:

Doctoral course work in the core disciplines related to coaching and leadership
Experiential lab courses in developing social-emotional intelligence and coaching expertise
Intervention design courses to facilitate individual and organizational learning in organizational contexts
Research courses to determine the effectiveness of interventions in a variety of contexts
An applied dissertation research project that demonstrates your expertise and influence as an effective scholar-practitioner.

Featured courses

Emergence Coaching

This four-part course covers the theory, skills, principles, and practices that undergird professional coaching. You will learn how to do Emergence Coaching, the process by which the coach facilitates the client actualizing their potential. You will learn how to coach; how to develop your social and emotional intelligence as a coach; how to use your internal emotions to benefit your client and develop yourself at the same time; and the theoretical foundations of emergence coaching. These coaching skills will improve your effectiveness as a coach, a leader, an educator, a parent, and a partner, and in any relationship in which you want to have a transformative influence.

Coach & Client Development

This course focuses on the coach’s development and use of self as an essential context for effective coaching. Student coaches will be working with their own emotional reactions to the material their clients bring into sessions. Student coaches will deepen their use of ongoing coaching supervision to address related unfinished situations and core emotional issues in their own lives to heighten their capacity to more successfully facilitate the client’s ongoing growth and learning. Participants will also learn how the ICF coaching competencies serve as foundational skills in support of the SEI competencies practiced throughout these courses.

Using Social Intelligence to Navigate Organizations

Achieving organizational goals and objectives, as well as organizational change, requires a high degree of social-emotional intelligence. In this course, we will study organizational culture, dynamics, structures, systems, decision making practices, and other factors that need to be divined, appreciated, and mastered to maximize effectiveness. What you learn in this course is key to any organizational change initiative you will perform in your capstone project. It is also essential for coaching anyone in a corporate or educational environment.

Current class schedule for the EdD in Transformational Leadership & Coaching >

Featured faculty

Gordon Medlock

Dr. Medlock is a Professor in the MIU EdD in Transformational Leadership & Coaching. He is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and Co-Chair of the Research Committee of the Graduate School Alliance for Education and Coaching (GSAEC). He is also a licensed clinical social worker with over 30 years’ experience as a psychotherapist and coach. He has published over a dozen articles in the fields of humanistic and existential psychology, positive psychology, and coaching theory and practice. He also has a doctorate in philosophy from Yale university, where he focused on the study of phenomenology and the nature of consciousness.

Lisa Sanden

Dr. Sanden is an Associate Professor of Transformational Leadership and Coaching. In addition to her work with MIU, she is also a Montessori consultant and speaker, a corporate trainer with the Human Emergence Group, and a coach with over 10 years-experience. Her master’s and doctorate are in Transformational Leadership and Coaching.

Michael Zwell

Michael Zwell, Ph.D., is Professor of Transformational Leadership and Coaching at MIU, and was Chancellor and co-founder of the Wright Graduate University for the Realization of Human Potential. He is also Managing Director of the Human Emergence Group. He is a certified coach for the Great Game of Business, a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF), and immediate past President of the Graduate School Alliance for Education in Coaching. The author of several books, he has a Ph.D. from Yale University and an A.B. from the University of Chicago. He is Director of MIU’s Ed.D. program in Transformational Leadership and Coaching.

Cost & Aid, 2024-25

US Online Students

US EdD in Transformational Leadership & Coaching

The program duration is 2½ years. The tuition listed here is for one year (two semesters).

Annual Cost and Typical Financial Aid
Tuition and fees	$17,190
Federal student loans	-$17,190
Your payment	$0
Optional: additional low-interest federal loans?	$17,000

Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date. For more information, contact us at finaid@miu.edu for a quick reply — normally one business day — or see more about financial aid.

International Online Students

International EdD in Transformational Leadership & Coaching

The program duration is 2½ years. The tuition listed here is for one year (two semesters).

Annual Cost
Tuition and fees	$17,190
Your payment	$17,190

Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date.

Entrance requirements

All applicants must have a master’s degree in any field from an accredited university. Admission will be based on undergraduate and graduate transcripts, professional recommendations, and interviews.

Additional requirements

English language verification

International applicants must submit official English proficiency test scores within the past 2 years of at least 110 on Duolingo, 6.5 on IELTS Academic, 90 on TOEFL iBT or 58 on PTE.

Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique

All MIU students practice the Transcendental Meditation^® technique. If you have not learned it yet:

Once accepted as a US student, the cost of TM instruction is covered through a grant offered by MIU
Students can either learn TM upon arrival or prior to enrolling
Contact your admissions counselor for details
Find information on the TM technique or search for a TM teacher at TM.org

FAQ

How many hours per week should I expect to devote to this program?

Between live class sessions and coursework, you should plan to dedicate at least 14 hours per week to this program. Two-hour live classes are held on Zoom three times per week (two on weeknights, and one on Saturdays).

Can I pursue this program while working full-time?

Yes, most of our students are working professionals.

What career opportunities does this program prepare graduates for?

This program equips you with the advanced scholar practitioner skills needed to excel in diverse fields such as coaching, education, business, training, human services, or any field in which you are seeking greater influence and leadership.

Is there a residency or internship component to the program?

US students are required to come to our campus in Fairfield, Iowa, for two weekends in the first year of the program. International students cannot receive visa approval for short residencies in the US and will be offered an online equivalent.

What makes this program unique compared to other doctoral programs?

This is the only EdD program featuring Consciousness-based Education (CBE). As you learn to integrate CBE into your work with others, your own personal development will parallel your professional development as a coach and leader throughout the program.

What kind of content delivery system will be used?

Courses are a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning. Students will attend live class sessions on Zoom (six hours of live class time per week), and will access other course material and assignments using the Canvas student online learning platform.

How does MIU make the online learning experience effective and fulfilling?

In addition to our engaging online learning platform, this program features extensive collaboration among students, and one-on-one interaction between our professors and each student.