Nourishing Alternatives

This special issue explores the expanding landscape of alternative dissertations within Doctor of Education (EdD) programs, showcasing how scholar-practitioners are reimagining the dissertation as a dynamic platform for addressing authentic problems of practice. Moving beyond the traditional five-chapter format, EdD programs are embracing formats such as dissertations-in-practice, public scholarship, portfolios, and multimedia projects. These alternatives encompass theoretically informed inquiries that reframe problems of practice through multifaceted lenses, empowering educational leaders with new ways to understand, navigate, and respond to the complex realities of their work. In this introduction, we provide a conceptual overview of the shift toward alternative dissertations, through the work of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) and calls to bridge theory and practice. We also preview the articles in this issue, which offer insights about the design, implementation, and implications of alternative dissertation models from multiple perspectives across institutions—including those of Graduate Schools, programs, faculty advisors, and students. Collectively, these contributions illuminate how EdD programs and EdD students are reshaping the dissertation to better serve educational leaders and their communities, while honoring the complexity and diversity of scholarly practice.