Three-Chapter DiP

Led by CPED’s reconceptualization of the Education Doctorate, EdD programs nationally continue to explore ways to re-envision the Dissertation-in-Practice (DiP) specifically for the development of Scholar-Practitioners. Even as work on innovative dissertation formats has accelerated, many, if not most, DiPs still resemble traditional five-chapter academic dissertations. This article explores an alternative three-chapter DiP format with a balanced focus on (1) an action research study conducted by the candidate, and (2) the candidate’s application of findings, alongside social and organizational theory, in their leadership practice. In this way, the three-chapter DiP balances a focus on research and leadership practice, amenable to review, critique, and use by practitioners as well as academics. In this essay, faculty and recent-graduate coauthors describe their first-hand perspectives navigating this model as students and faculty, and add to the emerging landscape of practice regarding EdD dissertations. We outline the rationale, purpose, and assessment guidelines defining this format, and describe key challenges we encountered. Moreover, we discuss the model's flexibility in application, highlighting examples and approaches used by students. The discussion will be useful for EdD programs, faculty, and students who are interested in exploring innovative DiP models that are grounded in both research and practice.