What is the difference between a EdD and a PhD?

Nothing but the names

from Wikipedia.com:

Academic degrees

Associate's degrees (U.S.) AA, ABS, AS

Foundation degrees (U.K.) FdA, FdEd, FdEng, FdMus, FdBus, FdSc, FdTech

Bachelor's degrees AB or BA, BSc or SB, BBus, BCom or BComm, BCS, BEc, BEng or BE, BS or BSc, BFA, BD, BHE, BJ, BPharm, BPE, BHK, BCL, LL.B., MB ChB or MB BS or BM BS or MB BChir or MB BCh BAO, BMus, B.Math, BBA, BAdm, MA (Oxon.), MA (Cantab.), MA (Dubl.), MA (Hons)

Master's degrees MA, MS or MSc, MSt, MALD, MApol, MPhil, MRes, MFA, MTh, MTS, M.Div., MBA, MPA, MJ, MSW, MPAff, MLIS, MLitt, MPH, MPM, MPP, MPT, MRE, MTheol, LLM, MEng, MSci, MBio, MChem, MPhys, MMath, MMus, MESci, MGeol, MTCM, MSSc, BCL (Oxon), BPhil (Oxon), ThM

Specialist degrees Ed.S., SSP, B.Acc., C.A.S.

Engineer's degrees Ch.E., B.E., C.E., C.E., E.E., E.A.A., E.C.S., Env.E., Mat.E., Mech.E., Nav.E., Nucl.E., Ocean E., Sys.E.

Doctoral degrees PhD, EdD, EngD, DNursSci, DBA, DC, DD, DSc, DLitt, DA, MD, DDS, DMD, DMA, DMus, DCL, ThD, JD, OD, DO, PharmD, DrPH, DPT, DPhil, DOM, OMD, DPM, PsyD, DSW, LL.D., J.S.D., S.J.D.

Law degrees B.A. Law, J.D., D.Jur., LL.B., B.C.L., LL.L., LL.M., LL.D., J.S.D., S.J.D., Ph.D.

Answer

Several of the top schools of education in America only offer their doctorates in education as EdDs (e.g., Teachers College, Harvard University, etc.), whereas other top schools of education only offer their doctorates in education as PhDs (Stanford University, UCLA, etc.)

In the United States, the EdD and PhD are both recognized for appointment as a lecturer or professor in a university. Both EdD and PhD are qualified to be educational researchers. They may also be recognized as training for administration positions in education, such as superintendent of schools, human resource director, or principal.

First answer by Elthron. Last edit by Cmartell. Contributor trust: 0 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 62 [recommend question]