Clark University Joins Carnegie Project as New Ed.D. Program Expands
By Jerry Filmore
WORCESTER, MA — Clark University is joining a national and international network of colleges and universities focused on how education professionals are prepared at the doctoral level, adding a new connection for faculty and students in Worcester as the university develops its Ed.D. in Transformative Education.
Clark announced this week that it has joined the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, known as CPED, a consortium of more than 165 colleges and universities working to strengthen the Education Doctorate, or Ed.D., as a professional degree.
Clark was one of 18 institutions accepted into the consortium in the latest group. The university said Merrimack College and Gordon College were among the other Massachusetts institutions included.
The move is closely connected to Clark’s new Ed.D. in Transformative Education, a low-residency doctoral program designed for working education professionals. According to Clark, the program combines academic scholarship with practitioner inquiry and allows students to continue working full time while completing the degree.
For Worcester, the addition expands the range of graduate-level education programs available through a university that already works with schools and community partners across the city, including in Main South. Clark’s Department of Education currently offers graduate programs in teaching, school psychology and transformative education.
What CPED membership means
The Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate describes itself as a professional learning community for colleges and universities offering Ed.D. programs. Member institutions work together on questions involving program design, research, teaching and the preparation of what CPED calls “scholarly practitioners.”
In the press release announcing Clark’s membership, CPED Executive Director Dr. Jill A. Perry said the 18 new institutions bring different perspectives while sharing a commitment to preparing professionals who can apply research and leadership within education and other organizations.
For Clark, membership provides faculty, administrators and doctoral students with opportunities to participate in professional exchanges with other Ed.D. programs.
John LaBrie, Clark’s associate provost and dean of Graduate Studies and International Programs, said the university sees CPED as an important source of guidance on the future direction of the Ed.D.
“As members and affiliates, we ensure our faculty and scholars in the program are studying in a program that is not only rigorous but also on the leading edge of thought in this field,” LaBrie said in the university’s announcement.
A new doctoral program at Clark
Clark’s Ed.D. in Transformative Education is designed as an executive-style, low-residency program. The university says students meet in person every other weekend, allowing participants to remain employed while completing their doctoral studies.
The program emphasizes practitioner inquiry and action research, meaning students are expected to examine challenges within the educational organizations and communities where they already work.
Eric DeMeulenaere, professor of education and director of the program, said Clark hopes CPED membership will create opportunities for its doctoral students to connect with practitioners at other institutions.
“We hope this membership provides a space for our doctoral students to connect with other practitioners working to transform the educational spaces in which they work,” DeMeulenaere said in the release.
DeMeulenaere’s research at Clark focuses on education, participatory action research and learning environments, according to his university faculty profile.
Local connection to Worcester education
Clark’s education programs have an established connection to Worcester schools and neighborhoods.
The university’s Department of Education works with partner schools centered in Main South, and its teacher preparation programs place students in local school settings as part of their training.
The new Ed.D. program is different from Clark’s teacher preparation programs because it is intended for professionals seeking a doctoral degree while continuing their careers. Clark describes the program as focused on education professionals who want to examine and address issues within the institutions and communities where they work.
The university has not said that joining CPED will create a new facility, add a specific number of faculty positions or directly change programs within Worcester Public Schools. The immediate impact is within Clark’s doctoral program and the professional network available to its faculty and students.
Applications and next steps
Clark lists the Ed.D. in Transformative Education among its current doctoral degree offerings.
According to the university’s current graduate admissions calendar, the priority deadline for the Ed.D. in Transformative Education is Aug. 22, 2026, with applications reviewed on a rolling basis afterward if space remains in the class.
Students and education professionals interested in the program can review curriculum, format and admissions information through Clark University’s Ed.D. in Transformative Education program page.
Clark’s participation in CPED will now place the Worcester university alongside more than 165 other institutions collaborating on professional doctoral education. The university has not announced a separate timetable or additional cost associated specifically with its membership.
🔎 W.U.W. Verification Box
• Project / Topic: Clark University’s membership in the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate and its Ed.D. in Transformative Education.
• Current Status: Clark University has joined CPED as one of 18 new member institutions. Clark’s Ed.D. in Transformative Education is listed as a current doctoral program.
• Key Dates or Decisions: Clark announced its CPED membership in August 2026. The current priority application deadline for Clark’s Ed.D. in Transformative Education is Aug. 22, 2026.
• Estimated Cost: The source material does not provide the cost of Clark’s CPED membership. Tuition information for the Ed.D. program is handled separately by Clark University.
• Timeline: CPED membership is current. Clark’s Ed.D. program is accepting students according to the university’s graduate admissions schedule, with rolling review after the priority deadline if space remains.
• Immediate Next Steps: Clark faculty, administrators and doctoral students can participate in CPED’s professional learning network and collaborative activities. Prospective students can review the Ed.D. program and admissions requirements through Clark University.
• Primary Sources: Clark University press release; Clark University Ed.D. in Transformative Education program information; Clark University Department of Education; Clark University graduate admissions information; Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate.
• What We Do Not Yet Know: The source material does not identify the cost of Clark’s CPED membership, the number of Clark doctoral students who will participate in CPED activities or any specific new local partnerships that will result from the membership.
This coverage is supported by our sponsor, Worcester EV’s, Embedded Counsel, Body Vybes by Reanna, and W.S.R & Wellness Coaching
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