They generally are the same in coursework but different in your approach to the dissertation. Both can serve the same purpose in whatever your career goals are but if you are wanting to apply your dissertation work to your current work position or have several years of work experience, the EdD would be best since it is considered more of a professional doctorate. If you want to be a professor or original researcher, the PhD is usually the best. Either one can serve both purposes but the key difference would likely be the dissertation and of course the specialization.
What advice do you have for those seeking doctorates in education? In what ways do you believe the Ph.D. and Ed.D. overlap?
They generally are the same in coursework but different in your approach to the dissertation. Both can serve the same purpose in whatever your career goals are but if you are wanting to apply your dissertation work to your current work position or have several years of work experience, the EdD would be best since it is considered more of a professional doctorate. If you want to be a professor or original researcher, the PhD is usually the best. Either one can serve both purposes but the key difference would likely be the dissertation and of course the specialization.