Program Overview

Higher Education Ph.D.

Program Overview

The Ph.D. program in higher education is designed for individuals primarily interested in the scholarly inquiry and/or teaching of higher education as a field of study. This degree qualifies you for a staff position or an administrative position at the middle-management or senior level in a college, a university or a state or regional higher education coordinating, accrediting or governing agency. It also prepares you for positions in student affairs, administrative and business affairs or development/advancement areas in higher education.

Program Details

• Program Type: Doctoral Degree
• Major: Higher Education
• Format: On Campus
• Estimated Time to Complete: 3-5 years
• Credit Hours: 72

Program Description

Become a professor in education and help shape the next generation of leaders. The Ph.D. program in higher education is designed for individuals primarily interested in the scholarly inquiry and/or teaching of higher education as a field of study.

Why Earn a Higher Education Ph.D.?

If you are interested in scholarly research, exploration and teaching higher education, the Doctor of Philosophy degree is for you. This degree will provide you with a career as a professor or an applied researcher and prepare you for senior leadership positions in higher learning institutions, statewide higher education coordinating agencies, medical centers and government agencies.

Faculty Research Areas

Our faculty members have published more than two dozen books, monographs and book chapters and more than 100 refereed journal articles. Their research areas include:

• Leadership in higher education
• Higher education policy and finance
• Access and equity
• Institutional effectiveness
• Professoriate
• Student affairs and student development

Marketable Skills

• Assess, develop, implement, and evaluate strategies
• Advanced oral and written communication
• Resource management of people, physical/financial assets
• Produce and use theory-driven research/practices
• Multi-cultural/diversity competencies

Program Highlights

• Identify problems needing research
• Discover designated College strengths in diverse research strategies/methods
• Academic and research positions in graduate instructional programs of higher education, higher education institutes and centers for the study of higher education
• Applied and management research positions in institutions of higher learning, government agencies, consortia of higher education institutions and higher education professional associations
• Senior administrative positions in four-year colleges and universities where in-depth knowledge and understanding of the conceptual bases of higher education administration are required

Career Opportunities

The Higher Education Ph.D can prepare your for roles in:

• Academic and research positions in graduate instructional programs of higher education, higher education institutes and centers for the study of higher education
• Applied and management research positions in institutions of higher learning, government agencies, consortia of higher education institutions and higher education professional associations
• Senior administrative positions in four-year colleges and universities where in-depth knowledge and understanding of the conceptual bases of higher education administration are required

Coursework

Core Courses

• History and Philosophy of Higher Education (3 hrs)
• Students in Higher Education (3 hrs)
• Policy Studies in Higher Education (3 hrs)
• Organization and Administration of Higher Education (3 hrs)
• Legal Aspects of Higher Education (3 hrs)
• Proseminar in Higher Education (3 hrs)