Program Overview

Higher Education Management, EdD

The Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management trains an emerging generation of top higher education leaders from campuses, government, and affiliated organizations to manage resources strategically, leverage evidence-based decision-making, create entrepreneurial opportunities, challenge practices critically, and conquer the dynamics of complex organizations. The program redefines academic inquiry: we focus on using sound analytic principles to tackle relevant, practical questions of strategy for governing broad segments of the higher education enterprise.

Overview

Peerless in our focus on the unique strengths and challenges of senior-level leaders in higher education, the Executive Doctorate reaches far beyond a standard doctoral program, as it brings together cohorts of current senior leaders to challenge each other and engage with world-renown faculty— all without career interruption. Our alumni form a growing and influential network of college presidents, vice presidents, deans, and other leaders who overwhelmingly report that the program propelled their careers and increased their impact.

Curriculum

• Course List Code | Title | Course Units
  ---|---|---
  • Required Courses
    • EDHE 5010| Introduction to Doctoral Studies| 0.5
    • EDHE 5020| Contemporary Issues| 1
    • EDHE 5040| Proseminar I| 0.5
    • EDHE 5050| Proseminar II| 0.67
    • EDHE 5070A & EDHE 5070B| Quantitative Methods and Quantitative Methods| .33
    • EDHE 5080A & EDHE 5080B| Qualitative Methods and Qualitative Methods| .67
    • EDHE 5210A & EDHE 5210B| Leadership, Governance, and Strategy and Leadership, Governance, and Strategy| 1
    • EDHE 5260A & EDHE 5260B| Leading Change in Higher Education I and Leading Change in Higher Education I| 1
    • EDHE 5120| Proseminar III| 1
    • EDHE 5140| Quantitative Methods II| 0.67
    • EDHE 5150| Qualitative Methods II| 0.33
    • EDHE 5160A & EDHE 5160B| Higher Education Finance II and Higher Education Finance II| .5
    • EDHE 6010| International Context| 2
    • EDHE 5090| Public Policy| 1
    • EDHE 6060| Dissertation Workshop I| 1
    • EDHE 6090| Capstone Seminar| 0.33
    • EDHE 6130| Dissertation Workshop II| 1
  • Cohort Electives
    • EDHE 5060| Strategic Management Research I|
    • EDHE 6160| Advanced Topics in Higher Education Management III|
    • EDHE 5130| Strategic Management Research II|
    • EDHE 5170A & EDHE 5170B| Equity And Diversity and Equity And Diversity|
    • EDHE 5190A & EDHE 5190B| University And Community and University And Community|
    • EDHE 5230A & EDHE 5230B| Globalization and Globalization|
    • EDHE 5100| Leadership and Change|
    • EDHE 6100| Advancement|
    • EDHE 6110| Teaching and Learning|
    • EDHE 6170| Community Colleges|
    • EDHE 6190| Quality/Risk Management|
    • EDHE 5250| Geography of Opportunity|
    • EDHE 5180| Managing Intercollegiate Athletics|
    • EDHE 6020| Student and Campus Services|
    • EDHE 6050| Enrollment Management|
    • EDHE 6150| Leadership and Change for Higher Education's Future|
• Total Course Units: 19

Course Requirements

Candidates for the Executive Doctorate must complete 19 course units of approved graduate work beyond the baccalaureate degree. Admission to the Executive Doctorate requires a master’s degree (M.S. or M.A.) or professional degree (M.B.A., J.D., M.S.W., M.P.A., M.Ed.). Students are admitted to the Executive Doctorate as a cohort. The program consists of a prescribed curriculum that students take as a single cohort offered over six consecutive semesters of enrollment—there are no elective courses or distribution requirements. Students begin in August, and complete coursework over the next five terms. Dissertations are completed during the sixth and final semester of the program. All degree students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least “B” (3.0 GPA) in order to graduate.

CU count

The program is designed as an integrated twenty-two month experience where all classes are predetermined and continue across terms. Students are considered full time and pay a flat tuition/program fee rate regardless of the number of course units they are registered for each term.

Elective courses

The course load per term for Executive Doctorate students is prescribed; students may not take additional courses, either at Penn or elsewhere, nor may students drop or add courses, during the period of their enrollment.

Required Milestones

Qualifications Evaluation (Also known as Program Candidacy)

The purpose of program candidacy is to provide rigorous review and feedback to Ed.D. students regarding their academic progress within the first two years of study. Program candidacy is a prerequisite to doctoral candidacy.

Preliminary Examinations (Also known as Doctoral Candidacy)

The preliminary examination is a test of knowledge in the candidate’s area of specialization. The examination requires students to demonstrate knowledge and reasoning in the key content areas in their specialization as specified by the academic division. The format of the examination varies from program to program, but must include at least six hours of examination, at least three hours of which must be written.

Oral Proposal

All doctoral candidates must present their dissertation proposals orally and in person to the dissertation committee.

Final Defense of the Dissertation

The final dissertation defense is approximately two hours in length and is based upon the candidate’s dissertation.

Dissertation Supervision Registration

For students registered after the sixth semester of the program, registration for consecutive semesters is required in the form of dissertation supervision (EDUC 9950). Applicable Penn tuition and fees will apply.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year

• Summer:
  • EDHE 5010 | Introduction to Doctoral Studies | 0.5
  • EDHE 5020 | Contemporary Issues 1 | 1
  • EDHE 5040 | Proseminar I | 0.5
  • Total Course Units: 2.00
• Fall:
  • Required Courses:
    • EDHE 5050 | Proseminar II | 0.67
    • EDHE 5070A | Quantitative Methods | 0.33
    • EDHE 5080A | Qualitative Methods | 0.67
    • EDHE 5210A | Leadership, Governance, and Strategy | 1
    • EDHE 5260A | Leading Change in Higher Education I | 0.5
  • Cohort Electives:
    • EDHE 5060 | Strategic Management Research I | 1
    • EDHE 6160 | Advanced Topics in Higher Education Management III | 0.33
  • Total Course Units: 4.50
• Spring:
  • Required Courses:
    • EDHE 5070B | Quantitative Methods | 0
    • EDHE 5080B | Qualitative Methods | 0
    • EDHE 5120 | Proseminar III | 1
    • EDHE 5140 | Quantitative Methods II | 0.67
    • EDHE 5150 | Qualitative Methods II | 0.33
    • EDHE 5160A | Higher Education Finance II | .5
    • EDHE 5210B | Leadership, Governance, and Strategy | 0
    • EDHE 5260B | Leading Change in Higher Education I | .5
  • Cohort Electives:
    • EDHE 5130 | Strategic Management Research II | 1
    • EDHE 5170A | Equity And Diversity | 1
    • EDHE 5190A | University And Community | .33
    • EDHE 5230A | Globalization | .33
    • EDHE 5250 | Geography of Opportunity | 0.33
  • Total Course Units: 5.99

Second Year

• Summer:
  • Required Courses:
    • EDHE 6010 | International Context 2 | 2
  • Cohort Electives:
    • EDHE 5160B | Higher Education Finance II | 0
    • EDHE 5170B | Equity And Diversity | 0
    • EDHE 5190B | University And Community | 0
    • EDHE 5230B | Globalization | 0
  • Total Course Units: 2.00
• Fall:
  • Required Courses:
    • EDHE 5090 | Public Policy 3 | 1
    • EDHE 6060 | Dissertation Workshop I | 1.0
  • Cohort Electives:
    • EDHE 5180 | Managing Intercollegiate Athletics | 0.33
    • EDHE 6020 | Student and Campus Services | 0.33
    • EDHE 6050 | Enrollment Management | 0.33
    • EDHE 6150 | Leadership and Change for Higher Education's Future | 0.33
    • EDHE 6160 | Advanced Topics in Higher Education Management III | 0.33
  • Total Course Units: 3.65
• Spring:
  • Additional Requirements:
    • EDHE 6090 | Capstone Seminar | 0.33
    • EDHE 6130 | Dissertation Workshop II | 1.0
  • Cohort Electives:
    • EDHE 5100 | Leadership and Change | 0.33
    • EDHE 6100 | Advancement | 0.33
    • EDHE 6110 | Teaching and Learning | 0.33
    • EDHE 6170 | Community Colleges | 0.33
    • EDHE 6190 | Quality/Risk Management | 0.33
  • Total Course Units: 2.98
• Total Course Units: 21.12