Curriculum

The EdD program is a part-time cohort program that focuses on issues of research utilization to inform professional practice.  Candidates must have a current higher education professional position or corporate education position with significant responsibility to be considered eligible. An extensive program of coursework in higher and postsecondary education can include the history of higher education; organizational theory; globalization; finance and governance; adult and workplace learning; and organizational studies. The culminating experience is a prospectus and project designed to improve professional practice through an intervention in the workplace that builds on knowledge of how others have dealt with the issue and incorporates an appropriate theoretical perspective.

The EdD program is a 3-year model, with 6 credits required Fall, Spring, and Summer.

For the first 2 summers, a full-time 2-week research design workshop is required of all students.

The objectives of the EdD program include providing:

1. Meaningful learning opportunities for employed professionals to earn a terminal degree in an integrated curriculum with immediate applicability to their professional settings
2. A coherent and flexible combination of theory, skills development, research and problem solving, and a culminating project that will clearly add value to and enhance the knowledge of professional settings participants will bring with them
3. Common learning experiences in leadership, organizations, policy, and applied research while concurrently enjoying  the opportunity for study directly related to practice settings

Candidates must exhibit appropriate combinations of the following characteristics:

• track record of increasing levels of professional responsibility.
• masters degree in higher education or a related field.
• current professional position in a suitable setting closely linked to the specialization they intend to pursue.
• applicants should have at least 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience.
• a clear plan for how applicant would use the program/degree to further career goals.
• strong recommendations from those in a position to judge academic abilities.
• evidence of academic promise including past performance, purpose statement, interviews and GRE scores.

For detailed information on how to apply to this program, including application requirements, deadlines, and instructions, see the Application Guide for the EdD in Higher Education Administration. 

Program Outline

The EdD program of study consists of 51 points beyond the master's degree. Students are expected to complete the degree within three years of continuous study. During their first two semesters, students enroll in a higher education colloquium and a research seminar where they are introduced to the literature of higher and postsecondary education and provided with the guidance that will help them in preparing for the sequence of research projects that will lead first to candidacy and subsequently to completion of the degree. A full-time 2-week research design workshop is required for the first two summers. More details are available in our current EdD Advising Guide.

The Curriculum

The curriculum requirements for the Program include:

• Higher and Postsecondary Education Specialization (18 points)
• Foundation and Cognate Electives (15 points)
• Research Skills appropriate to the culminating project (12 points)
• Required summer project workshops (6 points)