PhD Higher Education

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.

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.

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. Our faculty have:

• Served as editors or editorial board members for various academic journals
• Presented numerous papers at national and international professional meetings and conferences
• Generated more than $2 million in grants from federal, state and private foundations

The program is a member of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED). CPED is a consortium of colleges and schools that aims to improve the quality of the doctorate in education.