Higher Education Leadership

Doctor of Education

About This Program

Purpose

The doctoral program concentration in Higher Education Leadership is designed for professional development of higher education faculty and administrators, and other personnel who desire to pursue careers in higher education. The Higher Education Leadership program prepares students to translate research into effective systems of supervision and leadership. It features a core of studies, a field component, and a dissertation project. This program of studies meets the needs of educators in all post-secondary settings.

The program format allows for completion of course work in just over three years, even though students attend classes only once a week. Some courses will also be offered in a hybrid format which involves both face to face and on-line instruction. Courses are taught by both full-time and adjunct faculty who are experts in their fields, providing an insight into innovative, leading-edge theories and practices.

Program Competencies

Graduates from the Higher Education Leadership Concentration of the Ed.D. program are expected to meet the following program competencies through attainment of the competencies detailed in specific course objectives:

1. Articulate and model core beliefs relative to higher education organizations and effectively demonstrate how to take action to achieve the organization's vision, mission, and goals.
2. Promote a positive culture and design comprehensive professional growth plans for staff consistent with a higher education organization.
3. Manage the organization, operations, and resources of a higher education organization in a way that promotes a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
4. Collaborate with employees and other learning organization members, respond to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilize community resources.
5. Act with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner.
6. Understand, respond to, and influence the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.
7. Manage change and effectively develop strategies for implementing change that can transform the culture of a higher education organization.
8. Demonstrate an ability to use information and information technologies to enhance the effective utilization and practice of educational research.

Program Design

The Doctor of Education program in Higher Education Leadership is designed to combine theory, practice, and inquiry to enhance students' innovation and leadership skills. The program has three major features. One is a core program of course work that includes research courses as well as courses specifically designed for the higher education professional.

A second feature consists of a field component totaling a minimum of nine credit hours. The field components provide students the opportunity to engage in problem-based experiences outside the college setting that complement their program coursework. The field component aspect provides the opportunity for the student to apply the knowledge and theory learned in the core courses to the solution of specific problems.

The third feature of the program is a research experience consisting of at least three research courses and the dissertation/capstone project that serves as a culminating activity for all previously completed courses and the field components. Students must be raised to candidacy before beginning the dissertation/capstone project component of the program. This doctoral dissertation/capstone project totals nine credit hours. The research should demonstrate the student's design and analysis skills, as well as the student's ability to write for a professional audience.

Candidates are required to register for EDD 6102 E-Folio as the initial course in the program. This course will allow them to document various course requirements needed to satisfy individual program standards and competencies. The E-Folio will also serve as the repository for practicum artifacts and reflections.