Program Format
The Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Program meets on campus full time for two weeks each July and two weeks each January. At each visit, students conclude two courses and begin two new ones. Between sessions on campus, faculty and students are in communication with one another and assignments are submitted electronically. This schedule enables working professionals from the U.S. and abroad to participate in the program.
In addition, all students join a research team when beginning the program. This research team meets twice yearly in conjunction with professional conferences for which students receive one unit of credit each term.
The Ph.D. program has two areas of concentrations: Organizational Leadership and Student Success. Students in both concentrations take a common core of foundational courses (18 units) shared with students in the Ed.D. program. All students in the Ph.D. program take 20 units of coursework specifically designed to develop their skills as researchers (compared with 12 units of research coursework in the Ed.D. program). The remaining courses in the Ph.D. program are devoted to the chosen concentration (12 units) and electives (4 units).
