PhD in Higher Education
Admission to the PhD in Higher Education
In addition to admission requirements of the College of Graduate Studies, admission to the doctoral program requires the following:
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A master’s degree from an accredited college or university
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A minimum GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for all previous graduate academic work
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Previous academic work necessary to successfully complete a doctoral program in the area of study
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A statement of purpose indicating your commitment to pursuing a career in the field of higher education, and a description of your potential research topic for dissertation study
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A sample graduate paper (or essay, article, etc.) demonstrating conceptualization and writing skills
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Two letters of reference, including at least one from a faculty member who can speak to your ability to conduct research and to write at the graduate level
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Current employment in a higher education environment and at least three years of work experience in higher education
What to Submit with Your Application
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Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education
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Statement of purpose
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Writing sample
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Two letters of recommendation
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Resume or curriculum vitae
Requirements for the PhD in Higher Education
For the Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education degree, students must complete the following program requirements:
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A minimum of 60 semester hours of approved doctoral level (7000/8000 level) course work
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A minimum of 24 semester hours of higher education specialization
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A minimum of 6 semester hours focusing on diversity, equity, and social justice
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A minimum of 15 semester hours of assessment, evaluation, and research tools
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A written comprehensive (major) examination
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An oral comprehensive examination after passing written examination
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A minimum of 15 semester hours of dissertation research
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An oral presentation and defense of a dissertation research proposal
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An oral presentation and defense of the completed dissertation research in a public forum
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A written document of the completed dissertation research in approved style and format
All coursework and requirements of the doctoral degree must be taken within a seven-year period immediately preceding the date the degree is awarded.
Other Program Requirements
Coursework Phase
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A doctoral program committee is required before the completion of 18 credit hours. The doctoral program committee has a minimum of three members who are selected from the membership of the graduate faculty of the University. The doctoral program committee is responsible for assisting the student in the development of a plan of study and assuring competence by overseeing the comprehensive written examination and the comprehensive oral examination.
Dissertation Research Phase
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A doctoral dissertation committee is required immediately after the completion of the required coursework, comprehensive written examination, and comprehensive oral examination. The dissertation committee has a minimum of four graduate faculty members including one who is not in the discipline major. The dissertation committee is responsible for guiding dissertation research and approving the dissertation research proposal and the completed dissertation research, both the written dissertation and oral dissertation defense. Student must work closely with the committee throughout the dissertation process.
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All research must be approved by the Institutional Research Board before beginning any phase of the research study. Student must complete IRB training as defined by the University's Human Research Protection Program.
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A public defense of the dissertation is required.
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The final written dissertation must be approved by the dissertation committee and formatted according the guidelines of the college and the College of Graduate Study. Electronic submission of the dissertation to OhioLINK is mandatory.
Guide for Developing a Plan of Study
Below is a guide for developing a Plan of Study for the PhD in Higher Education. Students should work with their faculty advisor to identify specific courses to fulfill program requirements.
Code | Title | Hours |
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Higher Education Specialization | ||
Select the following: | 24 | |
Foundational Seminar in Higher Education | ||
Historical Foundations of Higher Education | ||
Models of University Organization and Governance | ||
Higher Education Law and Policy | ||
Research and Assessment of Student Outcomes in Higher Education | ||
Economics and Financing of Higher Education | ||
Research Perspectives on Student Development | ||
HED 8270 | ||
Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice in Global Context | ||
HED 7900 | Diversity Leadership in Higher Education | 3 |
HED 8120 | International Education | 3 |
Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | ||
RESM 7110 | Quantitative Methods I | 3 |
HED 8930 | Doctoral Research Seminar In Higher Education | 3 |
HED 8910 | Introduction to Interpretive Inquiry | 3 |
Select two of the following: | 6 | |
Qualitative Research I: Introduction And Basic Methods | ||
Structural Equation Modeling | ||
Nonparametric Statistics | ||
Measurement I | ||
Applied Measurement Research | ||
Methods Of Survey Research | ||
Program Evaluation | ||
Methods of Normative Theory Construction | ||
RESM 8390 | ||
Advanced Seminar | ||
HED 8020 | ||
Dissertation Hours | ||
Select 15 credits of the following: | 15 | |
Dissertation | ||
Total Hours | 60 |
- PhD graduates in Higher Education will demonstrate: 1. ability to read, understand, and critically evaluate research in higher education;
- 2. knowledge of the conceptual and theoretical bases in the higher education areas of a) institutional organization and b) student learning and development;
- 3. ability to address issues of educational diversity, equity, and social justice from a global perspective, and promote socially just policies and practices;
- 4. understanding and critical evaluation of current issues and trends in higher education;
- 5. ability to apply qualitative, quantitative, and/or mixed methods research in higher education;
- 6. skills in academic writing, thinking, critical analysis, and ability to construct and communicate knowledge in higher education;
- 7. skills in self-directed learning, self-reflection, and self-assessment;
- 8. ability to successfully defend a dissertation research.