Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Higher Education
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Higher Education
This program will prepare you for senior administrative and policy-making posts, and careers in teaching/research in the field of higher education. With its specific programmatic foci, you can specialize in a variety of areas such as administration and policy analysis in higher education, international and comparative higher education, and the academic profession as a whole.
At a Glance
Curriculum
During this four-year research program, you are required to complete a dissertation reflecting individual research as well as a doctoral comprehensive exam. This competitive program is a full time, in-person program.
Requirements
- Courses: 18
- Credits: 54
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| ELHE7301 | Organization and Administration of Higher Education Focuses on how the American university is organized and governed. Examines basic elements as well as structure and process of the American university. Considers such topics as models of governance, locus of control, leadership, and strategic environments for the American university. |
3 |
| ELHE7101 | Higher Education in American Society An introduction to higher education in America, this course focuses on the complex relationships between colleges and universities, and the political and social systems of society. This analysis includes a historical perspective on the evolution of American higher education, and especially the development of the contemporary university since the beginning of the twentieth century. Attention is also paid to the impact of federal and state governments on higher education; the role of research in the university; issues of accountability, autonomy, and academic freedom; the academic profession, student politics and culture; affirmative action issues; and others. |
3 |
| ELHE9501 | Doctoral Proseminar in K-16 Administration This seminar is a required cornerstone course for doctoral Ph.D. students in the Educational Administration Program and the Higher Education Program. In addition to orienting students to doctoral studies and research, the course is designed to develop students' critical analysis of theoretical and empirical literature in their field, and to advance their knowledge of key concepts, issues, and theories in the field. Course activities include bibliographic research and skills development in conducting individual inquiry and analyzing scholarly literature. |
3 |
| ELHE9502 | Doctoral Research Seminar in Higher Education This seminar considers a variety of research issues in higher education. Each year, the topic of the seminar will be announced by the faculty member who will be teaching the course. Students enrolled in this seminar are expected to write substantive papers that might lead to actual research products. |
3 |
Choose 2 courses from the options listed below.
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| ELHE7203 | Education Law and Policy This course addresses the political and legal aspects of the role of education in our democratic society. Provides an introductory survey of public policy issues and laws governing preschool, elementary, secondary, and higher education. Included are such topics as religious freedom, free speech, and due process; the liability of educational institutions and educators; the legal distinctions between private and public institutions; student and parent privacy rights; disability rights; and the promotion of educational equity among all groups regardless of gender, sexual orientation, language, race, religion, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background. |
3 |
| ELHE7201 | Philosophy of Education This course follows the historical issues of universities as educational institutions, providing basis for discussion on crucial questions regarding the lives and personal growth of students and faculty alike. This course is organized in such a way as to enable us address and discuss the dialectics of freedom hidden under the process of education. The class investigates a number of conflicting positions about freedom in education and explores philosophical resources to help us to understand the nature of these issues more fully. |
3 |
| ELHE7404 | College Student Development An intensive introduction to student development, this course focuses on interdisciplinary theories of intellectual and psychosocial change among late adolescent and adult learners in post-secondary education. Research on student outcomes is also covered. Special attention is paid to the implications of ethnicity, age, gender, and other individual differences for the development of students. |
3 |
| ELHE7202 | Global and Comparative Systems in Higher Education This course offers a perspective on the organization and structure of higher education worldwide, as well as an analysis of central issues affecting academe internationally. Examples from other countries are related to the American context. Among the topics considered are global trends in the expansion and organization of higher education, international study and its impact, the political role of universities, student activism, the role and status of the academic profession, styles of academic leadership in other countries, and others. |
3 |
| EDUC9803 | History of Education This course critically examining the history of education for the purpose of discovering how historical themes affect contemporary education and society generally, as well as you practitioners. With these goals in mind, we will explore philosophical roots, key historical and social events that shaped the field, and current conceptualizations of education. |
3 |
Students will choose 1 advanced research methods course (3 credits) in addition to the courses listed below with their advisor.
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| MESA7460 | Interpretation and Evaluation of Research This course will improve a students' understanding of the empirical research literature in education and psychology. It concentrates on developing the conceptual foundations of empirical research and the practical analytic skills needed by a competent reader and user of research articles. Topics address purpose statements, hypotheses, sampling techniques, sample sizes and power, instrument development, internal and external validity, and typical quantitative research designs. Exercises emphasize the critical evaluation of published research. |
3 |
| MESA7469 | Intermediate Statistics Topics and computer exercises address tests of means and proportions, partial and part correlations, chi-square goodness-of-fit and contingency table analysis, multiple regression, analysis of variance with planned and post hoc comparisons, elements of experimental design, and power analysis. |
3 |
| EDUC9851 | Design of Qualitative Research Introduces the foundations and techniques of carrying out qualitative research. Topics include philosophical underpinnings, planning for a qualitative research project, negotiating entry, ethics of conducting research, data collection and analysis, and writing/presenting qualitative research. Requires a research project involving participant observation and/or interviewing. |
3 |
Students will choose 6 courses (3 credits each) with their advisor to fulfill the elective requirement.
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| ELHE9988 | Dissertation Direction All advanced doctoral students are required to register for six credit hours of dissertation related course work, at least three of which are 988. The other three are usually the Dissertation Seminar for the student's area of concentration. Students are expected to work on their dissertation at least 20 hours per week. |
3 |
| ELHE9988 | Dissertation Direction All advanced doctoral students are required to register for six credit hours of dissertation related course work, at least three of which are 988. The other three are usually the Dissertation Seminar for the student's area of concentration. Students are expected to work on their dissertation at least 20 hours per week. |
3 |
| ELHE9901 | Doctoral Comprehensive Exam In order to ensure that all students graduating from the program have a fundamental understanding of the field which they are about to enter, they are required to complete a comprehensive examination covering the broad areas of the core courses. |
0 |
- Knowledge of the important issues facing higher education from a multi-disciplinary perspective (history, sociology, philosophy, psychology, economic and political science)
- Knowledge of theoretical and empirical knowledge in the field
- Knowledge of managerial and policy-making issues in the field
- Knowledge of research methodologies and research ethics and applications
Financial Aid
Education should level the playing field. We feel the same way about financial aid.
The Lynch School of Education and Human Development provides more than $8.4 million in financial aid to students each year. As a result, the quality of BC’s instruction, the benefit of our alumni network, and the impact a BC degree will have on your employment options is both affordable and invaluable.
Careers
Roles
- Dean of Students
- Director of Assessment and Planning
- University President
- Senior Director of Program Design
- Policy Analyst
- Director of Enrollment Marketing
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
Organizations
- Harvard Unversity
- University of Houston
- Salve Regina University
- uAspire
- Kyung Hee University
- University of Miami
- University of Connecticut
- Merrimack College
- Elms College
Apply
PrintApplication & Deadlines
Prerequisite Information: To be eligible for the PhD program, applicants must already hold a Master's degree.
A non-refundable application fee of $75 is required. The fee is waived for select applicants.
Fall 2023:
- Deadline: December 1
This program does not offer rolling admission after the deadline.
Résumé
To be uploaded to your online application.
In addition to your academic history and relevant volunteer and/or work experience, please include any licenses currently held, any social justice-related experience, any language skills other than English, and any research experience or publications.
Personal Statement
To be uploaded to your online application.
In 1,000-1,500 words, describe your academic and professional goals, any experience relevant to this program, and your future plans, expectations, and aspirations.
Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation are required with at least one required from an academic source. Applicants may submit one additional recommendation of their choice. Academic letters are a better indicator of your qualifications for doctoral work as compared to professional letters. Ideally, academic letters should be as recent as possible, and from faculty who are in related fields.
Transcripts
Transcripts from all college/university study are required.
Applicants who have received degrees from institutions outside the United States should view the "International Students" section for additional credential evaluation requirements.
Please begin your online application before submitting your transcripts. Details on how to submit transcripts and international credential evaluations can be found within the application. In order to ensure your transcript reaches our office, it is important to review and follow the instructions.
Standardized Tests
The Higher Education PhD program will not require the GRE for admission for 2023. You may submit GRE scores, but applicants are not required to do so.
For more information about the GRE exam, including test dates and testing sites, visit https://www.ets.org/gre.
Lynch School of Education and Human Development GRE Code: 3218
Please view the "International Students" section for information on English Proficiency test requirements.
Writing Sample
To be uploaded to your online application.
All applicants to this program are required to submit one piece of work that demonstrates graduate-level writing ability. This document may be an academic term paper, a published work in which you are the primary author, a training manual or curriculum that you have created, a clinical case formulation, or another representative sample of your writing. The document should be approximately 15-25 pages.
International Students
Applicants who have completed a degree outside of the United States must have a course-by-course evaluation of their transcript(s) completed by an evaluation company approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Submission of falsified documents is grounds for denial of admission or dismissal from the University.
Applicants who are not native speakers of English and who have not received a degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction must also submit a TOEFL or IELTS test result that meets the minimum score requirement.
Please click the link below for full details on these requirements.
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