Graduate Catalog 2003-2004

The Ph.D. program in Higher Education Administration within the School of Leadership and Policy Studies offers a strong but flexible curriculum designed to prepare students for a variety of leadership positions in teaching, academic administration, and student affairs in postsecondary educational settings. The curriculum is primarily designed for those who seek to provide leadership for a broad range of teaching and administrative positions in colleges and universities ranging from two-year to graduate institutions. This curriculum also will accommodate others who wish to prepare themselves as educational leaders for other organizations in the public and private sectors.

The core curriculum for the Ph.D. program offers a foundation of history and philosophy, curriculum, basic understandings of organizational theory, and of students in postsecondary education, as well as skill courses in the areas of budget administration and law.

The Ph.D. program's flexibility is provided by a 12-hour cognate in which students may specialize in a relevant area of their choice in order to meet their particular career objectives. Exemplary options include, but are not limited to, student affairs, adult learning and development, business, management, public relations and communications, and technology education.

Ph.D. students are encouraged to participate in experiential learning opportunities such as practica, internships, and assistantships. These experiences provide students with opportunities to broaden and enhance their professional backgrounds through exposure to new areas of administration, instruction, and research as well as the application of theory to practice.

Prerequisites to Graduate Work

Applicants to the Ph.D. program must hold a master's degree or equivalent from an accredited institution as a prerequisite for admission to the Ph.D. program. The degree need not be in education, but must be relevant to the student's career objectives. Evidence of at least three years of successful work experience beyond the advanced degree is expected.

Admission Procedure

Applicants seeking admission to the Higher Education Administration Program should follow the instructions outlined in the "Graduate Admission" section of this catalog and should contact the Higher Education Administration Program directly for additional supplemental application materials.

Degree Requirements

The Higher Education Administration Ph.D. Program is a 60 semester hour post-master's curriculum requiring completion of a core of 21 semester hours in higher education studies, 12 semester hours in a cognate specialization of the student's choice, 12 semester hours of research tools, a global understanding requirement, a comprehensive examination, a minimum of 16 hours of dissertation credit, and two hours of dissertation seminar. Where appropriate, students may be required to complete an internship experience.

Graduate Courses

Please access graduate courses online at http://webapps.bgsu.edu/courses/search.php. Graduate courses offered by the Higher Education Administration Program use the prefix: HIED.

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