Earn an education doctorate as preparation for an executive-level administrative career in higher education.
The EdD in Higher Education focuses on supporting problem-posing research and the critical development of a practitioner-scholar for executive-level administrative leadership within postsecondary contexts. This hybrid-delivery, weekend format program focuses on coursework that draws from students’ significant professional/lived experience connected to theoretical frameworks and concepts, providing additional skills, competencies, and knowledge needed to be social justice change-agents. Through a dissertation project, students will carry out a mode of inquiry that connects theory and practice, and fosters analytic actions around a critical issue in the field of higher education.
CURRICULUM
With 24 transfer credit hours from a previous graduate degree, completion of the EdD degree program requires an additional 48 semester hours of graduate credit at Loyola University, Chicago. Students are also required to complete a capstone project at the conclusion of coursework and a dissertation study to complete the degree.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| ELPS 400 | Inquiry Into Educational Policy | 3 |
| ELPS 428 | The Junior and Community College | 3 |
| ELPS 429 | Selected Topics in Higher Education | 3 |
| ELPS 434 | American College Student | 3 |
| ELPS 435 | Enrollment Management in Higher Education | 3 |
| ELPS 448 | International Higher Education | 3 |
| ELPS 453 | Legal Aspects of American Higher Education | 3 |
| ELPS 454 | Budgeting and Finance in Higher Education | 3 |
| ELPS 459 | Organization & Governance in Higher Education | 3 |
| ELPS 506 | Strategic Executive Leadership in Higher Education | 3 |
| ELPS 530 | Proseminar: Higher Education | 3 |
| RMTD 420 | Educational Research I: Building a Body of Evidence With Qualitative Method | 3 |
| RMTD 421 | Educational Research II: Building a Body of Evidence Quantitative Method | 3 |
| RMTD 520 | Research Seminar I | 3 |
| ELPS 620 | Dissertation Research (taken twice) | 3 |
| Total Hours | 48 |
Suggested Sequence of Courses
The below sequence of courses is meant to be used as a suggested path for completing coursework. An individual student’s completion of requirements depends on course offerings in a given term as well as the start term for a major or graduate study. Students should consult their advisor for assistance with course selection.
Plan of Study Grid
| Year 1 |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| ELPS 429 |
Selected Topics in Higher Education |
3 |
| ELPS 530 |
Proseminar: Higher Education |
3 |
| | Hours | 6 |
| Spring |
|---|
| ELPS 400 |
Inquiry Into Educational Policy |
3 |
| ELPS 459 |
Organization & Governance in Higher Education |
3 |
| | Hours | 6 |
| Summer |
|---|
| ELPS 448 |
International Higher Education |
3 |
| ELPS 453 |
Legal Aspects of American Higher Education |
3 |
| | Hours | 6 |
| Year 2 |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| ELPS 454 |
Budgeting and Finance in Higher Education |
3 |
| ELPS 506 |
Strategic Executive Leadership in Higher Education |
3 |
| | Hours | 6 |
| Spring |
|---|
| RMTD 420 |
Educational Research I: Building a Body of Evidence With Qualitative Method |
3 |
| RMTD 421 |
Educational Research II: Building a Body of Evidence Quantitative Method |
3 |
| | Hours | 6 |
| Summer |
|---|
| ELPS 435 |
Enrollment Management in Higher Education |
3 |
| RMTD 520 |
Research Seminar I |
3 |
| | Hours | 6 |
| Year 3 |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| ELPS 428 |
The Junior and Community College |
3 |
| ELPS 434 |
American College Student |
3 |
| | Hours | 6 |
| Spring |
|---|
| ELPS 620 |
Dissertation Research |
3 |
| | Hours | 6 |
| | Total Hours | 48 |
Program Length
This program is offered as a cohort where all students enroll in 6 credit hours per semester, including summer sessions. Students can complete coursework in 3 years. The length of the dissertation study can add an additional 6 to 18 months depending on the pace of the student.
Continuous Enrollment
EdD students in Higher Education are required to maintain continuous enrollment during their program of studies. This means that during each semester of each academic year (excluding Summer Sessions), each student must enroll in at least one course. A formal leave of absence may be granted upon request and the approval of the School of Education’s Assistant Dean of Student Academic Affairs.
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion, our students will be able to:
- Apply scholarly knowledge and research skills to address complex problems of practice
- Lead constructive conversations that shape equity-minded policies across multiple levels of an organization
- Partner with diverse constituents to shape sustainable institutional change for inclusive excellence
- Integrate theoretical and conceptual understandings with practice-based solutions
