Higher Education (Ph.D.)
The Ph.D. program in Higher Education prepares students for senior administrative and policy development and management posts in colleges and universities, government agencies, foundations, as well as careers in teaching and research. The department offers one Ph.D. program in Higher Education, with the option of adding a concentration in Research and Evaluation.
While admissions requirements and other requirements are the same regardless of academic track, curricular requirements and career outcomes for students who add the concentration in Research and Evaluation are different from those who do not.
Admissions Requirements
Admission will be open to holders of master’s degrees from accredited colleges or universities. Faculty will evaluate each applicant based on the following criteria and materials:
- Statement of purpose.
- Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts.
- Two letters of recommendation from academic and/or professional references.
- Current résumé; and
- Applications are twice per year, with fall entrants being reviewed in March and spring entrants being reviewed in October.
Course Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 45 credit hours, as listed below. Credits earned from other institutions or other programs at Seton Hall cannot be transferred and applied to the 45-credit requirement.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| I. Core | ||
| ELMP 7765 | Policy Analysis-Admin Pol-Econ | 3 |
| ELMP 8891 | Dir Research Admin Supervision | 3 |
| ELMP 9993 | Org and Govern-Higher Ed | 3 |
| ELMP 9997 | Hist Devel Amer Higher Ed | 3 |
| Subtotal | 12 | |
| II. Advanced Content | ||
| Select four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| American College Student | ||
| College Student Affairs Admin | ||
| Selected Topics in Admin. | ||
| Education Law | ||
| Comp Study-Intl Educ Systems | ||
| Diversity in Higher Education | ||
| Ldship Inst Admin and Sup | ||
| Ldshp Inst Wkshp Adm and Sup | ||
| Institutional Research | ||
| Faculty Personnel Pol-High Ed | ||
| Finan Adm High Ed | ||
| Organ and Admin Jr Comm Coll | ||
| Curric and Instr-Higher Ed | ||
| Subtotal | 12 | |
| III. Required Research | ||
| ELMP 7000 | Data Analysis | 3 |
| ELMP 8986 | Qualitative Rsch Sem and Admin | 3 |
| Subtotal | 6 | |
| IV. Advanced Research | ||
| Select four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Intermediate Statistics * | ||
| Survey Research | ||
| Applied Quantitative Analysis | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Advanced Qualitative Research | ||
| Subtotal | 12 | |
| V. Dissertation Seminars | ||
| ELMP 9979 | Disser Sem in Higher Ed | 3 |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 45 | |
- *
Required Course
Other Requirements
Qualifying Exam
Students must pass a qualifying examination, in which they are given the choice of one out of two writing prompts concerning selected modern issues in higher education and asked questions drawing on content from the core courses. Possible scores on the exam are either Pass with Distinction, Pass, or Fail. Students have up to two attempts to pass the qualifying exam. Failing the exam twice will result in dismissal from the doctoral program.
Comprehensive Exam
The comprehensive exam is a review of existing literature in the area of the student’s intended dissertation topic. Exams are administered twice a year, once per fall and spring semester. Students should take the exam during the same semester they take ELMP 9979 Disser Sem in Higher Ed , or the semester immediately following completion of that course. Possible scores include Pass or Fail. Students have up to two chances to pass the comprehensive exam. In the event of two failures, the student will be dismissed from the doctoral program. Not sitting for the exam during an administration in which the student was directed in writing to do so (e.g., in the case of a retake), without appropriate documentation of a reasonable exception, will be counted as an automatic failure for the exam. Signing up for the exam and not submitting work will also count as a failure. Students may not defend their dissertation proposal or enroll in Dissertation Advisement until they have successfully passed the comprehensive exam.
Dissertation Proposal
Students must have a documented, successful defense of their dissertation proposal, signed and dated by dissertation committee members. A successful proposal defense is a required intermediate stage of the dissertation process. More detail is in the department dissertation handbook.
Dissertation
Students must complete a dissertation and successfully defend their work with their dissertation committee. More detail is in the department dissertation handbook.
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