Higher Education, PhD

The changes in number of hours required for the degree from 102–108 hours to 96–102 hours for students entering with a bachelor’s degree and from 72–78 hours to 66–72 hours for students entering with a master’s degree are pending approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Admission requirements

Students seeking admission should apply for either the EdD or PhD program depending on their academic preparation, prior experience and career goals. Admission to the program is selective and restricted.

In addition to the minimum requirements of the Toulouse Graduate School and the College of Education listed under the “Admission Requirements” heading in the appropriate section of this catalog, admission to the EdD and PhD doctoral programs in higher education is contingent upon the following:

The submission of GRE or GMAT scores. Contact the academic program for information concerning acceptable admission test scores.
The quality, quantity and relevance of the applicant’s prior undergraduate and/or graduate work and prior work experience in higher education administration, teaching and/or research.
The applicant’s career objectives.
The submission of three professional references.
The quality of the application essay.
An interview by program faculty.

Each semester has an application deadline. Contact the program for application deadlines.

After review of the application packet, eligible applicants will be invited to be interviewed by the faculty.

Both doctoral programs offered in higher education enable students to acquire knowledge about and evaluate major organizational, behavioral and learning theories applicable to higher education; to conduct applied and/or original research in the field of higher education; to become familiar with past, present and emerging patterns of organization and professional administrative practice in higher education; and to observe and participate in the actual practice of higher education administration and/or research. However, the two programs differ significantly in length and emphasis and in course work, research tool, minor field and dissertation requirements.

Doctor of Philosophy

The PhD program in higher education is designed for individuals primarily interested in the scholarly inquiry and/or teaching of higher education as a field of study. The PhD in higher education is particularly appropriate to the following careers:

academic and research positions in graduate instructional programs of higher education, higher education institutes and centers for the study of higher education;
applied and management research positions in institutions of higher learning, government agencies, consortia of higher education institutions and higher education professional associations; and
senior administrative positions in four-year colleges and universities where in-depth knowledge and understanding of the conceptual bases of higher education administration are required.

Degree requirements

The minimum number of hours required for the degree is 66–72 hours beyond the master’s degree or 96–102 hours beyond the bachelor’s degree.

Higher education doctoral core, 18 hours

Provides the student with a broad overview and integrated perspective of higher education as a field of study and academic enterprise:

EDHE 6850 - Studies in Higher/Adult Education (this course must be completed in the first year of doctoral course work)
EDHE 6510 - History and Philosophy of Higher Education
EDHE 6520 - Students in Higher Education
EDHE 6550 - Policy Studies in Higher Education
EDHE 6710 - Organization and Administration of Higher Education
EDHE 6790 - Legal Aspects of Higher Education

Minor or cognate area, 12 hours

The student completes a minor of at least 12 semester hours from courses outside the department, or a cognate field of 12 semester hours in an area of specialization in higher education. The student must work with his or her advisor to select the minor or cognate area.

Elective course requirements, 6 hours

Courses are to be selected from the program’s course inventory and should enable the student to gain either a broader exposure to the various specializations in higher education or an in-depth knowledge of one particular area of specialization.

Internship, 6 hours

An administrative and/or research internship of 6 semester hours is required of all doctoral students. Internship may be waived for students who have been employed in a full-time administrative position, or a teaching or research position in an institution, agency or association of higher education for at least one academic year, or the equivalent (as determined by the higher education faculty), prior to admission to the program. Administrative internships consist of at least 90 clock hours of closely supervised administrative work per 3 semester hours of credit and culminate with a written report of the internship experience. Research internships require the close supervision of the student’s research project by a graduate faculty member of the university and culminate in a publishable or presentable research paper.

College of Education research core, 6 hours

The College of Education requires that each student complete

Higher Education research requirement, 15 hours

Each PhD candidate must be competent in the modes of scholarly inquiry common to the major field of study. The higher education program requires PhD students to complete 6 hours of higher education program research core and 9 hours of advanced quantitative or qualitative research methodology beyond EPSY 6010 and EPSY 6020.

Higher Education program research core, 6 hours

The higher education program research core consists of a series of two courses that must be taken in sequence and in consecutive semesters. This series is designed to help students strengthen their skills in conducting higher education research and in preparing for doctoral dissertation research. Prerequisites include College of Education research core (EPSY 6010 and EPSY 6020) and 30 hours completed in the higher education program.

Advanced research methodology, 9 hours

PhD students are required to take at least 9 hours of advanced quantitative or qualitative research course work beyond EPSY 6010 and EPSY 6020. Students must work with their major professor to select courses that will equip them for dissertation research.

Dissertation research requirement, 9 hours

The principal goal of the PhD dissertation is the demonstration of the student’s ability to conduct independent research. The research design, sampling procedures and methods of analysis must be congruent with the modes of inquiry used in conducting research on higher education and must be a report of independent research generating knowledge with generalizable characteristics discussed in depth. Moreover, the dissertation must be of publishable quality and make a bona fide contribution to pressing or emerging issues in higher education. A minimum of 9 hours is required.

Residency requirement

To meet the residency requirement for the PhD, students must enroll in a minimum of 9 semester hours for two consecutive terms/semesters. This may be a fall and spring, or spring and summer, or summer and fall.