Higher Education

During the 21st century, colleges and universities will undergo profound transformations as the student population becomes older and more diverse, and as educational methods incorporate more technological solutions and distance approaches. Building on the foundational core KAMs in the social and behavioral sciences, the Higher Education curriculum emphasizes proficiency in understanding the needs of a changing clientele and academic community; analyzing and implementing strategies to promote learning and to support development in higher education; and learning how systems and policies can be used to ensure organizational effectiveness and social change in postsecondary settings. Contexts for the study and practice of higher education include community colleges; private and public liberal arts colleges; distance-learning institutions; regional and state universities; proprietary, technical, and trade schools; state and federal agencies; and national professional associations.

Completion Requirements

• 122 total quarter credit hours
  • Foundation course: EDUC 8008 (6 cr.)
  • KAMs and/or courses and research sequence (86 cr.)
  • Proposal, dissertation, and oral presentation (30 cr.)
• Minimum 8–10 quarters enrollment
• 20 days of residency (two 4-day and two 6-day residencies)

For a personalized estimate of your time to completion, call your enrollment advisor at 1-866-492-5336.

Core Curriculum

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
EDUC 8008	Foundations for Doctoral Study	6
	KAM I: Principles of Social Change
SBSF 8110	Breadth: Theories of Social Change	5
EDUC 8127	Depth: Current Research in Higher Education, Social Change, and Development	5
EDUC 8137	Application: Professional Practice and Emerging Trends in Higher Education	4
	KAM II: Principles of Human Development
SBSF 8210	Breadth: Theories of Human Development	5
EDUC 8227	Depth: Current Research in Ways of Knowing and Individual Differences in Human Development	5
EDUC 8237	Application: Professional Practice and Human Development in Higher Education	4
	KAM III: Principles of Social Systems
SBSF 8310	Breadth: Theories of Organization and Social Systems	5
EDUC 8327	Depth: Current Research in Social Systems and Change in Higher Education	5
EDUC 8337	Application: Professional Practice in Social Systems and Change: Higher Education	4

Core Research Sequence

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
RSCH 8100	Research Theory, Design and Methods	4
RSCH 8200	Quantitative Reasoning	4
RSCH 8300	Qualitative Reasoning	4

Specialized KAMs

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
	Specialized KAM V: Learning and Development in Higher Education
EDUC 8516	Breadth: Multiple Perspectives on Learning and Development in Higher Education	5
EDUC 8526	Depth: Current Research on Learning and Development in Higher Education	5
EDUC 8536	Application: Application to Improve Professional Practice in Higher Education	4
	Specialized KAM VI: Effectiveness of Higher Education Organizations
EDUC 8617	Breadth: Perspectives on the Effectiveness of Higher Education Organizations	5
EDUC 8627	Depth: Contemporary Strategies for Assuring Effectiveness in Higher Education	5
EDUC 8637	Application: Application of Improvement Strategies in Higher Education	4

Advanced Research Sequence (choose one)

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
RSCH 8250	Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis	4
RSCH 8350	Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis	4
RSCH 8450	Advanced Mixed Methods Reasoning and Analysis	4

Dissertation

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
EDUC 9000	Dissertation	30

Course Descriptions