The Higher Education track in the Educational Leadership EdD program is appropriate for students who are committed to advancing their leadership capabilities in college and university settings.
The Higher Education track in the Educational Leadership EdD program has been designed to broaden the administrative knowledge and skills of higher education professionals who bring to the program a prior discipline specialization. Students admitted to the program are typically employed in teaching, research and administrative positions in community colleges and universities or education related agencies.
Students pursuing the Higher Education track in the Educational Leadership EdD program are typically employed in two- or four-year colleges or universities. Their programs of study require them to complete a minimum of 36 credit hours of specified core and specialization courses plus two elective courses. Students must also complete 12 credit hours in research methods and 15 credit hours of dissertation. The 63 minimum credit hours is required beyond the master's degree, with an emphasis related to the study of higher education as a field of inquiry. Details about the administration of this program can be found in the Higher Education Handbook.
Total Credit Hours Required: 63 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Master's Degree
Track Prerequisites
Master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.
Evidence of a minimum of one year full-time or two years part-time professional higher education work experience.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
30 Total Credits
Core
18 Total Credits
- Complete the following:
- EDH7040 - Research on the College Student (3)
- EDH7401 - Higher Education and Public Policy (3)
- EDH7631 - Managing change, conflict, and stability in Higher Education (3)
- EDH7934 - Higher Ed Literature, Research, and Professional Writing Seminar (3)
- EDH7665 - Higher Education Leadership (3)
- EDH7047 - Diversity in Issues Higher Education (3)
Specialization
12 Total Credits
- Complete the following:
- EDH7405 - Legal Issues in Higher Education (3)
- EDH7066 - Higher Education: Philosophical/Historical Perspectives (3)
- EDH7508 - Finance in Higher Education (3)
- EDH7636 - Organizational Theory and Practices in Higher Education (3)
Research Methods
12 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Complete the following:
- EDF6401 - Statistics for Educational Data (3)
- EDF7403 - Quantitative Foundations of Educational Research (3)
- EDF7475 - Qualitative Research in Education (3)
- Complete at least 1 of the following:
- EDF7463 - Analysis of Survey, Record, and Other Qualitative Data (3)
- EDF7405 - Quantitative Methods II (3)
- EDF7406 - Multivariate Statistics in Education (3)
- EDF7410 - Application of Nonparametric and Categorical Data Analysis in Education (3)
- EDF7415 - Latent Variable Modeling In Education (3)
- EDF7473 - Ethnography in Educational Settings (3)
- EDF7474 - Multilevel Data Analysis In Education (3)
- EDF7479 - Applications of Technology in Qualitative Research: Data, Organization, and Analysis (3)
- EDF7488 - Monte Carlo Simulation Research in Education (3)
- EDF7483 - Mixed Methods Research in Education (3)
Elective Courses
6 Total Credits
- Complete at least 2 of the following:
- EDH6047 - Theories of College Student Development (3)
- EDH6105 - Retention Strategies in Colleges and Universities (3)
- EDH7366 - Assessment Practices in Higher Education (3)
- EDH7409 - Legal Issues in Higher Education II (3)
- EDH7638 - Advanced Seminar in Higher Education (3)
- EDH7638 - Advanced Seminar in Higher Education (3)
- EDH7207 - Curriculum, Instruction, and Distance Learning in Higher Education (3)
Candidacy Examination
0 Total Credits
- Candidacy examinations will be scheduled near the tenth week of the fall and spring semesters; summer exams will not be offered. The exams are: - Part 1. Written examination (submitted via webcourses) - Part 2. Oral examination Evidence of the following are required to be eligible to complete the doctoral comprehensive examination in the Educational Leadership EdD program, Higher Education track: - Currently enrolled in the university during the semester any comprehensive examination is taken. - Submission of an approved program of study (overall GPA 3.0 or greater on all graduate work). - Completion of most course work. (Students may only take exams when only 2-3 semesters of course work remain. This statement does not refer to dissertation hours.) - In consultation with program faculty, the dissertation advisory committee is formed, paperwork filed, and approved. (Committee consists of four members: a minimum of three approved CCIE graduate faculty and one approved graduate faculty scholar or CCIE faculty.) - Submission of an approved doctoral comprehensive examination application by the stated deadline. - Fulfill any program deadlines for submitting comprehensive examination content-related materials (topics, questions, etc.) to the program coordinator by the stated deadline. (See program website for details: https://ccie.ucf.edu/elhe/higher-education/)
Candidacy
0 Total Credits
- Candidacy is the stage of doctoral studies when students focus exclusively on planning, researching and writing their proposal and dissertation. To enter candidacy for the Educational Leadership EdD program, Higher Education track, students must have an overall 3.0 GPA on all graduate work included in the planned program and pass all required examinations. In addition, evidence of the following are required to be admitted to candidacy and enroll in dissertation hours at least one week before the first day of classes for which the student wishes to enroll in dissertation hours: - Submission of an approved program of study. - Successful completion of all course work, except for dissertation hours. - Successful completion of all parts of the candidacy examination. - In consultation with program faculty, the dissertation advisory committee is formed, paperwork filed, and approved. (Committee consists of four members: a minimum of three approved CCIE graduate faculty and one approved graduate faculty scholar or CCIE faculty.) Once students enter Candidacy, they must enroll in a minimum of three dissertation hours (EDH 7980) every semester (including summers), until they graduate from the program.
Dissertation
15 Total Credits
- Earn at least 15 credits from the following types of courses: EDH 7980 - Dissertation Registration for dissertation hours is not permitted until the student is admitted to Candidacy. Doctoral students must work with their doctoral adviser/major professor to prepare a proposal and present and defend the proposal to the dissertation committee. Once the proposal is completed and approval is secured from the UCF Institutional Review Board (IRB), students conduct research and submit and defend the final research dissertation to their dissertation committee. Required Documentation During Dissertation Stage: All items listed are necessary to fulfill the requirements to graduate. - Application to Defend Dissertation Proposal - Dissertation Proposal Approval - Application for IRB Approval of Research - Defense Dissertation Announcement - Dissertation Approval - Application to Graduate - All necessary requirements of the College of Graduate Studies for graduation
Grand Total Credits: 63
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 (on 4.0 scale) in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate degree.
- Master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 (on 4.0 scale) for all graduate work at the time of application.
- Official, competitive GRE score, taken within the last five years.
- Three letters of recommendation (electronic or hard copy).
- Resumé/CV.
- Goal statement. (Describe the following: preparedness for the program, career goals related to the program, and potential area of research interest in the program.)
- Evidence of a minimum of one year full-time or two years part-time professional higher education work experience. Evidence may include, but not be limited to, any one of the following: work experience listed on the resume/CV with confirmation email/telephone, letter of reference, or copies of annual reviews, etc.. (Please note that graduate assistantships, teaching assistantships, internships and practica do not fulfill this requirement.)
- An interview might be required.
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
