The Higher Education Administration Program offers the EdD program via two options. One option is an EdD on our main campus offered in Tuscaloosa. This EdD degree program provides students in-person courses and opportunities to take advantage of all of the University's excellent resources, with flexible schedule options. The EdD degree provides academic preparation and professional development for those individuals who have or will assume upper-level administrative and executive roles in two- and four-year colleges and universities, state and federal post-secondary education agencies and other post-secondary education-related organizations. The curriculum is designed around the key competencies necessary to assume a leadership role, with courses in program assessment and evaluation, policy, finance, organizational change and student affairs administration.
The second option for an EdD within HEA is via an executive format. The Executive EdD program is designed to meet the unique needs of experienced professionals seeking a doctorate in higher education. The program helps students develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to advance in leadership positions by combining theoretically-rich studies with an applied research approach. The Executive EdD is a cohort program that allows students to build an immediate network of colleagues. Intensive coursework and a carefully-structured dissertation process allow students to complete the degree in nine semesters while maintaining their professional positions. The Executive EdD program’s alternative format meets all the expectations of a rigorous higher education program, including the credit hour and degree requirements stipulated by the College of Education and the Graduate School.
Admissions
In addition to the minimum Graduate School admission requirements, to be considered for regular admission an application must include:
- Three letters of recommendation
- A one-page statement of purpose for pursuing the degree
- Vita or resume
- Writing Sample: A five-page writing sample describing a problem that faces higher education today (nationally), analyzing salient points of the issue, and evaluating potential solutions. The sample should demonstrate formal writing and should include appropriate citations. Applicants may submit an academic paper in lieu of the five-page essay, preferably on a recent topic related to higher education, but it should be single-authored to demonstrate the student's own work.
Deadlines
- The application deadline for the Main Campus program is January 15th.
See the Admission Criteria section of this catalog for more information.
Curricular Requirements
The EdD requires 66 semester hours beyond the master’s degree. These 66 semester hours include at least 54 hours of coursework and 12 hours of dissertation research. The plan of study also includes 12 semester hours in theoretical foundations and a minimum of 12 semester hours in research methods.
The Executive Ed.D. program is an accelerated program designed to be completed in 3 academic years (9 semesters). Students enroll in 9 hours of coursework per semester for 6 semesters during the first two years of study and 12 dissertation hours during the final year.
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| AHE 520 | Student In Higher Eductn | 3 |
| AHE 521 | Student Affairs | 3 |
| AHE 530 | Law & Higher Education | 3 |
| AHE 550 | Financing Higher Eductn | 3 |
| AHE 560 | Comparatv Higher Eductn | 3 |
| AHE 601 | Professional Sem High Ed | 3 |
| AHE 602 | Problems In Higher Education | 3 |
| AHE 610 | Academic Culture & Learn | 3 |
| AHE 640 | Organizational Change | 3 |
| AHE 645 | Higher Ed/SA Assessment | 3 |
| AHE 680 | Readings in HE | 3 |
| BEF 534 | Multicultural Education | 3 |
| BEF 653 | Studies in Higher Ed History | 3 |
| BEF 654 | Phil & Amer Higher Ed | 3 |
| BEF 681 | Ethics And Education | 3 |
| BER 540 | Statistical Methods In Educ | 3 |
| BER 600 | Survey of Educational Research | 3 |
| BER 631 | Inqry As Interp: Qual I | 3 |
| Dissertation Research | ||
| AHE 699 | Dissertation Research | 12 |
| Total Hours | 66 | |
Transfer Credit
The HEA program accepts a maximum of 12 credit hours of transfer from other post-graduate study, with approval of advisor on your plan of study and acceptance from the Graduate School after all forms are completed and approved.
Given its specialized cohort nature, no transfer of credit is allowed with the Executive Ed.D.
Graduate School information on Transfer Credit.
Doctoral Plan of Study Requirement
Graduate School information on the Doctoral Plan of Study.
Comprehensive Exams
Students take the comprehensive exam in the last semester in which they are completing their required coursework for the Ed.D. program, unless otherwise approved by the program coordinator. Applying for the comprehensive exam requires you indicate your dissertation chair who must both agree to chair your study and agree in principle on the nature of that study. Doctoral students complete a take-home exam question which is followed by an oral defense at the end with their dissertation chair and one other faculty member.
Graduate School information on Comprehensive Exams.
Admission to Candidacy Requirements
Once students pass the comprehensive exam, they will be considered a candidate and can enroll in dissertation hours, based on the approval of faculty.
Graduate School information on Admission to Candidacy.
Continuous Doctoral Research Hours Registration
Continuous enrollment in dissertation hours after successful completion of the comprehensive exam is required, but not immediately after the comprehensive exam.
Once doctoral dissertation (AHE 699) hours have begun, however, the following policy applies. Once a student has begun dissertation hours, if a student fails to register in either the fall or spring, it constitutes lack of continuous enrollment. Failure to register for any two aggregate terms after initial AHE 699 enrollment will result in the withdrawal of their chair from their role. The chair’s role will cease, the student will not be allowed to enroll in further AHE 699 hours with that chair, and the student will need to identify a new chair. Note that inability to find a chair constitutes lack of progress; it is not guaranteed that another faculty member will agree to take the student on, which could mean discontinuation in the program. Failure to enroll in any four aggregate terms once beginning AHE 699 will result in the immediate withdrawal of the student from the program and will require a readmission to the program with a detailed timeline appended to the request. Please note that it is highly unlikely the program would consider this request favorably, and requests after the 6th year will not be considered.
Graduate School information on Continuous Doctoral Research Hours Registration.
Dissertation Requirements
Ed.D. students complete a dissertation, with the guidance of a faculty chair, after all course work and comprehensive examinations have successfully been completed. A student should invite a faculty member to chair and secure her/his/their agreement to do so prior to signing up for that faculty member’s section of AHE 699 Dissertation Research. Once a student begins taking dissertation hours, continuous enrollment must be maintained until the dissertation project is completed and approved by the Graduate School. Students should not enroll for hours during the summer without having gained prior approval from the dissertation chair.
The dissertation committee consists of at least four faculty: a dissertation chair and four members. While the dissertation chair may be a member of another program in the College of Education, students are encouraged to work with a Higher Education faculty member when possible. At least three members of the committee (may include chair) must be Higher Education Faculty members. At least one member must be from outside of the Department of Educational Leadership, Technology, and Policy Studies.
The dissertation proposal generally comprises the first three chapters of the dissertation. The student works carefully with a dissertation chair and submits work to a committee for review. The committee must have 10 working days prior to the proposal defense to review the document. An oral defense follows, with all committee members present to review and critique the proposal.
The dissertation defense comprises all chapters of a dissertation. The committee must have 10 working days prior to the dissertation defense to review the document. An oral defense follows, with all committee members present to review and critique the proposal.
AHE faculty are not available to work on dissertations during the summer terms. This means students should not enroll in AHE 699 hours during the summer. The only exception to this is students in the Executive Ed.D. cohort program, which requires Summer enrollment. Note that for Executive Ed.D. students, faculty have a "quiet" period of July 1 - August 15, during which time they do not respond to dissertation issues and requests.
Similarly, faculty do not work on University holidays or breaks; for documents requiring two weeks for review before defense, for example, the two required weeks do not include official university breaks as part of that time. Requests for meetings or submissions requesting reading or review of written work submitted over university holidays will not be honored. Doctoral students need to keep this in mind in planning their timeline and schedule to allow for successful completion of their dissertation.
Graduate School information on Dissertation Requirements.
Time Limit for Degree Completion
To ensure adequate progress and allow for a defensible document to be completed with the edits needed post-defense, the Higher Education Administration faculty require the following progress checkpoints for doctoral degree completion.
No later than the end of year 7:
Doctoral Committee formation formally completed with Graduate School
Successful dissertation proposal defense and IRB approved
Admission to Candidacy successfully completed with the Graduate School
No later than the end of year 8:
Data collection complete and complete draft in chair’s hands
Before the end of the penultimate term of the student’s Graduate School approved timeline:
Successful final dissertation defense
Failure to meet any of these deadlines will mean the student has been unsuccessful in making substantial and adequate progress in the program toward degree completion, and the student will be unable to continue in the program. Please note, there will be no extension requests supported for failure to meet any of these deadlines. If the student has medical, family, or other issues causing difficulty, they should discuss official leave / stopping their clock with the Graduate School registrar’s office (see Withdrawals and Leave of Absence Information).
Graduate School information on Time Limits.
Student Progress Requirements
Adequate Progress
Adequate progress includes but is not limited to the following: completion of Graduate School requirements in a timely fashion, completion of dissertation work in a timely fashion, and completion of key advancement checkpoints in a timely fashion.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure all documents, forms, proof of progress, admission to candidacy, formation of committee, application to graduation, etc., are appropriately filed, received, and accepted by the Graduate School. Students are advised to check with the Graduate School registrar’s office to ensure they comply with all requirements, including completing all necessary coursework is correctly and appropriately noted and accepted for completion of degree requirements. Failure to complete any of the Graduate School requirements in a timely fashion is deemed inadequate progress, and the student must complete them before being allowed to enroll in further dissertation hours. As noted above, if a student fails to register for dissertation hours in two terms (not including summer, excepting Executive EdD students), the chair’s role will cease, and the student will need to seek a new chair. Note that inability to find a chair constitutes lack of progress; it is not guaranteed a second chair will agree to take the student on, and the student’s program options may be over.
At any point in the dissertation process after successful completion of comps and beginning AHE 699 enrollment, if there are two consecutive semesters in which doctoral students fail to submit substantive written progress on their dissertation, their chair will have one of two options:
- Require the student to complete and sign an agreed upon completion schedule. If at any future point the student fails to meet checkpoints on the schedule, the chair’s role will cease, and the student will need to seek a new chair. Note that inability to find a chair constitutes lack of progress; it is not guaranteed another faculty member will agree to take the student on, and the student’s program options may be over.
- The chair may decide to end their role as chair. As such, the chair’s role will cease, and the student will need to seek a new chair. Note that inability to find a chair constitutes lack of progress; it is not guaranteed another faculty member will agree to take the student on, and the student’s program options may be over.
To ensure adequate progress and allow for a defensible document to be completed with the edits needed post-defense, the Higher Education Administration faculty require the following progress checkpoints for doctoral degree completion.
No later than the end of year 7:
Doctoral Committee formation formally completed with Graduate School
Successful dissertation proposal defense and IRB approved
Admission to Candidacy successfully completed with the Graduate School
No later than the end of year 8:
Data collection complete and complete draft in chair’s hands
Before the end of the penultimate term of the student’s Graduate School approved timeline:
Successful final dissertation defense
Failure to meet any of these deadlines will mean the student has been unsuccessful in making substantial and adequate progress in the program toward degree completion, and the student will be unable to continue in the program. Please note, there will be no extension requests granted for failure to meet any of these deadlines. The provision of nine years for doctoral completion constitutes a two-year extension over time previously allowed. As such, no further extensions or allowances will be sought.
Academic Misconduct Information
Graduate School information on Academic Misconduct.
Withdrawals and Leave of Absence Information
Graduate School information on Withdrawals and Leave of Absence information
Academic Grievances Information
Graduate School information on Academic Grievances.
Grades and Academic Standing
Graduate School information on Grades and Academic Standing.
Graduate School Deadlines
Information on Graduate School Deadlines.
Application for Graduation
Information on the Application for Graduation.
Accepted graduate students are encouraged to apply for College of Education scholarships and, if applicable, scholarships offered through UA Online (for distance learning students only).
Graduate School information on Financial Assistance.