The Ed.D. program in higher education provides a sequenced program with course work in areas of instruction, educational policy, administration, and research to prepare both generalists and specialists in the field. Doctoral students in higher education prepare for leadership and teaching roles in a variety of adult and higher education contexts including student affairs, academic affairs, and other areas of higher education administration.
The student learning outcomes for this degree are located here.
Admission
Each applicant must submit additional evidence of potential such as assessment letters from higher education faculty. Applicants must contact the admissions committee chair.
In addition to the standard requirements for graduate admissions to the Graduate School at NIU, the doctoral program in higher education has additional requirements for graduate admission. The doctoral program in higher education requires degree-seeking applicants to submit the following materials:
- Transcript showing the successful completion of a master’s degree.
- Written statement of goals outlining interests in the program, professional aspirations, and relevant experiences.
- Three letters of recommendation from supervisors or professors who can provide supportive evidence of an applicant’s professional qualifications and potential for success in graduate study.
- Copy of current resume/CV indicating at least three years of full-time higher education experiences for the College Teaching and Higher Education Administration specializations or three years of experience in the community college context for the Community College Leadership specialization.
The higher education doctoral program admissions committee reserves the right to request an interview with an applicant with virtual or in-person options.
The doctoral program in higher education admits new graduate students during the fall semester for the College Teaching and Higher Education Administration specializations and during the summer semester for the Community College Leadership specialization, on an annual basis.
Applications for graduate admission into the doctoral program in higher education must be received by the Graduate School no later than March 1. Note, the doctoral program in higher education application deadlines are earlier in the application cycle than the general Graduate School deadlines.
The doctoral program in higher education employs a faculty committee to review completed applications for an admission decision during the spring semester. Applicants are reviewed holistically on their professional experiences, academic preparedness, and preparedness for the doctoral program. Official notifications are released by the Graduate School, once a graduate admission decision has been made.
Simultaneous Enrollment in Ed.D. and J.D. Degree Programs
The Department of Counseling and Higher Education and the College of Law offer the opportunity for simultaneous enrollment in the Doctor of Education in Higher Education (Ed.D.) and Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree programs to qualified graduate students. Students must be admitted to both the Ed.D. program and the J.D. program. Matriculation in the two programs must be within 18 months of each other.
Since students enroll in two separate degree programs, to receive both degrees students must meet all of the graduation requirements for both degree programs. A student may obtain either degree prior to completing all requirements for the other degree. Under the simultaneous enrollment plan, students are required to take at least 126 total semester hours, 78 from the College of Law and 48 from the Department of Counseling and Higher Education. Up to 36 semester hours of College of Law coursework may be applied toward the 84 semester hours required for the Ed.D. degree, and up to 12 semester hours of Ed.D. course work with a grade of B or better may be applied toward the 90 semester hours required for the J.D. degree.
Students should begin their coursework in Higher Education during a fall semester. During each semester in which students plan to take courses in the Higher Education program, they must enroll in two courses and follow the outlined course sequence throughout their program.
Student-at-Large, Study-Abroad, and Transfer Credit
Students-at-large are normally prohibited from registering for higher education Ed.D. courses. Transfer students will be considered on a case-by-case basis and can transfer in a maximum of 9 semester hours into a student’s doctoral degree program. See “Requirements for Graduate Degrees” for limitation on study-abroad credit.
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