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College of Applied Human Sciences: School of Education

Higher Education Administration, EdD

The Doctor of Education (EdD) program in Higher Education Administration is designed to prepare graduates for positions in higher education administration, faculty and research, and policy.

Students in the program benefit from:

  • A core of study designed to provide knowledge across critical areas of higher education.
  • A specialization within Higher Education, which may include: academic affairs, curriculum and assessment, college student development, administration, organizations, and policy or an individualized specialization.
  • A cognate outside the Higher Education Administration program to allow for in-depth study in a field related to student interests and intended practice.
  • A research core that emphasizes the importance of producing original research as well as the ability to critically evaluate and effectively apply published scholarship to problems of practice.
Your Degree Plan The WVU Difference Learn by Doing Careers and Outcomes Meet Your Community Frequently Asked Questions Admission Requirements Take the Next Steps

Your Degree Plan

Intro

Aerial view of Martin and Woodburn Halls

The Doctor of Education (EdD) program in Higher Education Administration prepares graduates for positions in higher education administration, faculty and research, and policy.

Students in the Higher Education EdD program take a common set of five core courses before selecting a specific area of specialization they’d like to focus on related to their professional interests and goals.

Students also take a research core to enable them to conduct research and evaluate published scholarship to enhance their leadership practice. Finally, EdD students enroll in 6 credits of fieldwork in which they identify and respond to a problem of practice.

Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the doctoral program, graduates will be prepared to:

  • Create original research that advances the field of higher education.
  • Be reflective, ethical and effectual leaders of higher education organizations and institutions;
  • Apply research and theory to the practice of higher education administration.
  • Critically evaluate scholarship, policy, and practice in order to promote equity, access and social justice.

Program Delivery
The doctoral program will follow a hybrid format, with some classes offered fully online, others offered as hybrid face-to-face and online, and the remainder offered in face-to-face format. Face-to-face classes will be conducted on weeknights or weekends, in order to accommodate the needs of students who may be traveling distances of three or more hours.

Courses offered online as part of the Higher Education Administration MA Program will continue to be offered online, serving dual functions as MA and EdD courses. Instructors will differentiate assignments to tailor learning activities for masters and doctoral students.

Take advantage of special options related to this major:

  • Honors

    Expand your curiosity — and enhance your curriculum — through the WVU Honors College. Two programs are offered: Honors Foundations for first- and second-year students and Honors EXCEL for third- and fourth-year students.

    Explore Honors

The WVU Difference

What sets this program apart from its competitors?

  • This is a hybrid program: some classes are offered fully online, others are hybrid face-to-face and online and the remainder are in face-to-face format.
  • Face-to-face classes are conducted on weeknights or weekends.

Learn by Doing

Learning happens outside the classroom. Get involved.

Research
Students in this program research a wide range of topics in higher education, including, but not limited to:

  • Student success and retention
  • Academic advising
  • Employee satisfaction and burnout
  • Residential life programs and student experiences
  • Diversity in leadership

Students have the opportunity to engage with faculty in hands-on experiences. For example, Dr. John Campbell is currently leading a group of students on a research project titled, “Impact of Undergraduate Research on Work-Study Student Success.”

  • During the summer and fall of 2022, five higher education students will be researching the impact of WVU’s Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) on student success. Each year, the RAP program matches roughly 200 work-study students with an on-campus research experience. Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a federally funded, need-based employment program. Eligible students earn funds by working part-time as part of a faculty-led research team in a variety of disciplines from history to medical sciences.
  • The HIED research team will be examining the impact of the RAP program on the nearly 1,000 students who participated from Fall 2017 through Spring 2022. Key questions to be examined include: (1) success rates of these students compared to similar students on campus, (2) RAP program impact on semester-to-semester persistence, retention within major, and initial graduation rates, and (3) participation rates among communities of color, first-generation, and rural students.

Connect with other students who share your academic interests as a member of:

View all of the student organizations you can join.

Network with professionals in your field as a student member of:

  • EdD students complete internships with a variety of offices across WVU’s campus or a different higher education institution of their choosing. Students might complete internships with the Office of Graduate Life and Education, Housing and Residential Life or any other administrative unit on our campus.
  • Many of our EdD students have graduate teaching assistantships in various academic units and service graduate assistantships across all areas of campus.

Attending college will prepare you for many things. The Higher Education Administration major will give you the following skills:

  • Analytical skills
  • Research Skills
  • Leadership
  • Critical thinking skills
  • Teamwork
  • Application of theory to problems of practice
Outside of the Evansdale Crossing building.

What you learn outside of the classroom is just as important as what you learn during class. We’ll help you follow your curiosity.

Careers and Outcomes

How does this degree prepare students for a career?

Education Administrators, Postsecondary

Plan, direct or coordinate research, instructional, student administration and services and other educational activities at postsecondary institutions, including universities, colleges and junior and community colleges.

May require a Graduate Degree

Median Salary: $96,910

Possible job titles include: Academic Dean, Dean, Provost, Registrar.

Explore Career

Education Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses pertaining to education, such as counseling, curriculum, guidance, instruction, teacher education and teaching English as a second language. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

May require a Graduate Degree

Median Salary: $63,910

Possible job titles include: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Education Professor, Professor.

Explore Career

Postsecondary Education Administrator

Suggested Experiences and Résumé Builders
  • HIED 785: HIED Internship. In this 6-credit course, students spend time in the field, identifying a problem of practice and developing a research-informed practical response.
  • WVU Higher Education Student Association
Related Professional Organizations

Higher Education Faculty

Suggested Experiences and Résumé Builders
  • HIED 785: HIED Internship. In this 6-credit course, students spend time in the field, identifying a problem of practice and developing a research-informed practical response.
  • WVU Higher Education Student Association
Related Professional Organizations

Meet Your Community

The Higher Education Administration family will inspire and support you.

  • I am pursuing a degree in Higher Education Administration to better mentor and support the students I work with as their life's journey takes a brief stop at this great institution.

    “WVU is my home. It's where I looked for hope growing up in small town West Virginia and where I met my wife. It's where I started my career in Higher Education Student Affairs and where I joined the military to serve my country and state in the West Virginia Army National Guard. I am pursuing a degree in Higher Education Administration to better mentor and support the students I work with as their life's journey takes a brief stop at this great institution.”
    Johnny Kocher

  • I have found faculty who genuinely put students first and who partner with you throughout your program-critical components for student success.

    “I am a working professional in higher education who wanted to grow in the field and advance my opportunities for progressive leadership. Finding a program that provided the coursework, reputation for research, academic rigor, access to faculty, ability to connect with and build relationships with other students all while having the flexibility to continue to work in the field was a tall order. WVU rose to the occasion. I have found faculty who genuinely put students first and who partner with you throughout your program-critical components for student success. Higher education is one of the most critical fields in that it has the charge of equipping and developing the next generation. WVU, in my opinion, is providing a place for those who will be administrators in the field to be prepared for the challenges of leading both on the campuses of today and of the future.”
    Portrait of Michelle Lair.
    Michelle Lair
  • Professional studio portrait of John Campbell.

    John Campbell

    Professional highlights:

    • College Teaching Award, 2022
    • Purdue University Distinguished Education Alumni Award, 2017
    • Noel-Levitz Retention Award, 2012
    • Digital Educational Achievement Award, 2011
    • Campus Technology Innovator Award, 2011

  • Erin McHenry-Sorber

    Professional highlights:

    • NREA Howard A. Dawson Best Research Paper Award, 2016
    • NREA Howard A. Dawson Best Research Paper Award, 2019
    • Mary Catherine Buswell Award, WVU, 2019
    • Outstanding Teaching Award, College of Education and Human Services, WVU, 2019

FAQs

Common questions and answers about Higher Education Administration.

  1. Our EdD program is designed primarily for people interested in pursuing senior leadership positions at higher education institutions, or who are interested in working for consulting or policy groups. Our PhD program can also benefit those students interested in pursuing leadership positions. In addition, the PhD prepares students for faculty and research roles.

  2. Many of our students work full-time. Our courses are offered in the evenings, and students may enroll full- or part-time in coursework.

  3. Courses meet once weekly and are offered in-person and online in the evenings. Online courses meet synchronously. This enables us to create and maintain a community of learners who can support each other through the program.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission into a graduate program at WVU an applicant must submit official, bachelor's degree transcripts from a regionally accredited institution and hold a GPA of at least 2.75. WVU operates decentralized admissions. Decentralized admissions allows each graduate program to set its own application requirements in addition to the University requirements.

  • Additional considerations for applicants:

    • Only applications with all completed requirements will be considered for admission.

    View acceptance policy and admission procedure.

  • Application Deadlines

    Each graduate program sets their own terms for admission and application deadlines. Applicants can only apply for admission for the terms displayed below. Any questions regarding the application deadline should be directed to the graduate program representative.

    • Fall: February 15
    • Spring: November 1
    • Summer: February 15

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