Program of Study (Higher Education Contexts)

The Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership is designed to prepare students for leadership roles in a variety of higher education institutional settings. The program provides a professional degree to improve the practice of those engaged in administrative functions in higher education.

The doctorate of Educational Leadership in Higher Education:

• Is a 54-hour program combining foundational and inquiry courses, and opportunities for specialization (community college leadership or collegiate athletics administration)

• Delivers coursework through a cohort-based weekend format model

• Provides a structured curriculum and dissertation supports, allowing students to complete EdD requirements in 3-years

• Takes advantage of TCU’s history as a sectarian institution to include value based and ethical leadership concepts as part of the curriculum

The Higher Education Leadership program prepares students to assume major leadership roles in higher education institutions. The program:

• Prepares students for positions such as presidents, vice-presidents, deans and department heads.

• Develops educational leaders who understand organizations and the effective leadership of organizations.

• Develops educational leaders prepared to take advantage of increasing opportunities for creating new educational institutions and systems.

• Develops leaders who understand the relationship of higher education to community settings.

• Develops educational leaders who operate with a global perspective in a diverse and rapidly evolving professional field.

• Develops educational leaders who reflect clear ethical and moral commitments for the education of students.

• Develops educational leaders able to envision and create new settings now possible through the availability of information technologies.

Admission

To be admitted to the doctoral program in Higher Education Leadership, a student must:

• Apply to TCU Graduate School

• Demonstrate a strong academic record

• Have a Master's Degree in education or an appropriate field from a regionally accredited institution

• Provide a written statement that documents evidence that leadership skills and experiences, and explains motivations and goals for pursuing the Ed.D. degree

• Complete an interview with College of Education faculty

• Complete a reference referral form and provide 3 letters of reference, with at least one letter from an academic reference

• Show three years of professional experience, preferred

• International students must meet TCU International Admission requirements

Program of Study

A program of study is both a guideline for the student and the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee and a document for ongoing evaluation and assessment. Each student will create a Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC). The DAC will be created using the criteria established by the College of Education in the “Guidelines for Project/Dissertation Committee Service” document. The EdD in Higher Education Leadership requires 54 hours of post-matriculation course work.

Foundations (18 hours)

Inquiry (9-hours)

Specialization (12 hours)

EDHE 70233 would be open to any student in the College of Education and can count towards the Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership (general leadership track),  replacing one of the courses listed above during the summer in which the student enrolls in EDHE 70233.

Capstone Project (15 hours)

*EDAD 70073 repeated for credit