Higher Education (EDD) - Texas A&M University-Commerce

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Become a Leader in Higher Education

Whether your goals are to teach at the college level or assume a leadership role at a university, prepare for success with an EDD in Higher Education.

Our doctorate program is designed for future leaders in higher education. Upon completion of the doctoral program, graduates will be qualified to assume educational leadership roles in a variety of contexts. Graduates can also qualify to teach at colleges and universities.

Where It Is Offered Online

Duration 4 to 6 years

Foreign Language No foreign language credits required

Delivery Blended (50-85% Online)

Total Credit Hours 60 hours

Dissertation Requirements Dissertation required

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SEE YOURSELF SUCCEED WITH A DEGREE IN Higher Education

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Hands-On Training

Engage in practical, real-world learning experiences as you work with a mentor during your studies.

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Career Readiness

Learn from others in your program as you share your diverse backgrounds and varied professional goals.

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Outstanding Faculty

Enjoy the opportunity to learn from distinguished faculty who are respected researchers and leaders in their fields.

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Education Success

Join the ranks of our graduates who have gone on to become successful administrators, university professors and leaders.

Careers

Find your niche in higher education.

Career Possibilities and Current Median Salaries

Post-secondary administrators

$93,960

Post-secondary instructors

$79,540

US DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2020

What You will Learn

An advanced degree in higher education will offers the opportunity to:

Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to make decisions about policies and procedures
Effectively utilize qualitative and quantitative research methods
Hone your organizational leadership skills

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Alumni Spotlight

Fred Fuentes, Ed.D.

I am motivated by students who attend this university despite the tremendous obstacles that appear before them. My students are beautiful reminders of resilience and we are all humbled by their ability to overcome life's challenges!

More About Fred

Trent McGee

I enjoy the opportunity to be an educator to our students. I like to advocate for them, serve as a resource for them, and help them in any way I can.

More About Trent

Featured Courses

Administration of Student Affairs in Higher Education HIED 658

Examine organizational structures and leadership, including management processes associated with college and university student affairs administration.

Diversity in Higher Education HIED 670

Investigate the historical and modern-day contextual frameworks for studying the presence, promotion and refinement of diversity programs in American colleges and universities.

American Community College HIED 540

Learn about the larger view of the community college with particular emphasis on the history, philosophy and uniqueness of the institution. Prerequisites: A 595 course from major or related discipline.

Institutional Effectiveness and Outcomes Assessment HIED 637

Consider the application of a variety of institutional assessment processes to the development or improvement of the organization and to the measurement of accountability.

View Full Curriculum In The University Catalog

HIED Doctoral Handbook

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Course Delivery

This 60-semester-hour program is designed specifically for you. Building upon your master's degree, our program requires a major field of 48 semester hours, including the dissertation, plus 12 semester hours of research tools. Classes are completely online and offered during the fall, spring and summer semesters.

Graduate Program Cost

PROGRAM COSTS

Tuition and fees for graduate students taking nine credit hours are $3,669 for Texas residents and $7,341 for non-residents.

Tuition Calculator

Financial Aid

Scholarships

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS International/Domestic Tabs

Admission

Higher Education (EDD) :: Admission Requirements

Deadlines

Application: 60 days prior to first class day of the desired admission semester at the latest.

Application documents: 30 days prior to first class day of the desired admission semester.

Your Path to Becoming a Lion

Step 1. Submit Application

Submit your application at tamuc.edu/apply.

Select “Create a new graduate school admissions application.”
Select “Texas A&M University-Commerce (Commerce)” as your “Target University.”

Select “Higher Education, EDD” as your “Major.”

Pay the $50 application fee.

Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.

After you submit your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email within two business days to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.

Step 2. Submit Documents

Submit the following documents after you receive an application confirmation email.

Upload your documents at myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores or email your documents to [email protected], unless otherwise specified below.

Official Transcripts

Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to [email protected].

We recommend that you request transcripts for all of your academic work.

All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.

We accepts evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.

If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.

You must hold one of the following GPA requirements to be considered for doctoral admission:

An awarded bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university with at least a 3.00 GPA on the last 60 hours or an awarded bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university with at least a 2.75 GPA or higher or
An awarded master’s degree from a regionally accredited university with at least a 3.4 GPA or higher in the field of counseling or closely related field.

Postal Alternative

If your institution is unable to submit a digital copy, hard copies may be mailed to:

Texas A&M University-Commerce
Attn: Graduate School
PO Box 3011
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011

We will need official/original documents. If those documents are the only copies you have, the Graduate School can mail them back to you upon request. Contact [email protected] for more information.

Statement of Goals Form

Submit the Statement of Goals Form

You can find the form in the Application Packet.
An additional page can be added.

Resume or CV

Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.

Writing Sample

Submit a writing sample on any topic of your interest in the field or profession of higher education using APA Style Manual (6th or 7th ed.)

Must be a solo-authored (not collaborative) paper
Can be a scholarly essay addressing a problem of practice that you want to investigate and can include related work and academic experiences
Must contain a reference/bibliographic list at the end with corresponding in-text citations
Must be at least four double-spaced pages and should not exceed 30 pages.

Two Letters of Recommendation

Request two signed letters of recommendation, on letterhead, from professionals who can attest to your goals and ability to succeed in the program. Those individuals should:

Email the letter to [email protected] or
Send the letter to you. Then, you will utilize the upload system: myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores

One or both of the references should hold a doctoral degree.

Test Scores

Submit official General Test GRE scores

Request that your GRE®scores be sent to Texas A&M University-Commerce (6188) when you register for the test. If you have already taken the GRE®, you can order additional score reports.

Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status

Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.

Vicky Turner Doctoral Degree & Special Programs Coordinator

Step 3. Apply for Financial Assistance

Apply for scholarships and graduate assistantships once you are admitted.
Apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA and sending it to school code 003565.
Contact your financial aid advisor with any questions.

Step 4. Register for Classes

Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist is here to help you complete registration.

View your degree plan in DegreeWorks.
View the Schedule of Classes.
To register for classes, go to myLeo > Student Resources > Registration Menu.

Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.

Jennifer Faunce Director of Graduate Enrollment Management

Higher Education (EDD): Admission International

The courses for this program are available only online (no face-to-face courses). This program is not available to international students.

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