Higher Education & Student Affairs - Ph.D. Program Overview The Higher Education & Student Affairs doctoral program prepares students to be leaders in a variety of higher education settings. The curriculum — designed to prepare both faculty and scholar-practitioners — positions graduates to serve: - in leadership positions in student affairs and academic administration;
- as graduate faculty at research universities;
- as leaders in conducting research about college students and higher education; and
- as policy analysts in postsecondary institutions and public or private agencies.
With its productive and nationally known faculty, the HESA program is one of the major doctoral-granting programs in the U.S. This program reflects a movement in the study and the practice of American postsecondary education — to integrate the academic experience with the co-curricular learning experiences of students and to study the outcomes of both. Students pick from these concentrations before they accrue 25 credits: Requirements Common Core (24 sh) Designed to constitute a general knowledge base that all students master — regardless of career goals and interests — this core curriculum reflects an important foundational understanding of higher education today. The following courses must be taken at The University of Iowa. - 07B:216 - Finance in Higher Education
- 07B:218 - The Law & Higher Education
- 07B:220 - History of Higher Education
- 07B:221 - The College Curriculum
- 07B:224 - Organizational Theory & Administrative Behavior
- 07B:225 - Introduction to Public Policymaking
- 07B:275 - Diversity and Equity in Higher Education
- 07B:273 - Creating Environments for College Student Success
Research Core (18 sh) The purpose of the research core is to ensure a level of scholarly autonomy and initiative. All students must fulfill the College of Education Research Requirements for Ph.D. Students. These requirements include: - 07X:150 - Introduction to Educational Research (3sh)
- Courses for meeting qualitative requirements (6 or 9 sh)
Students select courses from the College’s list in consultation with their advisors. For the core course, we highly recommend 07B:373 - Qualitative Research Design and Methods. - Courses for meeting quantitative requirements (6 or 9 sh)
As per College requirements, all students must take 07P:243 - Intermediate Statistical Methods. We also require that students take 07B:206 - Research Process and Design. Students select additional courses from the College’s list in consultation with their advisors, if necessary. Areas of Concentration (12 sh) The concentration area provides an opportunity to develop a particular expertise. Students may complete up to 24 semester hours of study before declaring a concentration within the program. Students choose from one of the following five areas: Graduate Electives (24 sh) Comprehensive Exams The comprehensive exam is viewed as a culminating experience for doctoral students. It consists of a set of four take-home questions with a limited time to respond. Three questions are based on the common core, one question is based on the student’s concentration, and the research core content is integrated throughout the entire exam. Dissertation Research (12 sh) Summary Common Core: 24
Research Core: 18
Area of Concentration: 12
Graduate Electives: 24
Dissertation Research: 12
Total Hours Required: 90 Course Descriptions View the Projected Course Schedule and Course Descriptions page for more detailed information about available courses. |