Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D. degree)

Minimum total semester hours required: 90 s.h.

Program Information:

The Ph.D. program in Higher Education in the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership Studies at The University of Iowa 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 (1) in leadership positions in student affairs and academic administration, (2) as graduate faculty at research universities, (3) as leaders in conducting research about college students and higher education, and (4) as policy analysts in postsecondary institutions and public or private agencies. 

With its productive and nationally known faculty, the Higher Education program is one of the major Higher Education doctoral-granting programs in the U.S. This program reflects a movement in the study and the practice of American postsecondary education – to integrate academic experience with co-curricular learning experiences of students and to study the outcomes of both. 

We are pleased and excited to announce that our new and expanded curriculum for the Higher Education program now includes five areas of concentration: Student Affairs Administration; Policy in Higher Education; Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum in Higher Education; Organization and Administration of Higher Education; and Foundations of Higher Education.

The new curriculum requirements will take effect on August 24, 2009. Those students applying to the PhD program in Higher Education during the academic year 2008-09 (Graduate College application deadline is April 15, 2009) will have the option of applying for admission to either the new PhD curriculum requirements (effective as of August 24, 2009) or the previous curriculum requirements (effective only until August 24, 2009) to which no one will be admitted after August 24, 2009.

Admissions Guidelines and Procedures

• Please follow the admissions procedures of the Graduate College.
• Faculty will consider: (a) a personal statement, explaining the applicant’s professional goals, experiences and research plans; (b) undergraduate and graduate GPAs; (c) undergraduate and graduate transcripts; (d) letters of recommendation; and (e) GRE scores.
• Application deadline is April 15, 2009. However, even though the Graduate College's official application deadline is listed as April 15, 2009, students will have the best opportunities to secure fellowship and assistantship support if their completed applications are received by early February, 2009.

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