Higher Education, EdD
The Ed.D. in Higher Education is for experienced professionals who wish to continue their careers as practitioners. This program emphasizes the practice of education and consultation in colleges and universities, governmental agencies, and foundations. Aimed at preparing practitioner-scholars, the Ed.D. in Higher Education is designed for experienced professionals who wish to continue their careers as research-practitioners and institutional leaders. Individuals learn to use research to make a difference in the lives of students and institutions by focusing on pressing problems of practice. Ed.D. students attain a broad comprehension of higher education through completion of classes that are designed to facilitate their understanding of research and completion of a dissertation. In addition to these courses, doctoral students draw on their professional work experience to develop the skills they will need to conduct quality primary research in higher education administration.
For more information: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/academics/programs/higher-education-edd
Curriculum
A total of 20 course units are required for the Higher Education Ed.D.
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| HE Required Courses | ||
| EDUC 7805 | Proseminar in Research & Analysis | 1 |
| EDUC 7132 | Doctoral Proseminar on Education Research 2 | 1 |
| Methods Courses | ||
| Select 1 Quantitative Methods Course | 1 | |
| Select 1 Methods Course | 1 | |
| Electives | ||
| Select 16 electives 1 | 16 | |
| Total Course Units | 20 | |
Transfer credit
GSE will, under certain conditions, accept equivalent credit toward the degree. Up to 8 graduate level CUs taken at GSE, Penn, or another institution, may count toward the EdD degree. Transfer credit is not automatically accepted or applied toward the doctoral degree. Students should consult their academic advisor and the GSE website for the policies governing the application for transfer credit in their first semester of coursework at GSE. Students who are not awarded a full 8 CUs of transfer credit should consult their academic advisor for the appropriate elective coursework to fulfill the 20 CUs of coursework required for the EdD program. Students without a master's degree in HE may be required to to fulfill some of their electives with required coursework from the HE MSEd program. Transfer credit paperwork needs to be completed after the the student's first semester of coursework; please consult the GSE website for the proper forms and procedures.
Required Higher Education Courses
All HE EdD students must take EDUC 7805 Proseminar in Research & Analysis, which is recommended in year two or later. Please discuss timing with your advisor. EDUC 7132 Doctoral Proseminar on Education Research is a recommended course but not strictly required, and students who elect not to take EDUC 7132 may substitute another elective CU in its place. Course substitutions must be approved by your advisor.
Methods Course
All HE doctoral students are required to take 2 methods courses either within GSE or another school at Penn. Methods courses must be at the 5000 level or above. One of these courses must be a quantitative methods or statistics course. Students should consult their academic advisor regarding the appropriate methods courses for their program of study.
CU count
Doctoral candidates must be registered each fall and spring term for coursework as stated in GSE doctoral program polices available on the GSE website.
Elective courses
Elective courses may be taken at any school at Penn; however, the majority of HE students fulfill their electives within the division. Courses must be at the 5000 level or above and students must consult their academic advisor before enrolling in any course outside of GSE. Students may not register for more than 4 independent studies (EDUC 9999) over the course of their program of study. Information regarding program candidacy, the doctoral preliminary examination, forming a dissertation committee, holding an oral proposal hearing and scheduling a final defense can be found on the GSE website.
- 1
Including up to 8 transfer credits
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2025 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.