Higher education doctor of education (Ed.D.) track

in educational policy and administration

A cohort-based doctoral program for administrators and faculty at colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education

Classes offered at convenient and varied locations.
2003 cohort classes are offered on two campuses: University of Minnesota—Rochester and Winona State University. 2005 cohort classes are offered on the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses of the University of Minnesota. Classes for the 2007 cohort will be offered on the Twin Cities and University of Minnesota—Rochester campuses.

Students can pursue doctoral study while continuing to work full-time.

We are pleased to announce a continuing opportunity for graduate-level study in higher education at the University of Minnesota. This doctoral program builds on our extensive experience in providing cohort-based programs to serve our graduate students in and beyond the metropolitan area.

"I am getting the excellence of a University of Minnesota doctoral program, with all the rigor and high expectations, in a format that makes it possible for me: classes 1 weekend per month and 2 weeks every summer, with the U of M faculty coming to us. You can’t beat it. I really feel like the faculty care about me and really want to help me graduate." —Current student

Students who enroll in our higher education program are typically working or seeking to work as administrators, faculty members or other professionals in a college or university setting. They are interested in learning more about higher education broadly defined. They want to know how to bring current research and their own skills and experience to bear on problems and issues facing colleges and universities. Many are interested in students and student-related issues, especially in the context of student affairs. Others focus on faculty or administrative matters. Still others want to take a broader view of the national or policy environments of decisions and developments in the higher-education context.

In short, our doctoral students are eager to take on the challenge of expanding their knowledge about higher education, learning to do research on problems and issues facing colleges and universities, and effectively and productively applying what they learn to the settings in which they work.

This program is founded on the University of Minnesota's tradition of scholarship and the application of knowledge. It embodies a commitment to affording students experiences that further their own professional growth and the improvement of educational practice. This program is a journey that we will take together, where each of us stands to gain from the insights of others. There is excitement in working with others who share a belief in the promise of higher learning.

In the spring and summer of 2006, the program directors and other faculty members will be holding information sessions on many campuses. Please contact Dick Nunneley (nunne001@umn.edu) if you wish to be notified when such a meeting will take place at or near your institution.

Overview of the program

Courses

The coursework for the Ed.D. cohort program in higher education will consist of:

1. 41 new semester credits distributed among courses in higher education and research methodology;
2. 12 credits in a supporting program (coursework taken in areas outside the Department of Educational Policy and Administration that directly supports the independent, field-based research project); and
3. 24 thesis credits, associated with the completion of the doctoral research project.

Students are permitted to transfer up to 12 credits of previously completed graduate-level coursework in education or related areas, subject to the approval of their faculty adviser, the department’s director of graduate studies, and the Graduate School. These credits may be applied to the coursework listed above.

• Curriculum details

Tentative schedule for the 2007 cohort

Students will take courses for 10 consecutive academic terms, beginning in summer 2007 and ending in summer 2010. Each term, students will take four semester credits, with one additional, one-credit, weekend-long class in May of 2008 or 2009.

Application deadline

The deadline for receipt of application for the Ed.D. cohort that begins in summer 2007 is February 1, 2007.

Admissions criteria and procedures

Required

• A master’s degree or equivalent

Preferred performance levels

• 3.0 undergraduate grade point average
• 3.5 graduate grade point average
• 500 Verbal, 500 Quantitative and 4.5 Analytical Writing GRE¹* scores (all students); and
• 550 TOEFL² / 6.5 IELTS³ scores (international students)

* The GRE should have been taken within the past 2-3 years. It is administered via computer at commercial testing sites and most large institutions of higher education. More information on testing sites can be found at www.gre.org or by calling 609-771-7243.
¹ Graduate Record Examination, www.gre.org.
² Test of English as a Foreign Language, www.toefl.org.
³ International English Language Testing System, www.ceii.org.

To apply for admission, students must submit two completed University of Minnesota applications (one for the Graduate School and one for the Department of Educational Policy and Administration), official transcript(s) of all previously completed college-level coursework, and two letters of reference.

• University of Minnesota Graduate School application
• Department of Educational Policy and Administration application form

Tuition and financial assistance

Graduate tuition rates and fees for each semester can be found online.

Financial assistance for graduate students includes loans, grants, scholarships, fellowships, and graduate assistantships. To be considered for student loans and other government-based student aid, students must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which can be completed on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Faculty in higher education

Advantages of a cohort program

The Department of Educational Policy and Administration, particularly the higher education faculty, has extensive experience with cohort-based graduate education. Our experience shows quite clearly that students benefit in important ways from the ongoing connections and networks that they develop through the cohort system. Students not only appreciate the support and stimulation provided by their fellow cohort members but also usually develop strong ties with the faculty who teach and advise the cohort members.

Note: This program will be offered only as a cohort program. If there are not enough applicants to constitute a cohort, the program will not be offered.

We hope that you will consider joining us in this cohort program. We invite you to contact us if you have questions about this program.

September 2006