Applicants who have a master's degree as well as teaching, administrative, or staff experience in higher education institutions may work towards either a Doctor of Philosophy or a Doctor of Education degree. The Doctor of Education program primarily serves those seeking administrative positions, while the Doctor of Philosophy program serves those interested in focusing on research. Candidates should have good academic and leadership credentials.
Both degrees require 60 hours of coursework, a doctoral examination, and 15 dissertation hours. Students are also required to complete a residency requirement. Courses are offered nights and weekends to accommodate schedules of full-time educational professionals. Some online options exist for select courses.
The majority of students in the program are part-time students with full-time jobs in colleges, universities, or education agencies. Doctoral degree students have eight years to complete the degree.
Learn more about graduate school at Illinois State University.
The higher education concentration allows experienced educators and administrators to reflect on and advance their knowledge in ways that will further their careers and enhance their ability to make a contribution to higher education. A doctoral degree graduate with the higher education concentration will have the knowledge and skills necessary to:
Admission to the programs in EAF is competitive. Candidates should have good academic and leadership credentials. The Department has a rolling admissions policy and considers admission three times a year. Learn about the application process.
Financial assistance is available through scholarships, graduate assistantships, and tuition waivers. Learn about financial aid opportunities.
Find when the following courses will be offered and their syllabi:
Complementary courses
Transfer hours
While you cannot count master's degree hours toward a doctorate, you can count up to 30 hours from an education specialist program towards a doctoral degree with a stipulation that the transferred hours have to occur within eight years from the time one graduates. For example, students who defend their dissertation in 2008 could only transfer in courses from 2000. They could not transfer courses taken 1999 or earlier.
Students are also required to complete a residency requirement that involves a minimum number of course hours rather than presence on the Illinois State campus. Applicants with a recent education specialist degree from an accredited institution must take at least 30 hours beyond the education specialist coursework and 15 dissertation hours.
Computer requirements
To successfully complete Educational Administration and Foundations courses, students in all programs are expected to have frequent and convenient access to a computer and Internet resources. Illinois State University students can take advantage of special hardware and software pricing as well as installation support at ISU TechZone. Review the computer and technology requirements for EAF students.
The Department Doctoral Procedures outlines the steps and information you will need during your doctoral candidacy. Learn about the orientation, guidelines through the course of study, and information about the dissertation and defense.
An academic adviser is assigned by the EAF Department to each doctoral candidate. Each student designs a plan of study in consultation with an academic adviser in EAF.
Students are required to complete a residency requirement. Learn about the Residency Policy.
The following faculty who specialize in higher education. There are several other faculty in EAF who are involved in the higher education administration concentration in teaching, scholarship, or professional service roles as well as professionals having adjunct, part-time relationships.
For more information about the doctoral program, please contact:
Mohamed Nur-Awaleh
342 DeGarmo Hall
(309) 438-5155
