Concentration: Higher Education

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Program: Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development
in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development (ELPHD)
Delivery Method: On Campus

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NC State’s Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development: Higher Education concentration provides exceptional opportunities for students interested in higher education to explore a core body of knowledge, gain real-world professional experience, and pursue advanced study.

Concentration Description

The Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy and Human Development: Higher Education concentration prepares leaders to serve in a variety of roles (e.g., faculty, researchers, policy-makers, administrators) within post-secondary education settings. The curriculum promotes an in-depth understanding of organizational administration, educational policy, international higher education, and rigorous methodological approaches to research and inquiry, and our scholarly community includes faculty who are among the most renowned in the field.

The concentration takes a multidisciplinary and global approach, whereby students and faculty examine educational problems from different traditions, including economics, political science, sociology, history, and organizational studies. Students also to take coursework in advanced research methods which allows them to develop strong data analysis skills and conduct rigorous research that advances knowledge and practice.

Faculty work closely with students to foster reflection, planning, and development. In addition to providing guidance, support, and encouragement to students as they navigate the program, faculty assist students with developing their methodological skills and establishing their program of research. Students also have access to a collaborative community of peers that supports their development. Students have the option of doing an internship with a local educational organization for course credit. Our students have interned at the University of North Carolina System Office, the Education and Workforce Development division of RTI International, the Department of Data, Research, and Accountability of the Wake County Public School System, and local universities.

We have designed this concentration to provide students with considerable flexibility. In consultation with their academic advisory committee, students develop a tailored concentration and professional development plan.

As a student in our concentration, you will develop the expertise required for advancement in colleges and universities, governmental agencies, think tanks, or public service organizations. The concentration focuses on four areas:

Organizational behavior and management
Public policy
Research, evaluation, and assessment
International Higher Education

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ranked in the nation in higher education administration specialty category in the 2025 U.S. News’ Best Graduate Schools

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Admission Requirements

Please note: If you are currently enrolled in a master’s degree program in our College of Education and are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development, you must formally apply to the program through the Graduate School.

Master’s degree (in any field) or minimum two years of post-baccalaureate work experience in higher education required.
GRE scores are optional.
Personal statement of interest and desired career goals. Statement should be written in essay format, be no more than 750 words, and address the following questions:
- Why do you wish to obtain a Ph.D.?
- Why do you want to come to NC State?
- What are your research interests and are there particular faculty with whom you want to work?
- How is this degree going to help you pursue your career goals now and in the future?
- What unique contributions or special interests do you bring to the field of higher education?
Professional resume or CV
Transcripts from all institutions attended (except NC State)
Three professional/academic recommendations
TOEFL or IELTS scores for international students

Meet Some of Our Higher Education Alumni

All across the nation, alumni of our Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development higher education concentration are serving in a variety of leadership roles within post-secondary education settings, including as senior administrators, faculty members, researchers and policymakers.

Meet them

Course of Study

All doctoral degrees in the College of Education require a minimum of 72 graduate credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree. If you have a Master’s degree, you can transfer in 18 credits and your minimum credit hour requirement for the doctorate will be 54. Time to degree is typically 4–6 years depending on enrollment status.

CURRICULUM

Doctoral Curriculum (revised for Fall 2021 and after cohorts):

The courses listed below and the accompanying credit hours should be considered the minimum requirements for the degree. On the recommendation of members of the student’s advisory committee, required classes may be supplemented by additional coursework. Students should be mindful of time limits associated with achieving candidacy and completing the degree.

Research Core (15 credit hours)

Required Introductory Research Methods Courses (6 hours)

ED 710 Applied Quantitative Methods in Education I
ED 730 Introduction to Qualitative Research in Education

Advanced Research Methods Courses (select one course from the list below, 3 hours)

ED 711 Applied Quantitative Methods in Education II
ED 731 Advanced Qualitative Research and Data Analysis in Education

Advanced Research Methods Electives (6 hours)

Advanced Research Methods courses to be approved by student advisor.

College-Wide Scholar Leader Courses (6 credit hours)

Two courses chosen in consultation with the advisor.

Higher Education Concentration (18-24 credit hours)

Higher Education Restricted Electives (Select two courses from the list below, 6 hours)

EAC 707 Politics and Policy in Higher Education
EAC 716 History Of Higher Education In the United States
EAC 749 Finance in Higher Education
EAC 787 Organizational Theories and Concepts in Higher Education

Higher Education Elective Courses – to be determined in conjunction with the academic committee. Sample courses include:

ELP 749 – Higher Education Finance
EAC 787 – Organizational Theory and Higher Education
EAC 778 – Higher Education Law
EAC 795 – Higher Education Policy
EAC 795 – International Higher Education
ELP 735 – Policy Research in Education
ELP 751 – Politics of Education
ELP 780 – Evaluation Theory & Practice in Education
ELP 795 – Implementation Research and Evaluation

Dissertation (9 credit hours minimum)

*NOTE*: FOR DOCTORAL STUDENTS EITHER PART-TIME OR FULL-TIME WHO ARE WORKING ON THEIR DISSERTATION.

Writing the dissertation requires a major commitment of time and effort on both the part of the doctoral student and the faculty advisor. Students must register for at least 3 semester hours per semester for (EAC 891, 895 or 899).

Additional Info

More information about our programs and student life in general may be found in our Student Handbook, here.

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Graduate Assistantship Information

As a community, we value engaging in effective educational research and practice, and our students enact this value through coursework, graduate assistantships, research projects, and professional development opportunities.

Research, teaching, and practice-based experiences within our Higher Education concentration take several forms: (1) assistantships, (2) research projects, (3) independent studies, (4) supervised teaching, and other independent projects. Graduate assistantships are paid opportunities for part-time employment (15-20 hours per week) and are generally contracted for a minimum of an academic year. Many of these opportunities are made possible through our strong partnership with the Division of Academic and Student Affairs at NC State.

Students in the Higher Education concentration are not required to hold a graduate assistantship; however, most of our full-time students are interested and able to secure assistantships to help fund their graduate education while gaining valuable experience. There is not a separate application for obtaining a graduate assistantship; the Higher Education concentration assists in the matching process for students in the program.