Skip to main navigation | Skip to content | Skip to utility navigation
Capella University
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

PHD Doctor of Philosophy in Education Leadership for Higher Education specialization

Courses

Total program credits needed for graduation: 120

Core Courses

16 course quarter credits.

ED8002
Foundations of Theory and Practice in Doctoral Studies (4 quarter credits)
ED8112
Educational Research Methods (4 quarter credits)
ED8102
Introduction to Qualitative Research (4 quarter credits)
ED8122
Statistics for Educational Research 1* (4 quarter credits)

Specialization Courses

40 course quarter credits.

ED7540
Leadership in Higher Education (4 quarter credits)
ED7546
Human Resources in Higher Education (4 quarter credits)
ED7547
Assessment in Higher Education (4 quarter credits)
ED7818
The Future of Teaching and Learning: Issues for the Educational Leader (4 quarter credits)
ED7212
Administration and Leadership of Distance Education Programs (4 quarter credits)
ED7834
Higher Education and the Law (4 quarter credits)
ED8447
Advanced Funding and Managing Education Enterprises (4 quarter credits)
ED7840
The Politics of Higher Education (4 quarter credits)
ED7841
The History of Higher Education (4 quarter credits)
ED7855
Higher Education Administration (4 quarter credits)

Ten Elective Courses

40 course quarter credits.

Recommended elective courses

ED7106
Curriculum Development (4 quarter credits)
ED7703
Student Development Challenges and Successes (4 quarter credits)
ED7713
Student Advising and Retention (4 quarter credits)
ED7800
Grant Writing for Higher Education (4 quarter credits)
ED8111
The Historical and Social Foundations of Education (4 quarter credits)
ED8123
Statistics for Educational Research 2* (4 quarter credits)

OR

Choose any graduate courses.

Comprehensive Examination and Dissertation Coursework

24 course quarter credits. Upon completion of required coursework:

ED9919
Doctoral Comprehensive Examination* (4 quarter credits)

Learners must enroll in ED9960 a minimum of four times to fulfill their specialization requirements.

ED9960
Dissertation Courseroom (5 quarter credits each)

*This course has a prerequisite. Contact an enrollment counselor or refer to the course descriptions for more information.

Residency Requirement

To support your academic and professional success, residential colloquia provide learning and community-building experiences in a stimulating scholarly environment. For this specialization, you must complete three four-day colloquia (ED-R8921, ED-R8922, ED-R8923).

To learn more, call 1.866.933.5981 or email an enrollment counselor.

Transfer Credits

There are many ways to reduce tuition costs, including transferring credits which can help save time and money. You can transfer up to 48 credits into this specialization.

Sign Up for a Free One-Week Mini Course

Learn more about our online learning experience with a free one-week mini course.

Take a Single Course

You can enroll in any of our online courses without committing to a degree program. Simply sign up for a single course today — whether you're interested in a specific topic or just want to see if online learning is right for you. We recommend speaking first with an enrollment counselor to discuss your goals and ensure the credits you earn now can be applied to a degree program later.

To learn more, call 1.866.933.5981 or email an enrollment counselor.