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Higher Education Leadership

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The Doctor of Education with a concentration in Higher Education Leadership is designed specifically or practicing and aspiring educators, trainers, and staff developers working with adult learners. This concentration fosters the development of leadership skills to administer higher education programs and institutions through self-reflection, analysis, and best practices used to solve real problems in the workplace through practical application. The program focuses on providing broad knowledge of social, political, and economic forces at work in society, as well as developing leaders that can meet both current and future leadership challenges in higher education.

The primary goal of the concentration in Higher Education Leadership is to prepare students for leadership and lifelong learning in the field of higher education. The doctoral program combines theory and practice with the goal of equipping its graduates with an in-depth knowledge of key leadership skills such as applied research, problem-solving, systems thinking, social intelligence, professional development, and higher order cognitive skills.

The graduates of the Higher Education Leadership concentration will be expected to serve as leaders in improving the academic and administrative performance of colleges and universities by modeling visionary leadership, using action research to drive continuous improvement, creating a collaborative decision-making culture, carrying out environmental scans, conducting program evaluations, and identifying and addressing educational challenges of the global economy.

Who Should Apply

  • Practicing or aspiring educators, trainers, and staff developers in public and private colleges and universities, hospitals, government, religious organizations, the military, and private corporations; OR
  • Individuals with master’s degrees or above who wish to obtain a doctoral degree in education and increase their knowledge and skills in higher education administration and leadership; OR
  • Individuals considering a Ph.D. in higher education leadership who would instead like to explore the benefits of an Ed.D. in higher education leadership program

The following are specific admission requirements for entry into the Doctor of Education programs. Please refer to the admissions application or catalog for specific program admission requirements and information for international students.

  • Completed online application for admission, including ($50) nonrefundable application fee
  • An official transcript from a regionally accredited institution indicating a conferred master’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.0, and official final transcripts from all institutions of higher education (community colleges, bachelor’s programs, post-graduate programs)
  • Professional letters of recommendation from two (2) individuals who can attest to the applicant’s ability to succeed in a doctoral program
  • A test score report* from one of the following exams showing that the applicant received
    • Miller Analogies Test (MAT): Raw score of 37 (scaled score 391–396) on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT)

OR

    • Graduate Record Examination (GRE): For tests taken prior to August 1, 2011, a combined score of 1000 on the verbal and quantitative sections; for tests taken on or after August 1, 2011 a combined score of 300 on the verbal and quantitative sections.

*The test must have been taken within the past five years.

  • Completed Personal Statement of Goals
  • Completed Transfer of Credits form if applicable

FOR NON-NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS

Applicants whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate English proficiency by providing proof of a minimum score of 213 on the computer-based or 550 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam or 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam.

HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP COURSE OF STUDY

(54 CREDITS MINIMUM)

 

CONCENTRATION AREA COURSES (24 CREDITS)

*Denotes required course that will be offered blended and online

Course Number Course Title and Description Credits
EDD 8200 Leadership, Communication, and Technology 3
HEL 8300 The Faces of 21st Century Higher Education Institutions 3
HEL 8310 Student Affairs in Higher Education 3
HEL 8320 Planning, Budgeting, and Financing of Institutional Resources 3
HEL 8330 Governance, Ethics, and the Law of Higher Education 3
HEL 8340 Leading the Academic Mission of Today’s Colleges & Universities 3
HEL 8350 Politics and External Relations of Higher Education 3
HEL 8360 Comparative Higher Education 3

RESEARCH COURSES (12 CREDITS)

Required Courses

Course Number Course Title and Description Credits
RES 8100 The Nature of Knowing: Epistemology and Inquiry-Based Learning (Required Course) 3
RES 9300 Methods of Inquiry (Required Course) 3

Please select ONE of the following research tracks based on your dissertation (please consult your RES 9300 professor and your dissertation chair prior to registering):

Quantitative Research Track

Course Number Course Title and Description Credits
RES 8911 Quantitative Research Design 3
RES 8921

Quantitative Data Analysis

 3

Qualitative Research Track

Course Number Course Title and Description Credits
RES 8916 Qualitative Research Design 3
RES 8926

Qualitative Data Analysis

 3

APPLIED DISSERTATION (12 CREDITS)

The Applied Dissertation is a detailed, accurate, and cohesive account of a scholarly investigation designed to answer one or more research questions. It is required of all FCE doctoral students and its purpose is to improve practice in education and human services. The dissertation process consists of a total of 12 credits encompassing four major benchmarks.

Course Number Course Title and Description Credits
DISR 8966 Applied Dissertation 1: Prospectus 3
DISR 8967 Applied Dissertation 2: Proposal Development 3
DISR 8968 Applied Dissertation 3: Proposal 3
DISR 8969 Applied Dissertation 4: Applied Dissertation 3

ELECTIVES (MINIMUM OF 6 CREDITS)

Students will fulfill this requirement by selecting from a variety of courses.

 

SUMMER INSTITUTE (0 CREDITS)

Summer Institute is an opportunity for students to meet with Fischler College classmates, professors, and staff on-campus in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Students will be able to schedule individual sessions with their applied dissertation committee chairs to discuss dissertation work and with representatives from various service areas, including distance library services, student financial assistance, and program advising. The conference will also offer applied dissertation workshops enabling students to learn valuable information about the dissertation process, as well as roundtable sessions affording students the opportunity to present their dissertation work to a group of peers and receive immediate feedback.

Course Number Course Title and Description Credits
FSC 8000

Summer Institute Institute (Residency Requirement)        

 0

EXTENDED DISSERTATION SERVICES (0 CREDITS)

Beginning the 37th month of the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program, students will enroll in ADS 8091, Applied Dissertation Services, in order to receive dissertation services and support from Dissertation Committee Chairs and/or other NSU faculty and staff. In cases where students are not enrolled in any classes prior to the 37th month and where Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) students require support from Dissertation Chairs and/or other NSU faculty and staff, ADS 8090 may be used to satisfy Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements for continuous matriculation.

Course Number Course Title and Description Credits
ADS 8091 Applied Dissertation Services 1

*Note: Students must be registered for ADS 8091 to be eligible for continuing services.

 

ACADEMIC PROGRAM OF STUDY

DOWNLOAD PROGRAM OUTLINE

 

RECOMMENDED 3-YEAR PROGRAM SEQUENCE

DOWNLOAD PLAN

 

Click on the button below to download the Course Equivalencies/Substitutions for the Higher Education Leadership Concentration

Course Equivalencies/Substitutions

For advising assistance, please send an email to FCEadvise@nova.edu.

Coursework for the Doctor of Education is available online, which allows international students and those who don't live near our South Florida campus to receive and submit coursework, and interact with classmates and professors, via the Internet. This distance education option allows busy professionals like you to earn your degree without work disruption or long commutes.

In addition to coursework, all doctoral students are required to participate in The EDGE @ Fischler Institute in Florida.

The Summer Institute is an intensive conference designed to give doctoral students the tools and support they need to complete their doctoral program. Students must attend one Summer Institute. 

LEARN MORE

 

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.® has verified the following course sequence as meeting the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the current  Board Certified Behavior Analyst Examination® (BCBA®).

NSU will be offering the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s (BACB) 4th Edition Verified Course Sequence (VCS) until the end of the Summer 2021 semester. A new VCS (or concentration), consisting of the BACB’s 5th Edition Task list, will begin in the Fall 2020 semester. This new course sequence has been verified by the Association for Behavior Analysis International as meeting BCBA certification exam eligibility requirements on or after January 1, 2022. 

For those students interested in learning and understanding the changes to certification requirements, please visit the BACB website: https://www.bacb.com/. It is strongly recommended that you register with the BACB (at https://gateway.bacb.com/Account/Login.aspx) to receive BACB newsletters. These newsletters contain the latest changes regarding certification standards as well as other pertinent information.

Click here for more information about BCBA examination pass rate. Please note, pass-rate data are not published for sequences with fewer than six first-time candidates in a single year or for sequences within their first four years of operation.

*Please be advised that students completing the Applied Behavioral Analysis concentration cannot be placed in practicum sites within the states of California, North Carolina and New York due to state licensure regulations.

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