EDPA Ph.D.: Higher Education Curriculum
Departmental Core (22 credits)
All Ph.D. students complete the departmental core. The departmental core is a set of prescribed courses that provides Ph.D. students with a common base of knowledge. It is expected that students will complete all of the department core courses during their first year of graduate study. Students should consult with advisers about the appropriate time to register for each course.
Professional socialization seminar
- OLPD 8011 [Formerly EDPA 8011]—Doctoral Research Seminar (1 cr) [taken fall term of first year]
Research courses (15 credits minimum)
- OLPD 8015 [Formerly EDPA 8015]—Research Design and Educational Policy (3 cr) [taken spring term of first year]
- Quantitative course to be determined by student and adviser (3 cr; inside or outside department)
- Qualitative course to be determined by student and adviser (3 cr; inside or outside department)
- 6 credits of additional methods courses to be determined by student and adviser
Focal area courses (6 credits in one of the following areas; taken anywhere at U of M with adviser approval)
- Organizational theory and leadership
- Policy and evaluation
- International education
- Social and cultural foundations
- Equity and diversity
Program Core (21 credits)
- OLPD 5701 [Formerly EDPA 5701]—U.S. Higher Education (3 cr)
- OLPD 5704 [Formerly EDPA 5704]—College Students Today (3 cr)
- OLPD 8702 [Formerly EDPA 8702]—Administration and Leadership in Higher Education (3 cr)
- OLPD 8703 [Formerly EDPA 8703]—Public Policy in Higher Education (3 cr)
- EDPA Electives (9 cr minimum; must be focused on Higher Education and approved by adviser)
Additional Course Work (12 or more credits)
In Supporting Program or Minor Field of Study: to meet the requirement for 12 credits outside of OLPD.
In OLPD: to enhance program if the 12 credit outside course requirement has been met through methodology courses above.
Supporting Program/Minor
The supporting program or minor field of study provides in-depth course work in other departments that directly supports the dissertation area (OLPD courses in other programs in the Department are not considered as supporting program courses). In addition, this course work is used by the student to focus on individual interests and professional goals. Although the two options (supporting program or minor) are formally distinct, they are similar in structure and purpose. The supporting program consists of courses from one or more related disciplines or fields of study outside the student’s program. Students should discuss with their advisers the possible use of appropriate master’s degree credits in the supporting program. Up to 18 semester credits from previous graduate degree work may be applied; some program have conditions for those transfer credits.
Additional OLPD Courses
If students have fulfilled some or all of the 12 outside credits requirement through the research methodology courses in other departments, students may elect to take additional credits of coursework in the Department to enhance their major program. Students should consult with their adviser in the selection of the additional 12 credits of coursework.
Thesis Credits (24 credits)
All students are required to register for 24 semester thesis credits after completing the preliminary oral exam. The 24 credits must be taken over two or more terms.
- OLPD 8888 [Formerly EDPA 8888]—Thesis Credits: Doctoral
Total Ph.D. credits required=79 credits
Revised November 2011