University of Maryland

Higher Education, Student Affairs, & International Education Policy--Higher Education Concentration, Ph.D.

Housed within the Higher Education, Student Affairs, and International Education (HESI) program at the University of Maryland, the Higher Education Concentration (HEC) is designed to prepare graduate students for faculty positions, leadership positions in higher education administration, and policy analysis. Students benefit from a strong emphasis in the curriculum on diversity, organizational change and leadership in higher education; on the development of research skills and knowledge, and from internship experiences at the University of Maryland, other campuses in the region, state and federal government agencies, and in D.C. associations and policy- making organizations. HEC prepares individuals to understand the organizational, social, political, economic, and cultural contexts of colleges and universities so that policy makers and campus leaders might be informed to better serve the public good. 

Please click here for more information. 

For more information visit the graduate admission requirements webpage. Select an area of interest from the various offerings in the College of Education to determine the admission requirements and deadlines.  If you are unsure of your area of interest you may request information by submitting an Inquiry Form

Please be advised that higher education, student affairs, and international education policy are all separate concentrations that require separate applications.

 

Please refer to the Guide to Applying for instructions on how to apply for graduate admission. If you have questions or concerns, we ask you to first review our list of Frequently Asked Questions.  International applicants should visit the International admissions webpage for additional information.  For questions about the application process, or to check on the completion of your application please contact:

Judy Foster, Coordinator of Graduate Admissions
Office of Student Services, College of Education
(301) 405-2359                  

After you apply for graduate admission you may check your application status by logging into the online graduate application using your user name and password.  Graduate faculty in the Academic Department you applied to will review your completed application for graduate admission.  Questions regarding application reviews and decision recommendations should be directed to Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education (CHSE).  Please contact:

Carol Scott, Coordinator of Graduate Studies
Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education
(301) 405-8384

Please contact the Office of Student Services, ed-advising@umd.edu, or (301) 405-2364.

 
Higher Education Flyer
The Higher Education concentration of the Higher Education, Student Affairs, and International Education Policy Program invites you to attend a virtual information session on Zoom hosted by current students and faculty. 
 
Higher Education Information Sessions for Fall 2023 application cycle

Tuesday, October 10h, 7:00-8:00 PM EST Zoom 
Monday, November 6th, 7:00-8:00 PM EST Zoom
 

The program is accepting applications for the Ph.D and M.A cohorts entering Fall 2024. 
 
Please RSVP at go.umd.edu/heinfosession. Once your RSVP is received, you will be sent Zoom information. Please reach out to Kahlea Khabir (Admissions Coordinator) khabir@umd.edu with any questions.

Academic advisement for graduate students is provided by the graduate faculty in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education (CHSE).   For advising information, please contact the Coordinator of Graduate Studies, Carol Scott at (301) 405-8384 or cscott18@umd.edu.

For a list of the College of Education Scholarship opportunities visit:  /admissions/ financial-aid-scholarships

For information about additional funding opportunities, including the Graduate School Fellowship and Graduate Assistantship availability visit:  https://gradschool.umd.edu/funding/fellowship-information.    

For information about other student financial aid, review the Office of the Student Financial Aid website.

Doctoral Program

Ph.D. students are required to take a minimum of 90 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree, some of which may be satisfied by prior study in a master’s program.  In addition to the core and elective courses, this program includes 12 to 15 credits in research methods, an internship, and 12 credits of dissertation research.  Average completion is five years if enrolled full time.

Required Core Courses - 9 credits

EDCP 870 Doctoral First-Year Seminar (3 credits)

EDHI 672 Modes of Inquiry in Education Research (3 credits)

EDHI 895 Research Critique Seminar (3 credits)

Research Methods Courses - 12 credits

At least 3 credits of which are quantitative, at least 3 credits of which are qualitative and two additional research courses. 

Cognate Courses - Up to 24 credits

Courses in support field (Master's degree or electives)

Domain Knowledge - 18 credits

Disciplinary Perspectives - 15 credits

Disciplinary courses will be selected from Department, College, and University offerings to meet the individual needs of the student.

Dissertation research – 12 credits

EDHI 899

Total credits beyond Bachelor's Degree – 90

Please view our Higher Education Concentration 2022 Handbook for more details on curriculum requirements. 

 

Dr. Marvin Titus, Concentration Coordinator (mtitus@umd.edu)

Dr. Sharon Fries-Britt, Admissions Coordinator (sfries@umd.edu)

Ashley Ogwo, Graduate Assistant (aogwo@umd.edu)

Kahlea Khabir, Staff Admissions Coordinator (khabir@umd.edu)

Carol Scott, Coordinator (cscott18@umd.edu)

Academic deadlines are provided by the Office of the Registrar for the academic year. Students should refer to the deadlines listed in Important Dates  prior to the beginning of the degree completion semester.  

Students should check with their Department or Program for any deadlines it may have.  Please contact:

Carol Scott, Coordinator of Graduate Studies
Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education
(301) 405-8384

Marvin Titus, Concentration Coordinator 

Alberto Cabrera 

Sharon Fries-Britt

KerryAnn O'Meara

Jeongeun Kim

Awilda Rodriguez

HANDBOOKS

Visit the Department of Counseling, High Education and Special Education program handbooks and forms page.

The Graduate Student Life Handbook provides information on academics, campus resources, finances, health, job opportunities, and information on how to get involved as a graduate student. 

POLICY

Graduate students in the College of Education are responsible for meeting University and the Graduate School policy, and for meeting Program requirements.   The Graduate Catalog  is the official listing of Policies governing graduate education at the University of Maryland.  The schedule adjustment policy is available from the Office of the Registrar and provides information on adding and dropping courses, penalties, and refund schedules.

FORMS

Graduate students are required to submit various forms at specific points in the program and as part of the degree clearance process.  Please refer to Steps Toward Graduation to determine the steps and forms that are required. Current graduate students, please visit the Graduate Studies forms webpage.