Higher Education, PhD

ELP 501 Higher Education in the U.S.
ELP 502 Historical Bases of Higher Education
ELP 505 Organization and Governance
ELP 507 Financing of Higher Education
ELP 509 The American College Student
ELP 513 Cultural Diversity in Higher Education

A minimum of two courses is required in advanced quantitative research methods, preferably CEP 522 and CEP 523.

A minimum of one course is required in qualitative research methods.

At least one additional 3-credit advanced research methodology course in your dissertation area.

You are required to develop a minor area in consultation with your faculty advisor. Courses may be taken outside of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy or the Graduate School of Education.

You are encouraged to take electives in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy or in other departments. Electives change periodically, but may include:

ELP 500 Nature of Inquiry
ELP 503 Intercollegiate Athletics in Higher Education
ELP 508 Community/Junior College
ELP 510 College Access and Choice in the U.S.
ELP 511 Comparative Higher Education
ELP 512 Readings in Higher Education
ELP 514 Student Development Theory
ELP 528 Law and Higher Education
ELP 534 Critical Issues in Higher Education
ELP 566 Comparative and Global Studies in Education
ELP 686 Educational Transitions: P-20
ELP 687 Sociology of Higher Education
ELP 693 Multicultural Competence in Student Affairs

ELP 702 Dissertation Research

You must continue to register for ELP 702 until your dissertation is complete. A minimum of 3 credits per semester is preferred. Consult with your advisor prior to registration.

You must have a bachelor's and master's degree.

Submit your completed online application, which includes:

• Application fee: A $50 non-refundable application fee, submitted electronically through UB's ePayment system.
• Test Scores: Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) scores from tests taken within the last five years. For the GRE, please use Institution Code 2925 and Department Code 3001.
• Contact information for at least three individuals who will each be asked to provide an electronic recommendation letter.
• Unofficial transcripts from all colleges attended. (UB transcripts are automatically submitted for current UB students and alumni.)
• Sample of academic writing: A sample of your academic writing at least 10 pages long.
• Statement of Research Interest: The Statement of Research Interest should be a concise statement about your academic and research background and your reasons for applying to this program.  Please be specific in explaining how the course offerings and faculty expertise of this program fit your educational and career objectives.  Be sure to include the specific faculty you would like to work with and why.  This statement should be a separate attachment to your application that is different from your career objectives statement.  We consider 2-3 pages double-spaced as an appropriate length.
  
  Finding the right doctoral program requires that doctoral candidates specify and describe their research interests so they can evaluate whether there is a good fit between what they want to study and faculty research expertise. Start by reviewing our faculty directory and faculty web pages and once you are familiar with faculty research areas, read some of the faculty publications that you find most interesting. That will help you determine if there is a good fit between your scholarly interests and what our faculty members are currently researching. Everyone knows that grade point average, GRE scores, letters of reference, and relevant higher education experience are important in the decision-making process; however, alignment with faculty research interests and the academic program can often be a determining factor in admission decisions.
• Faculty Interview: After applications are submitted and reviewed, candidates may be offered an interview with the faculty.
  
• Professional Experience: We strongly prefer 3-5 years of professional experience post masters.

Former/Maiden Name: Please provide us with your former/maiden name if you have one. When requesting transcripts, please ask the sending institution to indicate your current name and former/maiden name.

Admission Decision: The admission decision will be communicated to you as soon as review is complete. The decision is based on a number of factors and is the result of a thorough and deliberate process. All decisions are final and cannot be appealed.