Higher Education, PhD
The transformative power of higher education has never been more accessible, and colleges and universities have never experienced such rapid change. Prepare for whatever comes next.
Gain a New Perspective
Prepare for leadership in higher education with a doctorate that blends theory, research and real-world application. Learn from expert faculty and explore interdisciplinary approaches to today’s most pressing challenges. Whether your goal is university administration, faculty roles or policy work, you’ll graduate ready to lead and make an impact.
Boldly Balancing Borders
Doctoral student and parent, Karly Rakhimova, juggles classes, kids and culture as an international graduate student in the U.S. By embracing sleepless nights, adapting to unfamiliar systems—from tipping to credit cards—and leaning on family support, she’s thriving. Her journey illustrates how resilience and consistent effort transform challenges into growth—and inspire her children to bridge cultures and pursue world‑changing dreams.
UB’s deep partner network delivers meaningful hands-on experiences. Partnerships with Western New York’s 32 two- and four-year colleges and universities, several school districts and other educational settings provide extensive opportunities for research, practice and professional connections.
Our doctoral program in higher education leads to countless paths. GSE’s curriculum is flexible enough to allow you to pursue the route that interests you most. You’ll work closely with faculty and advisors as you concentrate on areas of special interest.
Multicultural competence is a must-have skill in today’s higher education landscape. GSE’s curriculum emphasizes issues of equity, diversity, justice and inclusion, ensuring that you become proficient in these skills.
Program Overview
| Academic credential granted | Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) |
|---|---|
| Credits required for completion | 72 |
| Time to completion | 4 to 5+ years |
| Location | On campus |
| Application deadline | January 1 |
Required Courses (15 credits)
- ELP 667 Pro-Seminar
- ELP 670 Advanced Doctoral Seminar: Postsecondary Students
- ELP 679 Academic Affairs in the Contemporary University
- ELP 615 Critical Race Theory
- ELP 618 Sociology of Higher Education OR ELP 517 Public Policy in Higher Education
Research Methods Courses (18-20 credits)
- Two quantitative methods courses (e.g. CEP 522 and 523)
- Two qualitative methods courses (e.g. ELP 593 and 594)
- Research Design (CEP 581)
- One additional qualitative or quantitative methods course to inform dissertation
Cognate/Minor Area (9 credits)
- You are required to develop a minor area in consultation with your faculty advisor.
Moving Toward Dissertation (9 credits)
- ELP 601 Higher Education Doctoral Qualifying Exam
- ELP 699 Research Practicum (resulting in significant research product, such as journal article or paper/presentation at a national conference)
- ELP 599 Writing Dissertation Proposals or and additional course that scaffolds the research process, chosen in consultation with your academic advisor
Dissertation Research (minimum 9 credits)
- 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.
Standardized Testing No Longer Required
To make the application process more equitable, the GRE/MAT is no longer required for admissions consideration. If you still plan to take the GRE/MAT exam, you can send your scores through the testing agency, and they will automatically be added to your application; however, they are not required for admission consideration to this program.
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.
- Contact information for three individuals (2 academic, 1 professional) who will each be asked to provide an electronic recommendation letter. If you have been out of school for a significant period of time, you should find recommenders who can best speak to your abilities to succeed in a PhD program.
- 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 interests and professional goals: This statement should address your academic and research background, your reasons for applying to this program, and your professional goals. Please be specific in explaining how the curriculum 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. We consider three to four double-spaced pages 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, 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. - Resume
Faculty Interview: After applications are submitted and reviewed, you may be offered an interview with the faculty.
Former/Birth Name: Please provide us with your former/birth name if you have one. When requesting transcripts, please ask the sending institution to indicate your current name and former/birth 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.
In-State Residency Tuition
To qualify for the in-state residency tuition rate, you must provide residency documentation indicating you have lived in New York State (NYS) 12 months before your semester start date.
If accepted, you will need to upload three documents to qualify for the in-state tuition rate. See Required Documents for Residency Application for more information.
International Applicant Additional Requirements
- Official original proof of your degree
- A copy of your passport biographical page
- Official test scores—dated within two years of submitting your application—for either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Academic Test, the PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic, or DET (Duolingo English Test). View the English Language Proficiency policy to find the minimum score required.
- Financial documentation: International graduate applicants must document their ability to pay for all costs incurred while studying in the U.S.
- An official bank statement
All financial forms and supporting documentation with required signatures must be uploaded with your application and dated within one year of your intended enrollment date.
Graduates go on to become:
- Senior college and university leaders
- Mid-career higher education administrators
- Faculty in higher education
- Researchers for local, state and federal education policy organizations
Assistant Professor
Educational Leadership And Policy
216 Foster Hall, South Campus
Buffalo, NY 14214
Email: rcreps@buffalo.edu
Research Areas: Educational Administration; Educational Leadership; Educational Policy; Higher Education; Legal Issues
Associate Professor
Educational Leadership And Policy
Research Areas: Access and Equity; Administration/Management; Economics of Education; Educational Change; Educational Leadership; Educational Policy; Equity and Poverty; Gamification; Higher Education; Leadership; Organizational Change; Program Evaluation; Quantitative Research Methods; Race, Inequality, and Education; Research Design; School Counseling; Sociology of Education; Urban Education
Associate Professor
Educational Leadership And Policy
Research Areas: Access and Equity; Achievement; Diversity; Educational Policy; Equity and Poverty; Ethnography; Gender, Culture, and Equity; Higher Education; Organizational Change; Qualitative Research Methods; Race, Inequality, and Education; Sociology of Education; Urban Education
Professor
Educational Leadership And Policy
Research Areas: student-parents; work-life integration; faculty and staff work; organizational change
Associate Professor
Educational Leadership And Policy
Foster Hall, South Campus
Buffalo, NY 14214
Email: srsantar@buffalo.edu
Research Areas: Access and Equity; Diversity; Higher Education; Immigrant Issues; Legal Issues; Race, Inequality, and Education
Assistant Professor
Educational Leadership And Policy
Research Areas: Access and Equity; Critical Policy Analysis; Cultural Competence and Humility; Discourse analysis; Diversity; Educational Change; Gender, Culture, and Equity; Higher Education; Meditation, Mental Health and Wellness; Mental Health; Mindfulness; Qualitative Research Methods; Quantitative Research Methods; Race, Inequality, and Education; Racism and AntiBlackness; Research Design; Social Justice; Wellness
Assistantships are available in a variety of areas that change from year to year. Compensation for positions ranges from hourly pay only to a stipend to tuition remission plus a stipend. Generally, assistantships require 20 hours of work per week.
The application process for assistantships is separate from the program admission process. Assistantship opportunities are posted for the following academic year in mid-January, from offices on campus such as Campus Living, Career Services, Student Engagement, Intercultural and Diversity Center, among others.
While assistantships are limited, new opportunities become available throughout summer and into the fall semester.
If you are accepted into the higher education (doctoral) or the higher education administration/student affairs administration (master’s) programs, check back here for updates on available positions and how to apply. Interviews for assistantships typically take place during the higher education program’s Open House and Assistantship Day (end of February/beginning of March). In addition to interviewing positions, you will have an opportunity to learn more about UB and the higher education program, network with current and accepted students, and meet program faculty. For those unable to come to campus for Assistantship Day, offices will conduct phone interviews, although we highly encourage you to attend in person, if possible.
Stephen Santa-Ramirez, PhD
Faculty Expertise
Stephen Santa-Ramirez is a scholar-practitioner-advocate whose research centers on the lives, knowledge and experiences of historically marginalized and economically neglected college students. Drawing on more than 15 years of administrative, teaching, research and public scholarship experience, he investigates campus climate, first-generation students’ transitions and sense of belonging, college student activism, faculty-student mentoring and the ways race, ethnicity, im/migration status and policy shape the experiences of undocumented collegians. His scholarship is grounded in critical, humanizing and student-centered frameworks, with a focus on supporting equity-centered change in higher education. In 2025, Santa-Ramirez received the Association for the Study of Higher Education Early Career Award, a national honor recognizing scholars whose work demonstrates exceptional promise, impact and commitment to equity in higher education.