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Ed.D. Community College Leadership

Our Community College Leadership Ed.D. program is designed to prepare higher education professionals to advance in a variety of administrative positions within the community college environment. This online degree emphasizes applied practice and action-based research, giving midcareer professionals the edge to move ahead. The Ed.D. in Higher Education specializing in Community College Leadership consists of 54 credit hours beyond the master's degree and is designed to be completed within three years. Students will take two courses per semester. Summer courses are blended format to foster connections with faculty and other students. Fall and spring courses are delivered online. The cumulating experience for the program is a Dissertation of Practice (12 credit hours) that takes an innovative practice-based problem approach to research.
Real-world Learning
In our program, you'll enjoy a community of practitioners and scholars actively pursuing educational research. You'll engage in learning opportunities through coursework focused on theory-to-practice and inquiry-based educational practices.
Application Process
Our Higher Education Community College Leadership program admits students for summer only. Completed applications with all supporting credentials (including letters of recommendation) are due no later than March 1.
You'll need to submit the following:
- Application
- Written statement of goals
- Three letters of recommendation
- Official transcripts
- Résumé/CV.
Note: No GRE required. Three years of higher education experience related to the community college context required.
You are highly encouraged to set up an individual meeting with our academic counselor Danae Miesbauer or to attend an information session.
Are you ready to become a leader in community colleges? Are you eager to learn how to help others improve in their professional endeavors or to prepare for new roles in our world?
Acceptance of Admissions
Once you have been admitted to the program you'll need to accept admission via MyNIU as well as respond to the department by the deadline indicated in your acceptance letter.
Waitlist
Due to limited space in all of our programs, applicants may be placed on a waiting list. If admitted students decline and spots open up, students on the waiting list will be offered a spot in the program on a rolling basis. If you have been waitlisted and have questions about the timeline or your prospects of being accepted into the program, please contact our academic counselor Danae Miesbauer at dmiesbauer@niu.edu or program coordinator Gudrun Nyunt, Ph.D. at gnyunt@niu.edu.
Our practice-based curriculum is designed for higher education professionals seeking career advancement in various administrative positions across community colleges. Our program is ideal for all higher education professionals, working in a variety of areas across the institution, including:
- Student affairs
- Academic administration
- Enrollment management
- Operations and administration
- Faculty and instructors
Experience a flexible learning environment. Our online classes, combined with a one-week on-site course at NIU Naperville each summer, allows you to earn your degree in three years. Each summer, you'll take two hybrid courses that require a one week face-to-face meeting.
The course will meet Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. with a one hour break. Build relationships throughout the program and beyond. Our program provides you with opportunities to network, collaborate and learn with a small cohort of fellow practitioners. When you graduate, you will join our strong alumni network, which includes top administrators at community colleges throughout our region.
Ed.D in Higher Education Specialization in Community College Leadership
Prospective students: courses for summer 2021 will be held synchronously online on Monday, June 14 through Friday, June 18 due to pre-cautions and restrictions of COVID-19.
The first course will be held online synchronously from 8:30 a.m.-noon and the second course will be held online synchronously from 1-4:30 p.m.
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HESA 799*: Dissertation of Practice |
*HESA 799 is a variable credit course offered in fall and spring terms. Minimum of 12 credits required to graduate. Dissertation may take two to five terms depending on topic and data collection timeline. Students should be aware that faculty are off-contract over the summer; students are encouraged to do independent work to keep their dissertation project moving forward.
Upcoming Events
Contact Us
Danae Miesbauer
Academic Counselor
Department of Counseling and Higher Education
815-753-1306
dmiesbauer@niu.edu