The PhD program in higher education is designed for individuals primarily interested in the scholarly inquiry and/or teaching of higher education as a field of study. The PhD in higher education is particularly appropriate to the following careers:
- Academic and research positions in graduate instructional programs of higher education, higher education institutes and centers for the study of higher education
- Applied and management research positions in institutions of higher learning, government agencies, consortia of higher education institutions and higher education professional associations
- Senior administrative positions in four-year colleges and universities where in-depth knowledge and understanding of the conceptual bases of higher education administration are required
Admission to the doctoral program in Higher Education is a two-step process. Each applicant must first apply to and meet the general admission requirements of UNT's Toulouse Graduate School.Then, applications for students who meet initial admission standards are forwarded to the College of Education for review and final decision.
Apply to Toulouse Graduate School
University of North Texas
Toulouse Graduate School
1155 Union Circle #305459 (USPS)
1147 Union Circle, ESSC Room 354 (UPS/FedEx)
Denton, TX 76203
Email: GradAdmission@unt.edu
Phone: 940.565.2383
Fax: 940.565.2414
- Submit official transcripts from each college or university you have attended to the Toulouse Graduate School.
- GRE score is optional.
Apply to Higher Education
Application Deadline
- March 1 for fall enrollment
- Oct. 1 for spring enrollment
- Completed the Application for Admission to the Doctoral Program in Higher Education
- Three professional recommendations — recommendation form
- Three professional recommendations are required, including at least one from a faculty member with whom you have studied or conducted research.
- A typewritten admissions essay that does not exceed 2 pages, addressing the following:
- Your reasons for pursuing a doctoral degree in higher education;
- Major area of interest in the field of higher education;
- Expectations regarding the program and career opportunities from the degree;
- Your immediate and long-range goals;
- Your work experience and previous scholarship as it relates to future career goals;
- Educational background as it relates to future career plans; and
- Personal uniqueness and how it contributes to the entering class and the program's reputation.
- A resume/curriculum vitae
- A sample of your best recent written work
- The writing sample can be a published journal article or book chapter, a research term paper, master’s thesis, or a professional report for which you are the sole or primary author.
Application materials can be returned to the Higher Education Program office in person, usps or via email to Shari.Wroe@unt.edu. Recommendations sent via email need to be submitted directly from the recommender.
UNT Higher Education Program
c/o Doctoral Admissions Coordinator
1155 Union Circle #310829
Denton, TX 76203-5017
The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application file reaches the Program Office in time to be processed by the application deadline. If a complete application file is not processed by the deadline, the applicant will not be considered for admission that semester.
Note: Students who have not been granted admission will be administratively dropped from any Higher Education courses for which they may have registered.
Invitation to Interview
Admission to doctoral study in Higher Education, both the EdD and PhD, is selective and restricted. Admission decisions are made on a holistic basis by the faculty.
After faculty review, applicants may receive an invitation to an individually scheduled interview or conference call. Upon completion of the interview, faculty will make a final decision regarding an applicant's admission to the doctoral program.
The PhD with a major in higher education requires a minimum of 72 hours (66 if the internship requirement is waived) beyond the master’s degree or 102 hours (96 if the internship requirement is waived) beyond the bachelor’s degree.
Higher education doctoral core, 18 hours
Provides the student with a broad overview and integrated perspective of higher education as a field of study and academic enterprise:
Minor or cognate area, 12 hours
The student completes a minor of at least 12 semester hours from courses outside the program of higher education, or a cognate field of 12 semester hours in an area of specialization in higher education. The student must work with his or her major professor to select the minor or cognate area.
Higher education elective course requirements, 6 hours
Courses are to be selected from the program’s course inventory and should enable the student to gain either a broader exposure to the various specializations in higher education or an in-depth knowledge of one particular area of specialization.
Internship, 6 hours
An administrative, research and/or teaching internship of 6 semester hours is required of all doctoral students. Internship may be waived for students who have been employed in a full-time administrative position, or a teaching or research position in an institution, agency or association of higher education for at least one academic year, or the equivalent as determined by the higher education faculty. Internships consist of at least 120 clock hours of closely supervised administrative work per 3 semester hours of credit and culminate with a written report of the internship experience. Research internships require the close supervision of the student’s research project by a graduate faculty member of the university and culminate in a publishable or presentable research paper. Teaching internships consist of at least 40 hours of supervised teaching per 3 semester hours of credit and culminate with a portfolio documenting the experience.
College of Education research core, 6 hours
The College of Education requires that each doctoral student complete
*Students who have not taken a master’s-level research course may need to take EPSY 5210 to meet the prerequisite for EPSY 6010. EPSY 5210 is not counted toward the degree.
Higher Education research requirement, 15 hours
Each PhD candidate must be competent in the modes of scholarly inquiry common to the major field of study. The higher education program requires PhD students to complete 6 hours of higher education program research core and 9 hours of advanced quantitative or qualitative research methodology beyond EPSY 6010 and EPSY 6020.
Higher Education program research core, 6 hours
The higher education program research core consists of a series of two courses that must be taken in sequence and in consecutive semesters. This series is designed to help students strengthen their skills in conducting higher education research and in preparing for doctoral dissertation research. Prerequisites include the College of Education research core (EPSY 6010 and EPSY 6020) and 30 hours completed in the higher education program.
Advanced research methodology, 9 hours
PhD students are required to take at least 9 hours of advanced quantitative or qualitative research course work beyond EPSY 6010 and EPSY 6020. Students must work with their major professor to select courses that will equip them for dissertation research.
Dissertation research requirement, minimum of 9 hours
The principal goal of the PhD dissertation is the demonstration of the student’s ability to conduct independent research. The research design must be congruent with the modes of inquiry used in conducting research on higher education and must be a report of independent research with a strong theoretical foundation. Moreover, the dissertation must be of publishable quality. No dissertation enrollment is permitted until the student passes the doctoral qualifying exam. Only 9 semester hours of dissertation credit are applied to the degree program, even though more dissertation hours may be accumulated. Please check university policy on the requirement of continuous enrollment.
Doctoral dissertation committee
Each PhD student must select a dissertation committee prior to taking the doctoral qualifying exam. The dissertation committee consists of a minimum of four graduate faculty members including a major professor. At least two members of the committee must be full-time Higher Education Program faculty. The major professor must be full-time higher education program faculty with full UNT Graduate Faculty status. The third member must be external to the higher education program. The fourth member can be either full-time higher education faculty, affiliate higher education faculty, or someone external to the program. Students who have a minor are encouraged to select the external member from the minor field. Students should consult with their major professor to form the dissertation committee. Please check the university and college dissertation committee policies for other requirements.
Additional information
Minimum grade requirement
All courses required and used toward the doctoral degree with a major in higher education must be passed with a grade of B or better.
Residency requirement
All doctoral students at UNT are required to complete the residency requirement prior to taking the doctoral qualifying exam. The residency requirement consists of two consecutive semesters at UNT with a minimum of 9 graduate hours in each term or three consecutive semesters with a minimum of 6 graduate hours in each term. The summer semester may be excluded for the purpose of determining consecutive semesters.
Doctoral qualifying exam
Doctoral qualifying exam Students who have met the residency requirement and completed all course work on the degree plan (exclusive of dissertation) with a grade of B or better will be allowed to take the doctoral qualifying exam.
Students who have:
- met the residency requirement.
- are in the last 6 hours or less of course work (exclusive of dissertation)
- will complete these hours in the current semester.
- have completed all doctoral core courses and the higher education program research core
may take the doctoral qualifying exam in that semester with permission from the major professor. The higher education program doctoral qualifying exam includes written and oral components. Students who fail any part of the exam twice will be automatically dismissed from the program. Students who pass the doctoral qualifying exam are admitted to candidacy.
Estimate tuition and fees by using the Tuition Calculators. For more information about tuition plan options, fees, and tuition, see Student Financial Services.
Financial Aid
Scholarships funded by the department, the College of Education and the graduate school are available to help you pursue your graduate education.
Full-time and part-time higher education students in the standard format master's program and the doctoral programs may be considered for graduate assistantships in student affairs and other areas of higher education administration. Learn more about the Graduate Assistant Program
Information about other financial assistance can be found at the graduate school site or the financial aid site.
Applying for financial aid
- Apply for financial aid online at fafsa.gov. The application is required for all types of financial aid, including Pell and other federal grants, state grants and loans. The FAFSA and Renewal FAFSA are available annually.
- You must enroll in 6 hours (over one or two online sessions) in order to be eligible for financial aid.
- Financial aid awards will be disbursed 10 days prior to the first day of class. Awards will not disburse if you are enrolled in only 3 credit hours.
- Contact Student Financial Aid and Scholarships at 940-565-2302 or by visiting online at financialaid.unt.edu
