Ed. D. Higher Ed Concentration | Education Policy and Practice

Like the K-12 concentration, the Higher Education concentration is designed for “scholar-practitioners” who are committed to understanding not only scholarship and theory but also practical application.

Many graduate students in our Higher Education concentration have working experience in student affairs, admissions, faculty affairs, executive leadership, and other roles within their institutions. They’ve built successful and rewarding careers and are now looking to take the next step in their professional journeys.

Working in higher education is one of the most fulfilling careers you can pursue. There are many unique challenges in our sector, but spending your time creating positive student experiences, a strong campus culture, and successful outcomes after graduation is exciting and rewarding.

Most people who work in higher education and are interested in advanced degrees already understand the benefits of this field, which is why they’ve committed themselves to reaching a higher level of academic and professional achievement.

By enrolling in our doctoral program, higher education professionals like you receive an invaluable opportunity to learn more about education policy and leadership and how they can make an impact. This program is designed to help you thrive in advanced leadership positions so that you can influence policy change at a greater level.

Graduates of the Higher Education Leadership and Policy program are ready to make an immediate impact in the field of higher education. Alumni are currently serving in a variety of leadership roles in areas such as student success, admissions, and policy research including:

Associate Dean, Duke University Divinity School
Director of Campus Success, University of North Georgia
Senior Associate Dean, Program Development, Georgetown University
Director of Admissions, Skidmore College
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Higher Education, US Department of Education
Executive Director, Equity and Compliance, Georgia Tech University
Senior Director of Student Services, Vanderbilt University Athletics
Senior Consultant, Higher Education, Deloitte
Director of International Center, University of Michigan

The challenges facing higher education are always evolving, but ultimately the priority is always the same: delivering valuable educational programs that help students achieve their personal and professional goals.

The Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership and Policy is designed to help graduates tackle modern higher education policy issues without losing sight of that core mission.

Courses offered through the program will help graduates gain a unique balance of theoretical knowledge and practical skills that make them invaluable in the workplace.

Classes meet in person on specified weekends each semester, starting on Friday evening, which helps our students balance their studies with their full-time jobs and other commitments.

The Higher Education concentration follows the cohort model, so you can work closely with your fellow students and create a unique community of passionate education leaders. We often hear that this is one of the most rewarding parts of the program because you’ll form bonds with your fellow graduate students and enjoy a diversity of opinions, backgrounds, and experiences.

The capstone is the culminating project, in which our scholar-practitioners engage in original empirical research around an existing program for a client organization.
The curriculum includes leadership and organizational change; social context and equity in school systems; policy, history, and governance; college and university finance; faculty and student affairs; postsecondary access; organizing for improvement; and research methods.

Here is a sample selection of courses you may take as part of this program:
- EHLP 8110 Advanced Leadership Theory and Behavior
- HLP 8230 Advanced Nature and Function of Higher Education
- EHLP 8140 Social Context of Educational Leadership and Policy
- HLP 9310 College and University Finance
- HLP 8250 Advanced Postsecondary Access
- HLP 8220 Public Policy and Higher Education
- HLP 8240 The College Student: Advanced
- HLP 8210 College and University Management
- EHLP 9340 International Comparative Issues in Education
- HLP 9500 Education Law
- EHLP 9992 Capstone Experience
View our full course curriculum
Kelly Slay
Assistant Professor of Higher Education and Public Policy
Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations

Professor Slay’s research examines issues of race, diversity, and equity in higher education and has been published in journals such as Teachers College Record, the Review of Higher Education, and Educational Policy. In 2022, her work on affirmative action in higher education admissions was referenced by social science scholars seeking to influence the Supreme Court. You can read more about her role in those cases here.

Meet our world-class faculty

Ed.D., Higher Education Leadership and Policy:

Higher Education Concentration

Our doctor of education program in Leadership and Policy offers two concentrations: K-12 Education and Higher Education.

What Can You Do with an Ed.D. in Higher Education Policy?

The Ed.D. Program at Peabody:

Learn More about the Higher Education Concentration

Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Policy: K-12 Concentration

Vanderbilt Peabody College of Education and Human Development