The Ed.D. program consists of 69 credit hours including 24 credits of core courses, 9 credits of research methods,
21 credits of electives, and 15 credits of dissertation research.

The initial program of study at the doctoral level is developed with the student’s primary and secondary academic advisors.
The dissertation topic is determined in conjunction with the student’s dissertation chair. Students who have completed an
M.A. in Higher Education Administration at GW within the past five years may complete an Ed.D. degree with 36
additional semester hours and 12 credits of dissertation research.

I. Foundation of Eight Core Courses (24 credits)
• EDUC 273 Foundations of College Student Development
• EDUC 283 Higher Education in the U.S.
• EDUC 284 Administration of Higher Education
• EDUC 290 Leadership in Higher Education
• EDUC 301 Advanced Seminar: Ideas, Issues, and Practices in Education
• EDUC 353 Seminar in Higher Education
• EDUC 374 Current Issues in Higher Education
• EDUC 381 Curriculum in Colleges and Universities
Qualifying examination administered upon completion of the foundation courses.

2. Research Methods Sequence of at Least 3 Courses (9 credits)
• EDUC 302 Quantitative Methods III
• EDUC 307 Qualitative Methods
• An additional research methods course appropriate for the methodology
to be used in the student’s research-based dissertation.

3. Electives (21 credits)
• EDUC 378 Financing Higher Education (strongly recommended)
• EDUC 380 Legal Issues in Higher Education (strongly recommended)
• Five electives selected by each Cohort offered during the 2nd year of coursework.

4. Dissertation Research (15 credits)
• EDUC 390 Pre-Dissertation Seminar (3 credits)
• EDUC 391 Dissertation Research (12 or more credits)

Comprehensive examination administered at the completion of coursework
and upon establishment of a dissertation foundation.

Once a student has completed 54 credit hours and passed the Comprehensive Examination, the 15-credit hours of dissertation research begins.