In Summer 2024, Michigan State University will offer the Ed.D. in Leadership for Equity-Minded Change in Postsecondary Education. The three-year, on-campus and cohort-style program is intended for working educators who aspire to leadership roles in higher education.
“Higher education is changing rapidly. The sector faces numerous challenges, including tough questions about value and purposes from the public and from governments,” said Professor Brendan Cantwell, who will direct the program. “We also need to be inclusive and supportive of increasingly diverse student populations. We designed this program to prepare the next generation of higher education leaders to address these and other emerging challenges.”
The educational doctorate (Ed.D.) program adds to the MSU College of Education’s repertoire of renowned programs built on evidence-based research and practices and led by nationally and internationally recognized scholars. Faculty from the college’s Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education (HALE) Ph.D. program will also serve as faculty in the new Ed.D. program. MSU is ranked #2 in the country for higher education administration, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Program structure
Though the Ed.D. in Leadership for Equity-Minded Change and the Ph.D. in HALE share several core courses, their outcomes differ. The HALE program is for those who aspire to an educational research-focused role, while the Ed.D. will serve students who aspire to leadership roles in higher education.
With this in mind, the Ed.D. was constructed for the working professional.
Its cohort design will bring a small group of students together for the three-year program to learn and grow in concert with one another.
It will also allow students to draw from and build upon their current expertise and integrate insights gained from research and scholarship into their roles. All academic coursework is concentrated on Tuesday afternoons and evenings to work around work schedules.
The Ed.D. will culminate in a dissertation of practice – an applied research project that addresses an urgent need in higher education practice – rather than a traditional Ph.D. dissertation.
“The Ed.D. in Leadership for Equity-Minded Change in Postsecondary Education is a one-of-a-kind program,” Cantwell added. “We will prepare leaders to meet the challenges facing higher education today and into the future.”
Applications for the Ed.D. in Leadership for Equity-Minded Change in Postsecondary Education are open until January 8, 2024. Join the inaugural cohort of future leaders.