Program Overview
Program temporarily not accepting new applications for admissions.
College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
Site: Greeley
Mode: In-person
Start term: Program is not admitting new students
Program Coordinator: Tucker Gardiner, Ph.D.
Location: McKee 418
Telephone: 970.351.2861
Email: HESAL@unco.edu
Website: www.unco.edu/cebs/leadership-policy-development-higher-education-p12-education/higher-education-student-affairs-leadership/
The HESAL Ph.D. is a 64 credit hour program that integrates social justice and empirical research throughout the inquiry-based curriculum. The program offers students the opportunity to focus studies on leadership, college student development, higher education culture and diversity, and organizations and policy in both student affairs and broader higher education contexts. Opportunities are provided for practical experiences under the mentorship of experienced higher education leaders. Students are admitted as a cohort group, with expectations that they will engage in collaborative research and other scholarly endeavors early in the doctoral program.
Admission
General Doctoral Degree Admission Requirements
Students must hold a master's degree in higher education, college student affairs, or a related field from an accredited institution and have two years of successful work experience in an institution of higher education. SRM 600 or an equivalent introduction to graduate research course, is required for admission. The program may waive this requirement for admission purposes, in which case the student must make up the deficiency. Coursework to make up the deficiency will not count toward the Ph.D. requirements. Additional details regarding admissions criteria and the application process may be seen on the program’s web site, at www.unco.edu/cebs/hesal. Financial assistance and additional professional experiences are available through an extensive network of graduate assistant opportunities, both within the program and in a number of UNC offices.
Degree Requirements — 64 Credits
Required Courses — 9 hours
| HESA 761 | Scholarly Writing for Scholar/Leaders | 3 |
| HESA 781 | Collaborative Inquiry for Scholar/Leaders | 3 |
| HESA 782 | Research Capstone in Higher Ed | 3 |
NOTE: These three core courses are taught as a cohort and must be taken sequentially. These courses also fulfill the Graduate School requirements for second research tool.
Select 24 credits from the following, in consultation with advisor and committee:
| HESA 601 | Introduction to Higher Education & Student Affairs | 3 |
| HESA 611 | Organization and Administration | 3 |
| HESA 612 | Higher Education Assessment and Evaluation | 3 |
| HESA 622 | Directed Studies | 1- 4 |
| HESA 650 | College Student Development: Foundational Theory | 3 |
| HESA 651 | Philosophical, Historical and Cultural Foundations of Student Affairs in Higher Education | 3 |
| HESA 652 | Enrollment Management Services | 3 |
| HESA 655 | Multiculturalism in Higher Education and Student Affairs | 3 |
| HESA 658 | Helping Skills for Practitioners | 3 |
| HESA 660 | Women in Higher Education and Student Affairs | 3 |
| HESA 661 | Practicum in College Teaching for Student Development | 3 |
| HESA 665 | International Higher Education and Student Affairs | 3 |
| HESA 668 | College Students: Culture, Characteristics, Campus Life | 3 |
| HESA 669 | Culturally Responsive Aspects of Transformative Learning | 3 |
| HESA 670 | Internship in Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership | 6 |
| HESA 671 | Introduction to Leadership in Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership | 3 |
| HESA 675 | Field Experience in Student Affairs | 1- 3 |
| HESA 680 | Law and Higher Education | 3 |
| HESA 683 | Finance and Resource Management in Higher Education | 3 |
| HESA 685 | Human Resources in Higher Education | 3 |
| HESA 695 | Current Issues in Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership | 3 |
| HESA 696 | Special Topics in Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership | 1- 4 |
| SRM 700 | Advanced Research Methods | 3 |
Research Core — 15 hours
| SRM 602 | Statistical Methods I | 3 |
| SRM 603 | Statistical Methods II | 3 |
| SRM 680 | Introduction to Qualitative Research | 3 |
| | 6 additional credit hours of SRM selected in consultation with your advisor | 6 |
Dissertation Proposal and Research — 16 hours
Program Notes
Additional enrollment in HESA 999 Graduate School Continuous Registration (1) may be required to comply with Graduate School policies on continuous registration.
SRM 600 Introduction to Graduate Research (3) is a prerequisite to coursework in the Research Core. Any student who has not completed that course, or an equivalent course, prior to entry to the HESAL Ph.D. program must complete SRM 600; that course will not be applied to the above requirements for the Ph.D. All coursework for the program must be completed with a grade of “B-” or better. Written and oral comprehensive examinations may be taken after completion of specified coursework and two satisfactory progress reports. A document describing eligibility criteria and examination procedures may be obtained from the program office or the program website. Comprehensive examinations are offered in the fall and spring semesters.