Higher Education Leadership and Policy

Doctoral Program

Department of Educational Leadership and Policy

The Program in Higher Education Leadership and Policy (PHELP) is devoted to the scholarly study of higher education, its students and institutions, and its place in society. This program prepares, trains, and educates students to become researchers in academia and the private sector. 

Our faculty and students are in the vanguard of understanding and shaping the dynamic environment of higher education now and in the future. Higher education is being reconceived and reorganized through:

  • increased access and challenges in retention and completion for more diverse student communities,
  • intensified accountability and governmental oversight,
  • the need for lifelong avenues of learning and re-training, and
  • the opportunities presented by digital innovations both in and out of the classroom.

Students seeking a Ph.D. receive a thorough grounding in the functioning of postsecondary institutions and in the skills of administration, decision-making, and leadership. They develop an understanding of the particular role of postsecondary institutions in society as both distributors and creators of knowledge, the historical context from which those institutions have emerged, and the ethical considerations that must surround and guide the enterprise.

Finally, the program prepares doctoral students to be consumers and producers of postsecondary research and scholarship, while socializing students towards possible careers in academia and higher education leadership. This degree emphasizes preparation for a research career in which the graduate will add to the core of knowledge that is the basis for informed practice. The curriculum is oriented toward the development of theory and research skills in a variety of methodologies and includes a strong secondary emphasis in a cognate field of study.

This program starts in the fall semester. Inquiries: phel@utexas.edu

Application Requirements

Degree Requirements

Core Faculty

Affiliated Faculty

At a Glance

  • Program Starts: Fall
  • Deadline to Apply: December 1
  • Credit Hours Required: minimum 66 hours including dissertation
  • Schedule: Full time or part time permitted per discussion with program head
  • Program Location: On Campus
  • GRE Required? No
Photo of Liliana Garces

Program Co-coordinator
Liliana Garces

Photo of Lauren Schudde

Program Co-coordinator
Lauren Schudde

Photo of Michael Goodman

Program Co-coordinator
Michael Anthony Goodman

How to Apply

Find out information about the admission process and application requirements.

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