The Baylor University Higher Education Studies and Leadership PhD program offers a full-time, residential education for those who desire to have a meaningful, lasting influence on higher education. The program combines a commitment to the Christian faith, academic rigor, research, and professional experience in order to prepare future scholars and practitioners for leadership roles.
We believe that we are called as Christians to pursue excellence in all areas of life, including our academic endeavors. As such, the HESL program both requires courses that explicitly focus on matters of faith within the higher education context. Additionally, students are challenged to think about the field of higher education and its most pressing issues from a theological point of view within the context of an R1 institution.
We are a fully funded program, meaning that if you are accepted, your tuition is covered. In addition to this funding, students in the program work a 20-hour per week apprenticeship, which provides a stipend to help cover living costs.
The HESL program consists of three years of in-person coursework, beginning in the fall and including the summers between academic years. Following coursework comes dissertation research (typically taking one to two additional years). Courses are taken alongside a small cohort of students from around the country and world who support and challenge one another inside and outside the classroom. The typical size of a cohort is three students.
The HESL degree plan seeks to strike a balance between structure and specialization. Students progress through a series of courses alongside others in the program; however, the program sets aside elective hours for students to use for courses both inside and outside the department to help meet their professional and research interests.
Through participating in HESL, students will be able to:
As part of the HESL program, all students work in a 20-hour/week apprenticeship. These apprenticeships range from research assistant positions within the department to administrative roles in departments throughout the university (with the occasional availability of assistantships at other institutions in the surrounding area). Apprenticeships are meant to provide professional development opportunities in addition to providing funds to cover living costs. Full-time employes at Baylor who are enrolled in HESL will not be assigned an apprenticeship.
Below are some of the areas in which our students have taken on apprenticeships (note: availability of apprenticeships varies from year to year and are subject to change).
Marrs McLean Science Building - 1st Floor
