HESL PhD Degree Plan

The HESL degree plan consists of three years of coursework, in addition to the time it takes to complete the dissertation. The degree plan is broken up into eight thematic blocks. As a note, students will take classes from multiple blocks simultaneously (i.e., you will not work through each block in sequential order, with the exception of blocks VII and VIII). Below is an outline of the blocks and the courses of which they consist.

Block I: Higher Education Core (18 hours)

EDL 5379 Foundations & History of Higher Education Leadership
EDL 6302 Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
EDL 6305 Ethics and Values in Educational Leadership
EDL 6345 Christian Faith and Education
EDL 5375 Sociology of Higher Education
EDL 5399 Faith-Based Higher Education

Block II: Studies and Leadership in Higher Education (18 hours)

EDL 5372 Culture and Organization of Higher Education
EDL 5392 Higher Education and the Law
EDL 6304 Politics, Policy and Governance in Higher Education
EDL 6385 Higher Education—Business and Finance
EDL 6363 Advanced Studies in Educational Leadership (Great Texts in Higher Ed)
EDL 6306 Student Success in Higher Education

Block III: Research and Statistics Total hours required (15 hours)

EDL 5300 Research Applications in Educational Leadership
EDP 5334 Statistical Methods

(if the student has already taken a master’s level statistics course, they will be required to take either EDP 6360 Experimental Design I or EDP 6362 Applied Multiple Regression/Correlation Analysis in Education)

EDL 5336 Qualitative Methods
EDL 6335 Research Practicum
In addition to the above-required research courses, students choose an additional research course that should assist with their anticipated dissertation methods

Block IV: Electives or Independent Studies (9 hours)

Students may take nine hours of their choice from within the department or across the university. We particularly encourage taking courses outside the School of Education that may expose students to other fields within the university. For instance, students may wish to take additional courses in management from the business school, ethics or theology from the seminary, particular methods courses from a particular discipline (e.g., history or sociology), or courses about education found in other disciplines (e.g., sociology of education, philosophy of education). We have provided a few sample areas of concentration below:

History
Management and Organizations
Research
Sports Management
Student Development (not available to students who graduated from Baylor’s HESA MSEd program)
Sociology

Block V: Professional Seminar or Internship (3 hours)

EDL 6V64 Internship in Educational Leadership
Students will undertake an internship in the field of student affairs, higher education administration, or as a TA
EDL 6V95 Special Problems in Educational Leadership
Students will work with professors to produce a publishable journal article or professional presentation

Block VI: Comprehensive Exam (2 hours)

After completing coursework, students take their comprehensive exams over the summer. They register for a class (EDL 6V95 Special Problems in Educational Leadership), which is used for setting aside study time and for taking the exams. Successfully completing the exams is required to begin dissertation work.

Block VII: Dissertation (Total Hours Required: 7)

Total Hours: 72 (65 hours of coursework / 7 dissertation hours)

Please note: The Curriculum reflects the requirements from 2023. Specifics of the allocation of hours and the courses offered are subject to change.