Higher Ed Masters Student Advisor, Amy Bergerson

Director of Graduate Studies, Bob L. Johnson Jr., Ph.D. (Doctoral Student Advisor)

M.Ed./K-12 Licensure Program

The Master of Education degree and the Licensure program are two-year professional programs. Both programs are designed to help potential administrators develop the knowledge and skills essential for effective administrative performance in educational organizations. As professional programs, course work and other experiences develop both theoretical understandings and clinical skills. Upon successful completion of the program, master’s candidates will be awarded an M.Ed. degree.

Candidates may also be eligible for the Utah Basic Administrative/Supervisory license. In order to qualify for the license a student must: 1) complete a master’s degree; 2) hold a valid Utah teacher, counselor, psychologist, or social worker license; 3) have at least two years of acceptable professional experience; and 4) complete a K-12 internship. Students not interested in Utah administrative licensure may enroll in alternative course work.

M.Ed. Program in Student Affairs Administration

The M.Ed. with an emphasis in student affairs administration is a two-year program designed to provide advanced preparation for students interested in student affairs careers in higher education. Courses in the program address issues for higher education administrators such as retention, assessment, and college student development.

Ed.D. Program

The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Program is a four-year program designed to provide advanced preparation to individuals with experience working as an administrator in educational organizations. Based on a model of professional inquiry, the Ed.D. program emphasizes the use of theory in directing its field-based approach to problem solving. Graduates will study theory and research in the core domains of organizations, leadership, and in selected areas of specialization. They will use the knowledge gained in these areas of study to frame problems of administrative practice and to seek, critically examine, and apply information to solve problems.

M.Phil./Ph.D. Program

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) students are expected to develop expertise in theory and research related to leadership education. This program is designed especially for those who seek careers as university professors, researchers, high-level analysts or leaders in educational agencies. In pursuit of these aims, students will complete course work in four distinct domains: educational leadership, research methods, an allied field and independent research in the form of a dissertation. Students must also meet a residency requirement which includes the Graduate School enrollment requirement (full-time enrollment for two consecutive semester terms) plus the departmental immersion requirement (see Ph.D. residency requirements for details).

The Master of Philosophy degree requires the same qualifications for admission and scholarly achievement as the Ph.D. degree but does not require a doctoral dissertation. There is no separate program for this degree.  All regulations covering the Ph.D. degree with respect to supervisory committees, language requirements, major and allied fields, and qualifying examinations also apply to the M.Phil degree.  Like the Ph.D., the M.Phil. is a terminal degree.  Students cannot be considered for both degrees in the same department.

Admission Requirements. Applicants to programs are considered each spring semester. Typically, study begins summer term. (Ed.D. students may be admitted in odd years only.)

Admission requirements include:

1. Graduate School Application, including transcripts with acceptable GPA (see Admission Requirements in the Graduate Information section of this catalog).
2. Department application.
3. Professional/academic references.
4. Standardized test scores (GRE).
5. A formal educational leadership position (Ed.D. only).