The doctoral program in Adult and Higher Education is directed toward the development of scholars and practitioners in Adult and Higher Education and is intended to serve individuals who have promise of making scholarly and professional contributions to the field of Adult and Higher Education.
The Ph.D. program in Adult and Higher Education is intended to be flexible in order to serve the professional developmental needs of the individual doctoral student. However, in order to enhance the success of completion of the program, all doctoral candidates are expected to take a certain number of research proficiency courses and will be expected to fulfill residence requirements. Graduate students must make a grade of “B” or better in core classes (EDAH 5013, EDAH 5023, EDAH 5033, EDAH 5043), if taken. Note that Ph.D. students are not required to take core courses but are required to take the qualifying exam if a previous master’s degree was not from EDAH; this exam is based on the core courses and comprehensive knowledge of adult and higher education. See a faculty advisor for specific academic advising.
Prospective students should review both the Graduate College Bulletin and information on the website under the ELPS Student Resources section, which describes in greater detail the procedures and requirements for doctoral study in Adult and Higher Education.
Our program prepares graduates to assume leadership, administrative, teaching, and training positions in a variety of organizational settings. Our graduates compete for positions as trainers, adult educators, program planners, distance education specialists, administrators, athletics administrators, and instructors in adult education organizations, colleges and universities (including community colleges and vocational schools), governmental and military agencies, and business and industry.
This program is designed to provide the students with the competencies necessary to teach, develop, and administer successful organizational and educational programs based on the literature and research in adult and higher education. Students will be exposed to significant insights related to management, leadership, evaluation, finance, marketing, development, program planning, distance and traditional learning, teaching strategies, organizational transformation, and human relations.
Our program is interdisciplinary, and we enthusiastically welcome students from all undergraduate and graduate disciplines. No prior teacher education nor administrative experience is needed to be admitted into the program.
The Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) emphasis prepares professionals for work as professors, administrators, program planners/evaluators, consultants, and adult/teacher education specialists in a variety of organizations including private firms, nonprofit/government organizations, colleges/universities, and K–12 schools/systems.
The ACE emphasis is designed to provide opportunities for advanced study in the theoretical foundations of adult learning/teaching, career development, community development, continuing education, and workplace learning, along with the application of such knowledge to practice. It is also designed to provide students with professional competencies necessary to develop, as well as opportunities of research, publication, and teaching in newly emerging areas within a rapidly changing, globalized world.
The doctoral program in Adult and Higher Education with the ACE emphasis offers both full-time and part-time options with flexible class times and specialized areas of practice within the field of adult and continuing education as follows:
The higher education concentration focuses on topics related to general administration in colleges and universities. In this concentration, students will be introduced to theories, issues, and research related to organizational behavior, academic administration, financial management, and planning in higher education. This concentration enables students to become competitive candidates for entry-level general administrative positions in higher education, intercollegiate athletics, and institutional development.
The student affairs concentration in Adult and Higher Education program is committed to helping students understand how colleges and universities work, the issues affecting college students and faculty, and how to best lead our colleges and universities to meet the challenges of our global and changing diverse democracy. Students will be challenged intellectually to consider the intersections of theory, research, and practice as they develop integrity, courage, and vision to advance social justice and educational equity in the field.
The doctoral program in Adult and Higher Education is directed toward the development of researchers in Adult and Higher Education and is intended to serve individuals who demonstrate the potential of making scholarly contributions to the field of Adult and Higher Education. The Student Affairs concentration focuses on research and scholarship related to organizational behavior, management, and administration related to diverse college students, departments of student affairs, and the system of higher education. This concentration prepares students to assume positions as faculty, research scientists, or student affairs administrators in higher education.
Students pursuing a doctoral degree will earn a Ph.D. in Adult and Higher Education and are able to take Intercollegiate Athletics Administration emphasis coursework (90 credits). IAA emphasis courses are taught by both EDAH faculty members and practitioners who work in the OU Athletics Department.
This emphasis is philosophically embedded within the broader study of adult and higher education. As such, it reflects the realities of modern intercollegiate athletics programs within the context of the higher education setting. The curriculum is designed to provide a breadth of knowledge in higher education with specialized course work in intercollegiate athletics.
The Workforce Learning and Development emphasis prepares professionals for work as trainers, directors of training programs, and human resource professionals in a variety of training organizations including business, industry, government, and education. Adult learning theory, instructional strategies, and evaluation techniques provide a basic foundation for the study of training and development of workplace. The American Society of Training and Development HRD competencies are analyzed in a survey activity. Personnel issues that often require HRD personnel participation are reviewed in a special topics setting. Students enter the Workforce Learning and Development program from a variety of backgrounds.
The doctoral program in Adult and Higher Education is directed toward the development of researchers in Adult and Higher Education and is intended to serve individuals who demonstrate the potential of making scholarly contributions to the field of Adult and Higher Education. The Workforce Learning and Development concentration focuses on research and scholarship related to training and development, human resource development, organizational development, workplace performance issues, technology mediated learning and performance improvement systems (e.g., e-learning, blended learning, performance management), and cross cultural aspects of learning, performance, and workplace issues. This concentration prepares students to assume positions as faculty, research scientists, or HRD administrators in public and private sector organizations. If you have questions about the concentration, please contact Dr. Doo Hun Lim.
