Doctorate in Leadership Academic Advising

All students are required to meet the general university admission requirements.

Additional Requirements

• Master's degree with 3.0 minimum GPA
• Undergraduate and graduate degree from a recognized and accredited institution
• International applicants must provide an Affidavit of Financial Support and documentation of English language proficiency. Detailed information about these issues is provided on the  international students website.

Program-Specific Application Deadlines

• U.S. Applicants
  • Summer semester of even-numbered years (begins in late May): Dec. 1 of odd-numbered years
• International Applicants
  • Summer semester of even-numbered years (begins in late May): Dec. 1 of odd-numbered years

Additional Documentation
Your application must include the following:

• Statement of professional goals and areas of inquiry within educational context. Statement must be double-spaced paper, a minimum of three pages and address the following topics:
  • Career and professional experiences, goals and aspirations, and how being accepted to the program will benefit the goals and aspirations
  • Evidence of commitment to the academic advising profession
  • Competencies and experiences related to the program (e.g., academic advising and/or academic advising administration experience, interpersonal skills, teaching skills, program development experience)
  • Evidence of motivation, persistence, leadership and strong work ethic (commitment to completion of a doctoral program)
  • Knowledge, competencies and experience related to educational research
  • Broad areas of interest for research
  • Evidence of experience with diversity, equity and, if applicable, fluency in languages other than English
  • Commitment to being present at all required program activities (asynchronous distance learning on Canvas, synchronous sessions on Zoom as formally scheduled and one-week residency at K-State each summer)
  • The paper is to be well written and thoughtfully presented. For resources to help with writing the paper, see the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL).
• Letters of recommendation to be submitted by college or university faculty and/or colleagues or supervisors who are qualified to address your professional skills and potential for success in the graduate program. Enter the names and email addresses of the individuals who have agreed to serve as references in the appropriate place on the online application. References will be sent a link with which they will be asked to complete an evaluation and upload their letters of recommendation to the application system.
• Resume/curriculum vitae to include academic degrees, past and current professional employment, professional activities and roles, and other pertinent information.
• Writing sample. An important aspect of doctoral work is to advance and apply scholarship on educational issues within the context of the academic program. For the purpose of this application, please consider a complex issue related to academic advising in higher education that you find important and compelling, and develop a scholarly essay (approximately 5-8 pages) which includes:
  • Overview of the issue you’ve chosen to explore
  • Presentation of the current state of knowledge in the literature related to the issue (citing sources as appropriate)
  • Conclusion with a possible interpretation of the critical issue from at least two different perspectives, including initial discussion regarding the potential for future research on the topic. How could you further study this issue?
  • The essay should be included as a Microsoft Word document or PDF file, double-spaced, formatted in APA (7th ed.) style, and include a minimum of 5 scholarly (peer-reviewed) sources. The essay will be assessed according to the following elements: overview of the issue, incorporation of existing literature, interpretation of the critical issue, articulation of future research ideas and overall coherence and readability.
• Unofficial transcripts from each institution attended
  • Failure to list any colleges or universities from which you received a degree or enrolled in graduate coursework may result in dismissal from the university.
  • If your transcripts are not in English, you must furnish a translation by an appropriate authority.
  • You will be asked for official transcripts after notification of admission.
• An interview (via Zoom or phone) with faculty members in the program may be required before an admission decision is made.

This program will prepare you for for roles in leadership, research and teaching focused on academic advising in higher education.

A designated core of 6 hours of graduate credit is required. These courses may be part of a master’s degree or must be completed in addition to the doctoral coursework. These courses include the following:

• EDCEP 816 – Research Methods in Education (3 credits)
• EDCEP 851 – Multicultural Aspects of Academic Advising (3 credits) OR
  EDCEP 830 – Diversity in Higher Education (3 credits)

Additional competencies in the following areas will be addressed through professional development activities concurrent with the program of study, and will be offered through non-credit modules and embedded activities in coursework:

• History and Philosophy of Higher Education
• Foundations of Academic Advising
• Student Development Theory
• Trends in Career Development

Professional Courses (18 credits)

• EDCEP 923 - Higher Education Law (3 credits)
• EDCEP 925 - Higher Education Finance (3 credits)
• EDCEP 926 - Enrollment Management in Higher Education (3 credits)
• EDCEP 927 - Higher Education Administration (3 credits)
• EDCEP 948 - Advanced Student Development Theory (3 credits)
• EDLEA 828 - Scholarly Orientation to Graduate Studies (3 credits)

Academic Advising Professional Courses (9 credits)

• EDCEP 930 - Approaches to Academic Advising: Linking Theory, Research and Practice (3 credits)
• EDCEP 932 - Ethical Issues and Practice in Academic Advising (3 credits)
• EDCEP 937 - Administration of Academic Advising (3 credits)

Research Courses (15 credits)

• EDLEA 838 - Qualitative Research in Education (3 credits)
• EDLEA 988 - Differentiated Research (3 credits)
• EDCEP 817 - Statistical Methods in Education (3 credits)
• EDCEP 917 - Experimental Design in Educational Research (3 credits)
• EDCEP 934 - Research in Academic Advising (3 credits)

Dissertation Research (18 credits)
Preliminary examination. Candidates much successfully complete an examination of areas of the program of study.

• EDCEP 999 - Doctoral Research

Cohort Model and Synchronous Classes

This program follows a cohort model and starts during the summer semester. A cohort is a group of students who complete classes at the same time within the same degree program and graduate together. You will take classes in a planned sequence of six hours per semester (fall, spring and summer) for seven consecutive semesters. Depending on your academic record, you may need to complete the designated core courses in addition to the doctoral program courses.

Some synchronous class and cohort sessions will be required via Zoom, an interactive video system.

Summer Sessions

A one-week, on-campus session will be required of doctoral students for each of the first and third summers. The second year has a virtual summer week commitment on Zoom. A condition of admission is that one agrees and commits to attend these sessions for three years. These sessions will involve a variety of activities, including coursework, professional development activities, research and creative activities, meetings with advisors, and other activities related to doctoral work. You will also spend time in the NACADA Center for Research.

The dates for Cohort IV will be:

• July 13-17, 2026 (In Manhattan, KS)
• July 12-15, 2027 (On Zoom)
• July 17-21, 2028 (in Manhattan, KS)