The application process is completed online. To apply for admission, go to http://www.k-state.edu/grad/admissions/application-process/index.html. The application for admission includes the following:

• Complete the online application.
• Pay the Graduate School application fee; the fee is to be paid by credit card. For domestic applicants, an application fee of $65 is required, and for international students, the application fee is $75.
• Unofficial transcripts are to be uploaded to the application system. This includes transcripts of each institution from which a bachelor’s degree(s) and master’s degree(s) were received, and each institution from which post baccalaureate or post master’s work was completed. Upon admission, students will be required to submit official transcripts. The official transcripts will be requested in the letter of admission.
• A Statement of Goals and Professional Experiences.
  You must upload into the online application system a double-spaced paper, a minimum of three pages, that addresses 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;
  • 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 Kansas State University each summer for three summers).
  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) at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/.
• Scholarly 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:
  • An overview of the issue you’ve chosen to explore,
  • A presentation of the current state of knowledge in the literature related to the issue (citing sources as appropriate), and
  • Conclude 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 uploaded as a Word or PDF file, double-spaced, formatted in APA (7th ed.) style, and include a minimum of five (5) scholarly (peer reviewed) sources.
• The names and email addresses of three references are to be provided on the online application. References will be sent a link at which they will be asked to complete an evaluation and upload letters of recommendation to the application system. References are to be college or university faculty and/or supervisors who are qualified to address professional skills and potential for success in the doctoral program. Reference letters are to address experiences, competencies, and professional qualities and characteristics that demonstrate and support a recommendation for admission to the doctoral program in Leadership in Academic Advising.
• A professional resume or curriculum vitae is to be uploaded.
• An interview with faculty may be requested as part of the admission consideration process.
• International students are required to demonstrate English language proficiency. For information on additional admission requirements for international students, go to http://www.k-state.edu/grad/admissions/application-process/international/.

Cohorts will begin in summers of even-numbered years with completed applications due by December 1 of the previous odd-numbered years. The admission deadline for cohort IV is December 1, 2025.

A selection committee will review the applications for admission and based on a review of the documents (application, transcripts, Statement of Goals and Professional Experience, Writing Sample, CV/Resume, Reference Evaluations and Recommendations), determine applicants to be invited for interviews through Zoom, an interactive video system. After consideration of the results of the interviews along with the application documents, the selection committee will determine the candidates to be offered admission to the doctoral program in Leadership in Academic Advising.

The Statement of Goals and Professional Experiences is to be uploaded as Word or PDF file and double-spaced. It will be reviewed to confirm that the requested topics have been included (see the requested topics presented above) and the paper is presented in good form.

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:

• an overview of the issue you’ve chosen to explore
• a presentation of the current state of knowledge in the literature related to the issue (citing sources as appropriate)
• conclude 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 writing sample is expected to be original and prepared specifically for your application to the doctoral program in leadership in academic advising.

The Scholarly Writing Sample is to be uploaded as Word or PDF file, double-spaced, and formatted in APA (7th ed.) style. 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 (see specific expectations presented above).

While not required for admission, doctoral students in this very specialized program would benefit from experience as an academic advising practitioner.

Work experience is not accepted for academic credit.

No, credit is not awarded for NACADA professional development or conference sessions; however, the faculty recommends involvement in NACADA activities (e.g., conferences, professional development sessions, leadership roles).

Yes! Please note the admission requirements for international students at https://online.k-state.edu/how-to-apply/international-students/

Experience in academic writing, both in terms of technical issues (e.g., APA style) and writing style, are important and essential to completing a doctoral program. One’s writing will be considered as part of the review process for admission consideration. Research experience is not required; however, master’s level research experience or involvement in scholarly inquiry as a practitioner often leads to successful doctoral work.

Yes, virtual information sessions will be held. Visit the program page for times, dates and registration.

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 (3 credits)*
• EDCEP 851 – Multicultural Aspects of Academic Advising (3 credits) OR
  EDCEP 830 – Diversity in Higher Education (3 credits)
  *Must be completed prior to EDCEP 817 – Statistical Methods in Education

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

No, while challenging, the designated core courses may be completed during the program. These designated core courses would be completed concurrent with the doctoral courses; another option would be to take these graduate courses at another institution. Please note that a graduate level research methods course will need to be taken prior to the first doctoral level statistics class (EDCEP 817), which is scheduled for the first Fall semester of the program. You may consider taking the master’s level research methods course prior to enrollment. The cohort will be enrolled in six hours of doctoral work (two courses) each semester. Taking a designated core course concurrently with the doctoral program courses means a student would be enrolled full-time (9 credit hours). Since the financial aid package is based on the assumption graduate students are enrolled in 6 credit hours (half-time enrollment), students enrolled in 9 credit hours should contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance after enrolling to have the financial aid package adjusted prior to the beginning of the academic year.

No, these are not required for admission consideration; however, it will be necessary for one to agree to complete these courses in a timely manner. These courses are identified as a designated core which makes them foundational and essential for academic advising in higher education.

If not completed in the K-State program (or any master’s degree), 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

No. Upon admissions students will be required to commit to attending the four-day sessions for the first three summers of the program. The dates for Cohort IV are July 13-17, 2026 (in person); July 12-15, 2027 (on Zoom); and July 17-21, 2028 (in person). Students are expected to attend the first and third summer sessions in person and second one virtually, so arrangements should be made with employers to confirm approval to attend the entire session. An applicant should be committed to full attendance before applying for admission to the program.

It is expected that the degree would be completed in 4-5 years from one’s first semester in the doctoral program.

Students will be assigned to a “common” major professor (the program coordinator) upon admission to provide a consistent, collaborative experience. During the third semester, students will be matched with a more permanent major professor, who will guide them through the remainder of their program of study, preliminary exams and dissertation process. Students and their major professor will maintain regular communication throughout the doctoral journey. Professional development sessions offered by the department and the NACADA Center for Research at Kansas State University will provide additional support to students through all phases of the program.

Financial aid is available through the Office of Student Financial Assistance at Kansas State University. Contact information for the office follows: 104 Fairchild Hall, 785-532-6420, finaid@ksu.edu. The URL for the Office of Student Financial Assistance is https://www.k-state.edu/sfa/.

The financial aid package is based on the assumption that graduate students will be enrolled in 6 hours of credit (half-time). Should one of the designated courses be completed in addition to the 6 hours, the student should notify the Office of Student Financial Assistance after enrolling 9 hours to have the aid package adjusted prior to the beginning of the academic year. If you have extenuating circumstances regarding your financial situation, contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance to discuss options available.

Yes, there is a difference. Students who take courses through K-State Online pay the same tuition regardless of where they live. For the current K-State Online Tuition and Fee Schedule, go to https://online.k-state.edu/paying-for-school/

For students who choose to live in Manhattan while completing the online doctoral program, assistantships may be available. Interested students would need to apply for assistantships offered by various units or departments on campus; information will be made available to interested students. Admission to the doctoral program does not include an assistantship offer; applying for the assistantship would be a separate process.

Graduate School policies are available at http://www.k-state.edu/grad/graduate-handbook/chapter3.html. The policies address various topics (e.g., supervisory committee, program of study, preliminary examination, dissertation, final examination).

For minimum technology courses for the online courses, go to https://online.k-state.edu/why-learn-online/technology-requirements.html. At this page, there are various links, including one for technology requirements and distance learning terminology.

Canvas is the course management system used for the doctoral program. One would be expected to have regular, timely access while enrolled in courses. Course activities, resources, discussions, groups, announcements, and assignment uploads will require regular access to Canvas.

Zoom is an interactive video system similar to Skype. A synchronous session means that all students will participate in the Zoom session at the same time. The sessions will be live and involve both video and audio. A number of the courses in the doctoral program will require Zoom sessions; for some courses these sessions will be weekly in addition to professional development activities planned for the students. The specific days for courses and professional development will be provided on the course schedule available during enrollment.

Distance learners can get research help from librarians via e-mail (libhelp@k-state.edu), online chat, or by calling a toll-free number (855-457-8542). K-State Libraries can also assist in obtaining books, journal articles, and other library materials. Students can access the Libraries’ online databases and electronic journal collections by using their eID and password. All materials in the Libraries are accessible to distance students through the Interlibrary Loan Service. Students can receive PDFs of articles and up to 50 pages of a book. Interlibrary Services will also mail books and other physical items that the Libraries own or borrow from other libraries. For more information regarding help for distance learners, see http://www.lib.k-state.edu/distance-learning.

For Ask a Librarian, go to http://k-state.ask.libraryh3lp.com/.

The graduate student contact at the K-State Library is Laura Bonella, Associate Professor. Her contact information follows: 209 Hale, 785-532-2835, laurab@k-state.edu.

For information on the range of services offered by K-State Libraries, go to http://www.lib.k-state.edu/services.

The Writing Center is available for “discussions with K-State student writers from all disciplines and experience levels across the campus community.” For information on The Writing Center, go to https://www.k-state.edu/english/writingcenter/.

For information on accommodations for students with disabilities, please contact the Student Access Center. The contact information follows:

202 Holton Hall
1101 Mid Campus Dr. North
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-6441 (phone)
785-370-0431 (video phone)
accesscenter@k-state.edu
http://www.k-state.edu/accesscenter/