Hybrid Ed.D.

Advance your career in higher education — without leaving your current role. The UF Ed.D. in higher education, also known as Higher Ed LEAD, is a dynamic program offering a seamless pathway for professionals ready to step into leadership positions. With a curriculum grounded in both research and real-world practice, you’ll gain the skills and insight to thrive as an administrator, dean, president or professor. 

Apply today to LEAD tomorrow.

Program Overview

We built our hybrid Ed.D. program around the needs and schedules of working professionals. The UF Ed.D. in higher education is a part-time, cohort-based program that offers a blended curriculum format. Classes are offered primarily online, but our students attend face-to-face weekend classes two to three times during the Fall and Spring semesters. Weekend sessions rotate between the University of Florida and other colleges across the state. 

Our program generally takes 4.5 years to complete and includes writing a Dissertation in Practice as the culminating research project. Graduates leave our program prepared to lead universities, colleges and education-centered non-profit organizations.

A Hands-On Ed.D. in Higher Education for Tomorrow’s Leaders

The UF higher education Ed.D. program provides a unique learning opportunity for current higher education practitioners seeking to advance their expertise and career opportunities. Our sequential, regularly updated courses are specifically focused on building leadership competencies and real-world application experience. We guide our Ed.D. in higher education students to address problems of practice through field work and case study experiences. UF graduates are career-ready leaders who can immediately have a lasting impact on students and communities. Our vast alumni network offers current students the opportunity to connect with higher education professionals around the country.

Step into senior leadership with a hybrid Ed.D. in higher education. For more information about our program, email Lindsay Byron, Ed.D.

Hybrid Ed.D. Program of Study

The Ed.D. is a lock-step cohort where students enroll in two courses (6 credits) per semester for three years before moving on to dissertation research. Students have the option to select one elective course during summer semesters, but otherwise, the UF Ed.D. in higher education relies on a set course sequence. Our clear course pathway simplifies planning and supports student success.

Students complete 90 credit hours beyond their undergraduate degree to earn their degree. The UF Ed.D. program includes a combination of higher education core content courses, research methods and dissertation hours. Course delivery order varies slightly with each cohort due to faculty availability. A sample program of study is listed below.

A Strong Focus on Community College Administration

The University of Florida actively supports community colleges and their development, as reflected in the courses we offer. We are one of the first doctoral programs focused on community college leadership and have maintained that core value. Our curriculum is aligned with both the CPED Ed.D. Framework and the American Association of Community Colleges competencies for emerging leaders. While we enthusiastically support all higher education leaders, community college employees make up about a third of our hybrid Ed.D. students.

We maintain that James Wattenbarger, UF alumnus, emeritus education professor and Father of the Community College System of Florida, would be proud to see his vision for accessible higher education brought into the 21st century.