Higher Education PhD Admissions

Admissions Process

The admissions process for the doctoral program is intended to help both program applicants and faculty determine if the program represents a good fit. We encourage applicants to ask themselves “why now?” “why this program?” and “what will I contribute to the field when done?” as they prepare application materials. Embarking on a doctoral program means shifting from being a consumer of knowledge to being a producer of knowledge. Before you apply, you should be able to articulate your broad research agenda, even if you haven’t identified specific questions you want to pursue. In the admissions process, you will communicate your vision of how you will add to scholarship and practice. Please note that as a program we are particularly interested in applications from candidates who describe how their work will challenge and re-envision the norms and assumptions of higher education.

The higher education faculty reviews all of the application materials and selects a pool of finalists based on overall program fit. As a program, we feel that we are particularly well-positioned to support doctoral students interested in topics such as: student success; critical and social justice perspectives on higher education; student learning and development; and higher education policy. Once finalists are identified, they are then invited to an interview with two admissions committee members, where they discuss their interest in UMass and in higher education, their interests, and what they can contribute to the program. Following the interview process, we notify applicants of admissions decisions in late February or early March.

Please note that, while a limited number of assistantships may be available for full-time students, the higher education faculty makes admissions decisions prior to and independent from decisions about assistantships. Paid assistantships include full tuition credit, excellent health benefits, and pay in excess of $30/hour, 10-30 hours/week.

Admission Requirements

The deadline for submission of all required application materials is January 2.

Priority Deadline: December 1. We will continue to review applications until the final College of Education application deadline (January 2). However, we encourage applicants to apply by the December 1 deadline in order to obtain first priority for full consideration into the Higher Education concentration.

  • Admission to the program is highly selective.
  • We strongly recommend that you have experience working in the field of higher education.
  • A master’s degree is required for admission, but this master’s need not be in higher education.
  • The GRE is not required

Application Requirements

  • Online Graduate Admissions Application
  • A minimum of two letters of recommendation
  • Official transcript(s) from all colleges/universities you’ve attended, undergraduate and graduate, where you completed 6 or more credits
  • A personal statement that tells us why you are interested in pursuing a doctorate in higher education, and why this is the right program for you
  • Application fee

For more information about the application process, visit Graduate School Admissions.