PROGRAM STATEMENT

Chartered in 1895, Northern Illinois University is a Carnegie primarily residential, selective Comprehensive Doctoral Extensive institution, with high research activity. With over 25,000 students, NIU is located in Chicagoland--one of the most dynamic regions of the country.

The NIU Adult and Higher Education (AHE) Program in the College of Education offers professional preparation for students at the Masters and Doctoral levels for entry level and leadership roles in adult and higher education. The Student Affairs and Higher Education area of study in AHE is designed for students interested in working in student affairs and other administrative positions in community colleges, 4-year institutions, and other post-secondary environments.

AHE Faculty are focused on facilitating a strong practice-based program of study that includes innovative and engaging courses, work experiences through internships and assistantships, and a sense of community among our practitioners and scholars. Students interested in positions in student activities, academic advising, orientation, student activities, fraternity/sorority life, financial aid, admissions, alumni development, multi-cultural and LGBT support services, housing and residence life, and more from the entry- to senior-level can find a high-quality educational experience in the program. The AHE Program is an extremely diverse educational experience, and involves students with varied backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. NIU is ranked as one of the most diverse institutions in the country, and the AHE program reflects NIU’s commitment to issues of difference. In 2005, 38.15% of students in the program were students of color. ! 62.65% of AHE students are women. AHE also involves a number of international students, non-heterosexual students, traditional and older graduate students, and students from diverse religious backgrounds.

One of the strengths of professional preparation in AHE at NIU for students interested in student affairs and higher education is the availability of extensive graduate assistantship opportunities. Graduate assistantships provide the opportunity for students to make theory-to-practice connections between classroom work and real-world settings, as well as develop and refine their skills in professional work experiences. Through partnerships with the Division of Student Affairs, over 65 individual assistantship opportunities are available for students in the program. New students interview for available assistantships and learn more about the Student Affairs area of study in the AHE Program during the Annual Graduate Student and Assistantship Recruitment Program, held in March of each year. To learn more about the student affairs and  higher education area of study, see the GSARP page at: http://www.cedu.niu.edu/cahe/GSARP.html

PROGRAM MISSION

The mission of the Ed.D. in Adult and Higher Education is to provide advanced professional study for leadership roles in practice and research in adult and higher education encompassing local and global perspectives.

PROGRAM UNIQUENESS

Northern Illinois University....

1. NIU is a Doctoral Research-Extensive institution where teaching matters!
2. NIU is located in one of the most dynamic regions of the country! Students may take advantage of the many valuable benefits of living in Chicagoland, but still learn and study in a college-town environment!
3. Over 25,000 students study at NIU. NIU is recognized as one of the most diverse campuses in the country, including almost 30% students of color.

The Adult & Higher Ed Program....

1. AHE is a practice-based graduate program, with innovative and engaging teaching methods, diverse internship experiences, and a focus on the development of future practitioners and scholars!
2. Students directly apply classroom content to real-world settings in AHE. For example, in CAHE 572, students participate in an Assessment Consultant Group (ACG) to directly apply assessment procedures in a student affairs unit. Students also explore broader issues in higher education by using simulation software packages. In AHE, innovative and engaging student learning experiences are prioritized!
3. AHE has a strong focus on social-justice, issues of difference and international issues, integrated across the curriculum!
4. AHE Faculty have facilitated study-abroad programs for AHE graduate students to Brazil, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan in just the past three years alone!
5. Annually each Fall, the AHE Student-Faculty Retreat is designed to assist students engage in scholarly conversation around emerging issues in adult and higher education. The Fall, 2006 Retreat had over 150 participants!
6. Each Spring, AHE sponsors the African-American/Latino(a) American Research Symposium for participants to explore and present emerging research and practice related to African-American and Latino(a) issues.

Graduate Assistantship Opportunities...

• New AHE students for the Fall, 2006, had the opportunity to interview for over 65 available graduate assistantship opportunities!
• GA’s are provided a 9-credit tuition waiver for each semester. If you hold an assistantship for a fall and spring semester, NIU also pays your summer tuition—regardless of if you are working or not!
• CAHE and the Division of Student Affairs partner to bring the annual Graduate Student and Assistantship Recruitment Program. This event allows new students to learn more about the program, identify and easily interview for a range of assistantship opportunities, and meet other new students before they come to campus!

When Exploring Student Affairs Preparation Programs, Consider...

• Available Graduate Assistantship Positions (both total numbers and range of positions)...
• Tuition waivers, including if summer tuition waivers are offered for GA’s (regardless of if you are working your assistantship in the summer!)...
• Integration of social-justice, issues of difference and international education across the curriculum...
• Focus on structured learning experiences in research and assessment in student affairs and higher education for all students...
• Out-of-class learning experiences offered, such as retreats, symposiums, and colloquia...
• Availability of internship opportunities (both in the institution itself, and available different institutional types in the region)...
• Courses that are practice-based, dynamic, & high-energy in which students may make true theory-to-practice connections...
• Accessibility to social, cultural and recreational activities within less than an hour drive from campus...

NATIONAL STANDARDS
Meets ACPA Professional Preparation Commission Standards: YES
Meets CAS Standards: YES

APPLICATION AND ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Application For detailed information about the application process, please see the CAHE webpage, Prospective Students Section. Briefly, applications to the AHE Doctoral Program involves: Application for Admission to the Graduate School. A Written Statement of Goals. Take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and request that the GRE Score be sent to the NIU Graduate School. Submit Three Letters of Recommendation to the Graduate School. Request Official Transcripts be sent from all of the Applicant’s Undergraduate and Graduate Institutions directly to the Graduate School.. Complete a Writing Sample to be Administered by the Department of Counseling, Adult and Higher Education. Ordinarily, Participate in an Interview with Adult and Higher Education Admission Committee. Other Requirements. The Faculty reserves the right to request additional evidence of potential. CAHE will contact you if additional information is required above and beyond what was submitted above.

CURRICULUM INFORMATION

Program Required Hours:

 

Curriculum Program Required Hours: Ed.D. - 63 hours beyond the Master's The doctoral program in adult and higher education requires a minimum of 63 semester hours of graduate work beyond the master’s degree, including the dissertation.  Individual programs of study are created to meet the unique needs and interests of each doctoral student. A general description of the program of study for a doctoral student interested in higher education would include (but not be limited to): Course work constituting the common requirements in research methodology, learning and development, and socio-cultural analyses (15). Common courses for students interested in higher education include (but not limited to): Education Research: Planning and Interpretation Education Statistics I Education Statistics II Qualitative Research in Education Fieldwork Methods in Educational Research Adult and higher education course work, excluding dissertation hours (18). Common courses for students interested in higher education include (but not limited to): Administration of Higher Education Business Management in Higher Education Legal Aspects of Higher Education Student Development Theory Strategic Human Resource Development History of Higher Education Seminar in Higher Education A cognate area outside of adult and higher education in a professional area (varies). Doctoral Research and Dissertation (15-30)

STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION - Students in student affairs or higher education administration programs  (Fall 2005):

	Total Number	# of Males	# of Females	# of Whites	# of Persons of Color
Total	154	49	105	85	69
	% of part-time students	% of full-time students	% of students enrolled in the program who also hold some form of financial assistance (graduate assistantship, fellowship, tuition waiver, scholarship)
Total

PROGRAM FACULTY - Faculty members with areas of specialization and percentage of time devoted to the program.

Lisa Baumgartner, associate professor, Ed.D., University of Georgia
Phyllis Cunningham, Distinguished Teaching Professor, emeritus, Ph.D., University of Chicago
LaVerne Gyant, associate professor, Ed.D., Pennsylvania State University
Brian Hemphill, assistant professor, Ph.D., University of Iowa
Jorge Jeria, professor, Ph.D., Iowa State University
Laurel Jeris, associate professor, Ed.D., Northern Illinois University
Margaret MBilizi, assistant professor, Ph.D., Indiana University
Billy Molasso, assistant professor, Ph.D., Michigan State University
Richard Orem, professor, Ed.D., University of Georgia
Amy Rose, professor, Ed.D., Columbia University Teachers College
Gene Roth, Distinguished Teaching Professor, Ph.D., Southern Illinois University
Christine Sorensen, associate professor, Ph.D., Iowa State University
Lemuel Watson, professor, Ed.D., Indiana University
Wei Zheng, assistant professor, Ph.D., University of Minnesota

Last modified 10/17/2006
Information submitted by: Billy Molasso

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