The PhD in Education Program is individualized, interdisciplinary, and experiential. The specific coursework in the higher education (HE) concentration prepares new and mid-level professionals for careers in higher education at community colleges and 4-year institutions, as well as in associations, government agencies, and industries whose activities relate to or impact higher education.
Have questions? Attend an information session or contact the specialization representative, Chrystal George Mwangi.
About the Specialization
The Higher Education Concentration is offered jointly by the Higher Education Program (HEP) in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) and the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). The program provides grounding in the principles and practices of higher education and strives to produce informed and reflective scholar-practitioners and researchers. Our students and alumni work in a variety of higher education organizations and produce interdisciplinary research.
Faculty members in the Higher Education Concentration collaborate extensively with scholars from inside and outside Mason. HEP faculty have broad research interests and expertise, including the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), teaching and learning with technology, equity and diversity in higher education, student success, higher education policy and finance, learning data analytics, faculty development, internationalization of higher education, STEM education, and ethics and spirituality in higher education. HEP faculty have served as editors or associate editors of major academic journals, and they have collectively contributed more than $20 million in externally funded research.
What Will You Learn?
The concentration features coursework that enables you to learn:
- Theory and research in higher education
- Foundational knowledge about higher education
- Research methodologies to address a variety of higher education topics
- Specialized knowledge in higher education related to your area(s) of interest
Our Graduates
John Dooris, PhD 2022
- Dissertation Title: Necessary but Insufficient? The Influence of Data on Federal Higher Education Accountability Policy Beliefs and Policy Change
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jamie Lester
Meggan Ford, PhD 2022
- Dissertation Title: The Influence of Intercultural Competence on the Experience of International Branch Campus Administrators
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jan Arminio
Andy Hamilton, PhD 2022
- Dissertation Title: Educational Pathways for Military Veterans Transitioning into Information Technology and Cyber-Security Related Career Fields
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. P. Daniel Chen
Jennifer Lebron, PhD 2022
- Dissertation Title: Faculty Agency and the Internationalization of Higher Education: A Case Study of One University in Pakistan
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jamie Lester
Anne Elizabeth Aichele, PhD 2021
- Dissertation Title: Finding Grace: An Exploration of the Impact of Personal and Professional Experience on Leadership Educators in Making Sense of Social Change
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Julie Owen
Richard Michael Hess, PhD 2021
- Dissertation Title: Examining Learners’ Self-Regulation Patterns within a Learning Management System
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Angela Miller
- Award: GMU PhD in Education Program Outstanding Dissertation Award
Maria J Pallotta, PhD 2022
- Dissertation Title: Marine Corps Leaders in Irregular Warfare: Professional Military Education for Cross-cultural Competence in Counterinsurgency
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Anastasia Samaras
Janet Athanasiou, PhD 2020
- Dissertation Title: Understanding the Impact of Cocurricular Programming on the Identity Development, Involvement, and Engagement of Online Students
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Amy Swan
Morgan Fisher, PhD 2020
- Dissertation Title: In Their Words: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of Former Student-Athletes’ Experiences in Life Skills Programs in Relation to Career Development and Transition Out of College
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jan Arminio
Jonathan Goldman, PhD 2020
- Dissertation Title: Shimer College Effects on Students: A Retrospective Case Study
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jeannie Brown Leonard
Jennifer Rainey, PhD 2020
- Dissertation Title: “The Cavalry Isn’t Coming”: Exploring the Experiences of Female Middle Managers in Higher Education
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Meagan Call-Cummings
Leticia Guzman, PhD 2021
- Dissertation Title: Understanding the Impact of a Stem Summer Bridge Program on Students from Underrepresented Groups Entering their First Semester
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Kelly Schrum
Jonathan Hsu, PhD 2019
- Dissertation Title: The Influence of Professional Experiences on Adjunct Faculty Teaching
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Kelly Schrum
Meghan Arias, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: Examining the Digital Disability Divide in Higher Education
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Kelly Schrum
Matthew Boyce, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: Understanding How College Admissions Professionals Define ‘Holistic Application Review’: A Grounded Theory Study
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jamie Lester
John Cocchetti, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: Connecting with Students: A Case Study of Deans of Students at Liberal Arts Colleges
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jan Arminio
Megan Hennessey, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: The Lived Faculty Development Experience of Active Duty Military Instructors
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Julie Owen
Elizabeth Kalinowski Ohrt, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: Antecedents of Trust in Academic Advising Relationships
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jaime Lester
Elizabeth Hanna Pitts, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: Faith Journeys: An Exploration of the Narratives of Faith and Intercultural Development among College Students on Study Abroad Programs
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Lester Jaime
Willie Stroble, PhD 2018
- Dissertation Title: A Case Study of the Transition of Student Veterans Who Previously Had Been Unsuccessful in Higher Education
- Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jan Arminio