Educational Policy and Leadership Studies, PhD
This is the first version of the 2026–27 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.
Learning Outcomes
Specialized Content Knowledge
The department expects students to acquire and display mastery of a broad and deep knowledge of disciplines associated with one’s specialization (educational leadership; or higher education and student affairs) covering content that contributes to the historical, current, philosophical, and applied dimensions of the field.
Critical Thinking and Analytical Writing
Students will acquire capacities for theoretical and evidentiary-based analysis to critique and synthesize disparate and interdisciplinary perspectives within their specialization.
Empirical Skills
Students will develop skills for conducting assessment, evaluation, and research on phenomena associated with individuals and organizations associated with educational organizations, educationally aligned sectors, and individuals affiliated with or impacted by education.
Impact and Practical Application
Students will acquire skills for engaging in the higher education professional communities by participating in research and/or practitioner organizations focused on translation and application.
Leadership and Collaboration
Students will be able to analyze, articulate, and respond to complex problems using theory, evidence, and cooperation with those affected by the issues.
Ethical, Inclusive, and Equitable Practice
Students will gain skills in identifying and responding to educational inequities at the individual, organizational, and institutional levels. Specifically, students will apply their skills to advance educational inclusion and facilitate organizational change and reform.
Graduate education prepares students with advanced knowledge and skills in specialized fields. At the University of Iowa, the Graduate College advocates for student-centered graduate education and supports equitable application of rules and policies across graduate programs.
Academics
University of Iowa graduate credentials are regulated by policies and requirements found in the Graduate College Manual of Rules and Regulations. This includes minimum grade-point average (GPA) requirements for academic standing and degree conferral. The Graduate College sets the minimum requirement. Individual graduate programs may establish higher GPA requirements.
Admissions
Graduate student applicants must meet admission requirements for both the Graduate College and the program to which they have applied. University of Iowa graduate admission requirements are published by the Graduate College and on the Graduate Admissions website.
Financial Support
Graduate students might be eligible for financial support. Several contingencies apply, including degree program and award type, satisfactory progress toward degree, satisfactory completion of all duties related to an appointment, and availability of funding. Graduate students should inquire directly with their program for more information about funding availability. The Graduate Student Employment Standards govern the employment relationship between the University of Iowa and all graduate teaching and research assistants in all matters except wages, which are covered by an existing collective bargaining agreement or the conditions of an applicable federal grant.
The Doctor of Philosophy program in educational policy and leadership studies (EPLS) with an educational leadership subprogram requires a minimum of 75 s.h. of graduate credit. Students must earn a UI cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00 in major coursework.
The program prepares scholarly professionals for leadership positions in a wide range of educational, non-profit and public sector settings. Students acquire strong backgrounds in leadership, policy, and research. They equip themselves to discover, integrate, and apply knowledge as transformational leaders.
The PhD in educational policy and leadership studies with an educational leadership subprogram requires the following coursework.
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| Leadership Core | 12 |
| EPLS Concentration | 12 |
| Research Methods | 15 |
| Cognate | 9 |
| Electives or Transfer Credit | 24 |
| Dissertation | 3 |
Students also complete the comprehensive examination and a dissertation, described in the following sections.
Many educational leadership courses are offered by distance education; see MyUI for information about courses offered during current semesters.
For more detailed coursework information, see Educational Leadership on the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership Studies website.
Leadership Core
The leadership core provides a foundational understanding of educational leadership that all students must master, regardless of their career goals and interests. All courses in the core (12 s.h.) must be completed at the University of Iowa.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| EPLS:6217 | Theory for Scholar Practitioners | 3 |
| EPLS:6224 | Organizational Theory and Administrative Behavior | 3 |
| EPLS:6270 | Policy and Politics | 3 |
| EPLS:6311 | Seminar: Research Topic in Education | 3 |
EPLS Concentration
The EPLS concentration (12 s.h.) provides opportunities to learn more about policy and educational leadership from both building and district-level perspectives. Other EPLS seminars on policy, leadership, and history may be available to substitute for one or more of these courses with advisor approval.
Some courses in the concentration can be counted toward principal or superintendent licensure. If you are interested in licensure, please consult with your advisor as you begin the program.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 12 s.h. from these: | ||
| EPLS:6222 | Introduction to Educational Policy | 3 |
| EPLS:6225 | Higher Education Policy | 3 |
| EPLS:6275 | Higher Education and Society | 3 |
| EPLS:6285 | School and Community Relationships | 3 |
| EPLS:6315 | Orientation to the Superintendency | 2 |
| EPLS:6317 | Operational Leadership and Management | 2 |
| EPLS:6319 | Human Resources Leadership | 2 |
| EPLS:6321 | Social Advocacy Summit | 1 |
| EPLS:6323 | School Finance | 2 |
| EPLS:6329 | Legislative Summit | 1-3 |
| EPLS:6383 | Supervision and Evaluation | 3 |
Research Methods
Research methods courses (at least 15 s.h.) ensure that students achieve scholarly autonomy and initiative. Students must take at least one qualitative research methods course and one quantitative research methods course.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least one of these qualitative research methods courses: | ||
| EPLS:6266 | Program Evaluation | 3 |
| EPLS:7373 | Qualitative Research Design and Methods | 3 |
| CSED:7338 | Essentials of Qualitative Inquiry | 3 |
| EDTL:7070 | Qualitative Research Methods in Teaching and Learning | 3 |
| PSQF:7331 | Qualitative Educational Research Methods | 3 |
| This quantitative research methods course: | ||
| PSQF:6243 | Intermediate Statistical Methods | 3 |
To complete the remaining 9 s.h. students select additional courses from the preceding list or any of the following courses.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EPLS:6206 | Research Process and Design | 3 |
| EPLS:6209 | Survey Research and Design | 3 |
| EPLS:6370 | Quantitative Methods for Policy Analysis | 3 |
| EDTL:6267 | Seminar: Current Issues in Art Education | 3-4 |
| EDTL:7071 | Critical Discourse Analysis in Educational Research | 3 |
| EDTL:7072 | Advanced Methods of Literacy Research: Qualitative Data Analysis and Reporting | 3 |
| EDTL:7073 | Ethnographic Methods, Theories, and Texts | 3 |
| EDTL:7410 | Mixed Methods Research | 3 |
| EDTL:7751 | Advanced Qualitative Data Analysis | 3 |
| EDTL:7953 | Seminar: Single Subject Design Research | 3 |
| PSQF:6244 | Correlation and Regression | 4 |
| PSQF:6246 | Design of Experiments | 3 |
| PSQF:6249 | Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Models | 3 |
| PSQF:6252 | Introduction to Multivariate Statistical Methods | 3 |
Cognate
Students select a cognate of courses (9 s.h.) from another department in the College of Education: teaching and learning, psychological and quantitative foundations, or counselor education. All courses must be taken from the same department.
Teaching and Learning
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| EDTL:6015 | PhD Seminar: Language, Literacy, and Social Studies Education | 3 |
| EDTL:7004 | Schooling in the United States | 3 |
| EDTL:7033 | Seminar on Teacher Education | 3 |
Psychological and Quantitative Foundations: Measurement Focus
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 9 s.h. from these: | ||
| PSQF:6255 | Construction and Use of Evaluation Instruments | 3 |
| PSQF:6257 | Educational Measurement and Evaluation | 3 |
| PSQF:6258 | Theory and Technique in Educational Measurement | 3 |
| PSQF:6262 | Item Response Theory | 3 |
| PSQF:7355 | Seminar: Educational Measurement and Evaluation | arr. |
| PSQF:7358 | Equating and Scaling of Educational Tests | 3 |
Counselor Education
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 9 s.h. from these: | ||
| CSED:7400 | Seminar: Ethics and Issues in Counseling | 3 |
| CSED:7457 | Professional Orientation to Counselor Education and Supervision | 3 |
| CSED:7458 | Seminar: Issues and Trends in Counseling Research | 4 |
| CSED:7460 | Seminar: Research in Counseling | 3 |
Electives
A student and their advisor may determine that some of their prior graduate work may be appropriate and applicable to the student's doctoral program. A student may count up to 24 s.h. of prior coursework toward the doctoral degree as electives. If a student does not have prior graduate work, they must enroll in up to 24 s.h. of electives to fulfill this requirement. Electives are selected from courses numbered 6000 or above from counselor education (prefix CSED), teaching and learning (prefix EDTL), educational policy and leadership studies (prefix EPLS), and psychological and quantitative foundations (prefix PSQF). Courses from other departments may also be counted with advisor approval.
Comprehensive Examination
Students must satisfactorily complete a written take-home comprehensive examination consisting of three parts. The written exam is followed by an oral examination.
Dissertation
The dissertation is a major research study planned in collaboration with the student's advisor. Students must write a formal dissertation proposal and submit it for approval, first to their advisor and then to the members of their doctoral committee. Students and their advisors determine when the proposal is complete. Students must earn 3 s.h. of credit for dissertation research through registration in EPLS:7483 EdD Dissertation in Practice Proposal and/or EPLS:7493 PhD Thesis. The doctoral program culminates with a final oral defense of the dissertation.
Students must be registered at the University of Iowa during the session in which they complete their comprehensive examination through the semester in which they defend their dissertation and graduate.
Admission
Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College and of the educational leadership program. Successful applicants must have an earned a master's degree at the time of the program start and have experience teaching and leading in PK–12 schools or adjacent fields.
The Doctor of Philosophy program in educational policy and leadership studies with a higher education and student affairs subprogram requires a minimum of 74 s.h. of graduate credit. At least 39 s.h. must be earned while registered in the Graduate College at the University of Iowa, and after formal program admission. Students must earn a UI cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00 in major coursework.
The doctoral program prepares individuals to be leaders in student affairs and academic administration, graduate faculty at research universities, leaders in conducting research about college students and higher education, policy analysts in postsecondary institutions and public or private agencies, and teachers and academic leaders at two-year and four-year colleges. The higher education and student affairs program integrates academic experience with the cocurricular learning experiences of students and studies the outcomes of both.
The PhD in educational policy and leadership studies with a higher education and student affairs subprogram requires the following coursework.
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| Substantive Core Courses | 18 |
| Research Methods Courses | 18 |
| Concentration Area Courses | 12 |
| Electives | 24 |
| Dissertation | 2 |
Substantive Core
The substantive core provides a foundational understanding of higher education and general knowledge that all students must master, regardless of their career goals and interests. All courses in the core (18 s.h.) must be completed at the University of Iowa.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| EPLS:6216 | Finance in Higher Education | 3 |
| EPLS:6220 | History of Higher Education | 3 |
| EPLS:6224 | Organizational Theory and Administrative Behavior | 3 |
| EPLS:6273 | College Students | 3 |
| EPLS:6275 | Higher Education and Society | 3 |
| EPLS:6311 | Seminar: Research Topic in Education | 3 |
Research Methods
Research methods courses (at least 18 s.h.) ensure that students achieve scholarly autonomy and initiative.
Basic Research Methods
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Both of these (6 s.h.): | ||
| EPLS:6206 | Research Process and Design | 3 |
| EPLS:7373 | Qualitative Research Design and Methods (or approved substitute) | 3 |
Statistics/Linear Regression
These courses (6 s.h.) must be taken in this order.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| This course: | ||
| PSQF:6243 | Intermediate Statistical Methods | 3 |
| Then this course: | ||
| EPLS:6370 | Quantitative Methods for Policy Analysis | 3 |
Advanced Research Methods
Students consult with their advisor to choose two courses (at least 6 s.h.) from either list appropriate to their dissertation design and intended learning outcomes.
Qualitative Methods
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EPLS:5260 | Introduction to Institutional Research and Effectiveness | 3 |
| EPLS:7392 | Mixed Methods Research | 3 |
| EDTL:7071 | Critical Discourse Analysis in Educational Research | 3 |
| EDTL:7072 | Advanced Methods of Literacy Research: Qualitative Data Analysis and Reporting | 3 |
| EDTL:7073 | Ethnographic Methods, Theories, and Texts | 3 |
| Another comparable research methods course approved by advisor | ||
Quantitative Methods
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EPLS:5260 | Introduction to Institutional Research and Effectiveness | 3 |
| EPLS:6209 | Survey Research and Design | 3 |
| POLI:7003 | Advanced Methodology | 4 |
| PSQF:6246 | Design of Experiments | 3 |
| Another comparable research methods course approved by advisor | ||
Concentration Area
The concentration area (12 s.h.) gives students the opportunity to develop expertise in one area. Students consult with their advisor to develop the concentration curriculum. Students select from these options or from a different thematic combination of other graduate coursework numbered 5000 or above approved by their advisor.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 12 s.h. from these: | ||
| EPLS:5251 | College Environments | 3 |
| EPLS:5253 | Assessment in Higher Education and Student Affairs | 3 |
| EPLS:6217 | Theory for Scholar Practitioners | 2-3 |
| EPLS:6218 | The Law and Higher Education | 3 |
| EPLS:6225 | Higher Education Policy | 3 |
| EPLS:6266 | Program Evaluation | 3 |
| EPLS:6321 | Social Advocacy Summit | 1 |
| EPLS:6332 | College Student Development | 3 |
| EPLS:6336 | Impact of College on Students | 3 |
| EPLS:7385 | Teaching and Learning in Higher Education | 3 |
| EPLS:7432 | Strategies for Inclusive Leadership | 3 |
Electives
Students choose electives numbered 3000 or above as appropriate to their individual goals. These may draw from courses offered by counselor education (prefix CSED), teaching and learning (prefix EDTL), educational policy and leadership studies (prefix EPLS), and psychological and quantitative foundations (prefix PSQF) or by other University of Iowa departments and programs. Electives must be approved by the student's advisor. Some prior graduate coursework may be appropriate and applicable, and can be applied as elective credit with approval by the student's advisor.
Comprehensive Examination
The PhD comprehensive examination consists of a question written by the student in consultation with their advisor, and formally approved by the higher education and student affairs faculty. Students are expected to construct a well-supported argument informed by knowledge of the theory, research, and practice that constitutes the field of higher education based on the substantive core and the student's concentration. The written examination is followed by an oral examination.
Dissertation
The dissertation is a major research study planned in collaboration with the student's advisor. Students must write a formal dissertation proposal and submit it for approval, first to their advisor and then to the members of their doctoral committee. Students and their advisors determine when the proposal is complete. Students must earn 2 s.h. of dissertation research credit. The doctoral program culminates with a final oral defense of the dissertation.
Students must be registered at the University of Iowa each fall and spring semester from the semester in which they complete their comprehensive examination through the semester in which they defend their dissertation and graduate.
Admission
Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College.
Sample Plan of Study
Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor. For additional sample plans, see MyUI.
Educational Policy and Leadership Studies, PhD
Educational Leadership Subprogram
This sample plan is currently being reviewed and will be added at a later date.
Higher Education and Student Affairs Subprogram
This sample plan is currently being reviewed and will be added at a later date.