“The environment in the classroom is amazing—the faculty allow us to bring our lived and professional experiences, which provides for a rich learning environment for us all.”
Nicole Thomas, Ed.D., GRD'24

Bringing together cohorts of senior leaders from higher education, government, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector to study with a world-renowned faculty–without career interruption.
Shape the future of higher education with an Ivy League doctoral degree.
The Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management, Ed.D. program brings together senior leaders from higher education, government, nonprofits, and the private sector. In just two years, students earn an Ivy League doctorate while continuing their careers. This rigorous, executive-style program is more than a credential—it's a gateway to advancing your career and joining a lifelong professional community. Our alumni are not just leaders; they are the driving force shaping the future of higher education.
February 1 Application Deadline
Summer Entry Term
Executive Enrollment Format
19 Course Units
2 Years Duration
On Campus Modality
The Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management, Ed.D. (Exec Doc) program focuses on the core issues and opportunities facing today's higher education institutions. The program equips senior leaders with the skills, knowledge, and strategic mindset needed to navigate and lead in an increasingly complex social, political, and economic landscape.
Our philosophy is that leaders of dynamic organizations must innovatively practice data-driven decision-making within a complex social, political, and economic environment. Distinguishing features of the program are the development and application of strategic management skills, evidence-based decision-making, and a scholarly dissertation.
This program plays a pivotal role in the professional lives of our alumni well beyond the end of our two-year program. The strong network built within and across cohorts provides a constant resource for exploring ideas, finding solutions, and enabling career changes. From an annual Alumni Conference at Penn that addresses key issues in the field to receptions, seminars, and continued virtual interactions, the connection to our program continues to reward our students long after they’ve graduated.
Exec Doc is an executive-style program that brings together senior higher education professionals from across the U.S. and around the world. Students travel to Penn’s campus monthly, forming a dynamic cohort of leaders from academia, government, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector.
Application Requirements and Deadlines Tuition and Fees Financial Aid
Nicole Thomas, Ed.D., GRD'24
Nicole Thomas, Ed.D., GRD'24
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | Location: Online
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | Location: Online
The curriculum is structured into three strands—evidence based management, higher education contexts, and institutional leadership classes. The first year curriculum places a greater emphasis on coursework, providing a practical, theoretical, and methodological foundation for designing a dissertation. The second year continues with a similar focus but coursework is lightened, as students concentrate on independent investigations and analyses for their dissertations.
For more information on courses and requirements, visit the Higher Education Management, Ed.D. program in the University Catalog.
We're happy to help! Contact the program Associate Director, Kaitlyn Hendrickson, by email khendr@upenn.edu or call 215-746-6401.
A cornerstone of a doctoral education is the development of an independent research project leading to a dissertation. The Executive Doctorate approach focuses on scholarly inquiry as a management tool. These dissertations are frequently recognized by professional associations for their outstanding contributions to the literature, and many have been published as books or articles in scholarly or professional journals.
These dissertations adhere to the same rigorous academic standards as all Penn GSE Ed.D. programs. To support students through the research process, a committee chair and a second reader are assigned in the first year. All full-time faculty and several committed practictioner-faculty serve as readers and chairs and are assigned to student committees based on their subject and methodological expertise. A third committee member is selected, often from outside of Penn, in consultation with the student.
Students are not required to have a fully defined research topic at the start of the program, but many enter the program with several areas of interest. Topics are typically selected by the end of the first fall term and are developed during the spring semester, culminating in an oral hearing with the committee to review the dissertation proposal. Data collection generally begins in the summer and continues into early fall, followed by analysis and drafting. Oral defenses of the final dissertation are held toward the end of the spring term of the second year.
The Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management is a full-time Ed.D. program delivered in an executive-style format, allowing students to maintain full-time employment while pursuing their degree.
Course sessions take place monthly in Philadelphia, with the exception of the International module and one other cohort weekend. The program consists of six consecutive terms, beginning with a later summer term and culminating in a spring term two years later. Tuition is inclusive of all books, meals, and on-campus hotel accommodations. All admitted students transfer the equivalent of a year of graduate coursework from a previous master’s degree, first professional degree, or other doctoral degree as part of the credit requirements of the program.
The program provides unparalleled preparation for senior leadership positions, supplying them with dynamic tools for surmounting campus-wide challenges. Graduates from the program are college and university presidents, senior vice presidents, vice presidents, deans, state and federal policy leaders, and nationally recognized academic entrepreneurs.
A graduate degree from Penn GSE opens up whole new worlds, intellectually as well as professionally. If you are a passionate, innovative, impactful leader—or aspire to be one—Penn GSE is the place for you.
Ira Harkavy
Kedra Ishop
Do you have questions about our programs, admissions requirements, or financial aid? We're here to help!