PhD in Higher Education Admin | Community College Admin

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Next Start Dates: August 24, 2026 | September 21, 2026 | October 26, 2026

Available Fall 2026

Help Shape Community College Leadership with a PhD in Higher Education Administration

Community colleges serve students who need access, flexibility, transfer pathways, and workforce-focused education. That mission calls for leaders who can research complex problems and understand how policy, funding, teaching, and student support connect. Liberty’s Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Higher Education Administration – Community College Administration can help you examine those issues through advanced scholarship.

Across the higher education field, community colleges face questions about enrollment, student success, resource planning, and institutional effectiveness. In this PhD in Higher Education Administration, you will study how leaders respond to those questions through research, governance, and data-informed decision-making. You’ll explore the distinct role of 2-year institutions while examining the needs of adult learners, first-generation students, and underrepresented populations. This focus can help you connect your doctoral work to real challenges in community college administration.

At Liberty, our online higher education administration program is designed for professionals who want to contribute original research to the field. This degree covers higher education leadership, college administration, research methods, assessment, accreditation, and community college specialization topics. Through the dissertation, you will complete independent scholarship that demonstrates mastery of your subject area.

For students enrolling today, who are placed on the current academic year’s degree completion plan, the officially conferred degree name will be Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Higher Education Administration – Community College Administration. Degree details, including name, may be subject to change between academic terms.

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Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Liberty

Why Choose Liberty’s Online PhD Program in Higher Education Administration – Community College Administration?

Your doctoral path should fit your calling, your responsibilities, and your long-term academic interests. Liberty’s PhD in Higher Education Administration degree is offered in a 100% online format, giving you a way to pursue doctoral study while remaining connected to your current work and community. This format can be especially helpful if you already serve in a college, university, or education-related organization.

At Liberty, experienced faculty contribute to the academic quality of our higher education administration doctoral programs. You will engage with instructors who understand education research, leadership, and institutional practice. Their guidance can help you refine research questions, evaluate scholarly sources, and think critically about issues facing community colleges. Faculty support is especially important in a research-focused PhD, where clear writing and sound methodology are paramount.

Rather than including coursework alone, this program also incorporates a dissertation sequence. Through that process, you will conduct original research related to higher education administration and community college leadership. Your dissertation can focus on a topic connected to governance, student learning, institutional policy, leadership practice, or another approved area within the field.

Liberty’s mission also shapes the way leadership is discussed in this degree. Our program emphasizes integrity, ethical decision-making, service-minded leadership, and care for diverse student communities. You can explore how effective administration can support access, excellence, and responsible stewardship in higher education settings. This approach keeps the focus on both scholarship and people.

What Will You Study?

In Liberty’s higher education administration doctoral program, you will study the systems that shape colleges and universities. Core topics include teaching college students, college and university administration, historical perspectives of higher education, economic issues in higher education, assessment, and accreditation. These areas can help you examine how institutions operate, how decisions are made, and how higher education responds to public needs.

Your community college administration specialization will focus on the mission and structure of 2-year institutions. You’ll explore governance, leadership, resource planning, historical trends, and issues that affect community colleges. Coursework also addresses student learning and development within open-access settings. Through these topics, you can study how leaders support persistence, engagement, and achievement among varied student groups.

Research is a major part of this PhD in Higher Education Administration online degree. You will study advanced educational statistics, quantitative research, qualitative research, literature review development, and advanced research methods. These studies can help you evaluate existing scholarship and prepare for independent doctoral research.

The dissertation sequence is the major applied research element of this program. During this process, you will develop, write, and defend a research project that contributes to the field of higher education. Your work can examine a problem or question related to community colleges, institutional leadership, policy, student development, or administration. By completing this requirement, you can demonstrate advanced research ability within your chosen area of study.

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Course Format

We offer both 8-week and full-semester sub-terms each semester. While many online courses can be taken in the 8-week format, some programs require courses that must be taken in the full-semester term. Some courses may require additional approvals or information prior to registration.

In addition to these formats, some courses may be required to be taken in intensive or alternative formats, which may include scheduled meeting times, travel to campus, or required login sessions.

You can view specific sub-term offerings and requirements in the Course Registration Tool.

Degree Information

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Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.

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Tuition & Aid

At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.

Doctoral Full Time	$610/Credit
Doctoral Part Time	$675/Credit

Eligible current and former military service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $375/credit hour (learn more).

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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Admission Information for Our Higher Education Administration PhD – Community College Administration

Admission Requirements

Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited master’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing.
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your master’s degree.
Complete a Master’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
Submit an official transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree or within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree.
Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.

Transcript Policies

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.

Admissions Office Contact Information

Submit your application online or over the phone.

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Apply by phone: (800) 424-9595

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

Active Duty
Reserve/National Guard
Veterans/Retirees
Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees

Military Tuition Discount

We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want – at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $375/credit hour. Find out how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity as you work toward your goal of reaching the pinnacle of your profession – for less.

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Our PhD in Higher Education Administration Online Degree

How do I choose between an EdS, EdD, and PhD in Higher Education Administration – Community College Administration?

Each pathway serves a different purpose, so the right choice depends on your academic and professional goals. The EdS can support advanced study beyond a master’s degree without the dissertation structure of a doctorate. The EdD is typically more practice-focused and emphasizes applied research connected to leadership problems.

The PhD is the most research-focused of the 3 pathways. In Liberty’s PhD in Higher Education Administration – Community College Administration, you will conduct original research through a dissertation. This option can be a strong fit if you want to explore scholarship, policy, leadership theory, or research-focused roles in higher education.

Why should I pursue an online community college administration doctoral degree at Liberty?

Liberty’s online format allows you to pursue doctoral study without relocating. Because this program is offered online, you can continue serving in your current professional setting while completing coursework. That flexibility can be useful for working adults who want to study community college administration at an advanced level.

This degree also gives focused attention to the community college environment. You will examine governance, leadership, resource planning, historical trends, student learning, and research methods through a doctoral lens. At Liberty, those topics are framed by an emphasis on ethical leadership, academic rigor, and service to students and communities.

Is Liberty’s PhD in Higher Education Administration – Community College Administration accredited?

What careers can relate to a PhD in Higher Education Administration?

Career options can depend on your prior experience, professional background, research focus, and employer requirements. This degree can help you prepare to pursue roles connected to community college leadership, higher education research, institutional planning, and academic administration.

Because this is a PhD, the research component can also support goals related to scholarship, policy analysis, or college-level teaching. Liberty’s program is designed to help you study the field deeply while focusing on the needs and mission of community colleges.

PhD in Higher Education Administration – Community College Administration Research Effective Higher Education Strategies

Help Shape Community College Leadership with a PhD in Higher Education Administration

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty’s Online PhD Program in Higher Education Administration – Community College Administration?

What Will You Study?

Potential Career Opportunities

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Degree Information

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Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Information for Our Higher Education Administration PhD – Community College Administration

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

Transcript Policies

Admissions Office Contact Information

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Frequently Asked Questions About Our PhD in Higher Education Administration Online Degree

How do I choose between an EdS, EdD, and PhD in Higher Education Administration – Community College Administration?

Why should I pursue an online community college administration doctoral degree at Liberty?

Is Liberty’s PhD in Higher Education Administration – Community College Administration accredited?

What careers can relate to a PhD in Higher Education Administration?

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