PhD in Higher Education | Assessment and Evaluation

Credit Hours

100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Next Start Dates: January 19, 2026 | February 16, 2026 | March 23, 2026

Gain the Skills You Need to Examine Institutional Effectiveness with Liberty’s PhD in Higher Education Administration – Assessment and Evaluation

As a dedicated education professional, you probably know that one of the best ways to examine whether a school or program is working is through data. Your years of experience have helped you learn how to create programs that meet high academic standards. Conferring Liberty University’s Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Higher Education Administration – Assessment and Evaluation can help shape your skills even further and advance your understanding of the critical areas of educational assessment and institutional research.

This 100% online PhD program can also help you discover how to ensure that your school meets the various requirements set by accreditation agencies. Understanding how to formulate the reports needed to verify compliance and enforce best practices in academia is vital to the success of your institution.

Holding programs and educational institutions to a particular standard is a vital part of being an administrator. That’s why we’ve designed our assessment and evaluation PhD to equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to assess your institution’s programs and certify that they meet the strict regulations required of higher education.

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

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Why Choose Liberty’s PhD in Higher Education Administration Degree – Assessment and Evaluation?

As a pioneer in distance education since 1985, we understand what it takes to create an online degree program that challenges you to grow while respecting your commitments. We know that your personal responsibilities don’t go away when you enroll in a degree program, which is why our PhD in Higher Education Administration – Assessment and Evaluation can be completed 100% online with no required intensives.

Assessment and evaluation are much-needed fields in higher education. Making sure that universities are keeping to accreditation standards is vital to ensuring both the success of the institution and the success of the students. Additionally, it’s important that you study how to craft programs that are based on data and achieve results. Liberty University is ready to come alongside you to help you gain all of these skills.

What Will You Study in Our PhD in Higher Education – Assessment and Evaluation Degree Online?

Our PhD in Higher Education Administration – Assessment and Evaluation degree program consists of 4 sections: higher education core courses, assessment and evaluation courses, research classes, and a dissertation sequence.

In the higher education courses, you will study effective teaching methods for college settings and explore how to maximize the impact, growth, and satisfaction of students. You will also study college and university organizational components and leadership issues. Historical perspectives on higher education and some of the economic and budgeting issues involved in higher education will also be covered. Additionally, you can learn how to assess programs and research in a way that will lead to measurable results for students.

The assessment and evaluation specialization consists of 4 courses. You will explore the use of research-based approaches to analyze student learning, curricula, student services, and institutional structures. Assessing academic programs in higher education will be another focus of your studies. Our PhD in higher education will cover methods and best practices for educational process evaluation, and you will examine some of the tools you can use to make data-driven decisions in higher education. You will also study the importance of compliance in accreditation and gain an understanding of the various requirements placed on education from programmatic, state, and national organizations.

As our PhD programs emphasize research, you can gain important skills to help prepare for your dissertation. Our research courses will guide you through advanced educational statistics as well as quantitative and qualitative research methods. In addition, you will complete a literature review course that can strengthen your critical thinking skills and help you determine the feasibility of a research study. You will also explore various research concepts and methodologies under the supervision of a research consultant.

Throughout the stages of your dissertation, you will research, write, and present your findings to our School of Education faculty. You will then defend your dissertation and have the opportunity for it to be archived and published upon a successful defense. The dissertation provides an excellent chance for you to conduct original research and present it to the academic community.

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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 Liberty’s Online PhD in Higher Education Administration – Assessment and Evaluation Degree

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.

Start Online Application

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 for the Online PhD in Higher Education Administration Degree

What’s the difference between a PhD in Higher Education Administration and an EdD in Higher Education Administration?

The difference between our PhD in Higher Education Administration and our EdD in Higher Education Administration lies in the emphasis of each degree. Doctor of Education (EdD) programs place a heavier emphasis on practical application while PhD programs focus more on theory. Another difference between our EdD in Higher Education Administration and our PhD in Higher Education Administration is that our PhD includes a dissertation while the EdD includes a capstone project.

If you’re interested in pursuing a research-based career in a collegiate setting, a PhD in Higher Education Administration may be the best fit for you. If you’re more interested in learning hands-on skills that can be applied directly to classrooms, our EdD may be a better fit.

Regardless of what your career goals are, both degree programs can be used as a tool on your personal and career path.

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*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, non-degree-seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and certificate students.

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PhD in Higher Education – Assessment and Evaluation Transforming the Student Experience

Gain the Skills You Need to Examine Institutional Effectiveness with Liberty’s PhD in Higher Education Administration – Assessment and Evaluation

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty’s PhD in Higher Education Administration Degree – Assessment and Evaluation?

What Will You Study in Our PhD in Higher Education – Assessment and Evaluation Degree Online?

Potential Career Opportunities

Featured Courses

Degree Information

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Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Information for Liberty’s Online PhD in Higher Education Administration – Assessment and Evaluation Degree

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

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Admissions Office Contact Information

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Frequently Asked Questions for the Online PhD in Higher Education Administration Degree

What’s the difference between a PhD in Higher Education Administration and an EdD in Higher Education Administration?

What accreditation does Liberty University have?

Are you ready to change your future?

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