Higher Education and Student Affairs
Ohio State is one of the nation's strongest programs preparing leaders in higher education and student affairs. For more than seven decades, our rich heritage of research and practice, fueled by our faculty, have benefitted students in classrooms and beyond. This tradition is reflected in many alumni who have become senior leaders in the field. Our students, too, are recognized for their involvement and leadership in and out of the classroom. Above all, our comprehensive curriculum emphasizes rigorous research and professional development and creates opportunities for learning, collaboration, and community-building.
Degrees
The EdD program is practice-oriented, meant as training for scholar-practitioners. Candidates will be able to apply research to practice with a part-time course load with other working professionals. The program culminates in a dissertation in practice (assessment and evaluation).
The research-oriented PhD program is for primarily full-time students. The main focus of the program is training candidates to conduct their own original research. At the end of this program, candidates write and present a traditional dissertation as a final project.
In 2025 these programs were ranked 6th nationally by US News and World Report.
Faculty
Student Opportunities
Links PhD and master’s HESA students with funded assistantship opportunities in housing, admissions, academic affairs, student activities, multicultural programming, career counseling and more, at Ohio State and other central Ohio institutions.
Provides professional development, social events and mentorship opportunities for student members, and serves to build community among faculty, staff, students and alumni.
Sponsored by the Council of Graduate Students, the university forum highlights exemplary and innovative research conducted by Ohio State graduate students.
The college’s annual forum showcases the research efforts of graduate students and other researchers in the college.
Program Stories
