Skip navigation
An alumna: Pursue an Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership at Regent University.

Ed.D. – Higher Education Administration & Leadership

Lead & Manage Confidently Through an Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership

Cultivate the expertise you need to take your career to the next level. Regent’s Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Higher Education Administration & Leadership is designed to prepare mid-to-senior-level administrators at Christian higher educational institutions for positions of significant administrative leadership.

Online
61+
January 13, 2025
Download PDF

EXPAND YOUR SALARY

Higher job responsibilities lead to higher compensation.

WIDEN YOUR JOB PROSPECTS

Enjoy rewarding opportunities in schools and communities.

DEVELOP MARKETABLE HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP SKILLS

Gain the expertise needed for high-profile job positions.

Presented from a Christian worldview, the Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration & Leadership is supported by award-winning faculty in Virginia Beach.

Please complete the Request Information form on this page to learn more about this program.

On completing the Ed.D. – Higher Education Administration & Leadership degree, you can:

  • Develop vital skills in higher education administration including finance and strategic planning.
  • Effectively manage resources, space, and personnel.
  • Apply preventative law measures by understanding historical and contemporary legal issues that have shaped universities, along with constitutional provisions and federal statutes.

Career Opportunities

  • University President/Provost
  • Executive Vice President
  • Academic Dean
  • Assistant Dean
  • Executive Leadership
$102Thousand
Approximate Median Annual Wage for Education Administrators, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023
Featured Courses
EDCO 801Strategic Planning & Program Evaluation3
Examines strategic planning and the role of program evaluation in the planning-implementation-evaluation cycle to include the curriculum planning process. Topics include various theoretical and philosophical perspectives, alternative evaluation designs and related methodologies including collaborative action research and issues related to design, measurement and utilization. The goal is to help educators become active collaborators in the evaluation process and to give them the tools to judge the value of an evaluation. Whether the task is designing an internal evaluation of a local program, contracting for an external evaluation at the district level, or critically reviewing an evaluation report as a basis for making an administrative decision, this course offers important leadership preparation. Each student will prepare an evaluability assessment related to a self-selected educational program in his/her area of concentration. Prerequisite: a graduate level research course.
EFND 723History & Contemporary Issues in American Higher Education3
Overview of American higher education from the colonial period to the present. Form a foundational understanding of higher education and the origins of contemporary practices and problems within the academy. Investigate diverse institutions such as land grant colleges, historically black colleges and universities, research institutions, liberal arts colleges, religious colleges and universities and access to higher education. Examine and discuss early innovators of higher education and their policies.
EHEA 702Role & Mission of the Christian College and University3
Centers on the need for the continuance of Christian colleges and universities in a post-Christian culture. Particular emphasis placed on the strategies, objectives and goals that can best insure the future continuance of the spiritual mission and Orthodox beliefs of Christian colleges and universities. Cross-listed with EHEA 602.
EHEA 802Higher Education Finance3
Focuses on the knowledge and skills required to effectively deal with financial changes and trends for institutions of higher education. Students will further their skills in analysis and evaluation of issues from various perspectives – administrative, consumer and societal (government and organizations in the private sector that influence the source and use of funds). Financial management of higher education (administrative perspective) focuses on effectiveness and efficiency issues associated with the use of funds. The consumer perspective (access and choice issues in financing students) focuses on the source of institutional funds; both state and federal policies and programs and budgeting will inform the learner from that perspective. Cross-listed with EHEA 502.
EHEA 803The Law & Governance of Higher Education3
Provides historical and contemporary legal issues that have and will continue to shape colleges and universities today. Discusses legal issues regarding the college and trustees, administrators and staff. Investigates the legal basis of higher education in the United States to include constitutional provisions and federal statutes that influence higher education policy. Prepares emergent administrators for preventative law measures in an increasing litigious environment. Cross-listed with EHEA 503.
EHEA 811Administration & Organization Theory in Higher Education3
In-depth study of administrative roles, functions, knowledge and skill requirements, and administrative behavior. Trends in administrative theory and application explored.

2024-25 Semester Check-In Deadlines

All students are expected to check-in for the semester two weeks before the session start date. Students should apply, be accepted, enroll in their first courses, and confirm a plan to pay for their courses prior to this date.

SessionSemester Check-InSession Start Date
Session AFriday, August 9Monday, August 19
Session MFriday, September 6Monday, September 16
Session BFriday, October 11Monday, October 21
Session CWednesday, January 8Monday, January 13
Session TFriday, January 31Monday, February 10
Session DFriday, March 7Monday, March 17
Session EFriday, May 2Monday, May 12
Session FFriday, June 13Monday, June 23

Admissions Requirements

Step 1: Apply to Regent University

Submit your application using the Regent University Online Application.

Note: If you are unable to complete our application due to a disability, please contact our Admissions Office at 757.352.4990 or admissions@regent.edu and an admissions representative will provide reasonable accommodations to assist you in completing the application.

Step 2: Submit Your Unofficial Transcripts

Submit your unofficial transcripts to regent.edu/items.

Upon submitting your application, you will receive an email requesting authorization for Regent University to obtain your official transcripts from your U.S. degree-granting institution. International transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES, AACRAO or NAFSA approved agency.

Step 3: Submit Your Government-Issued ID

To ensure academic integrity, Regent University requires a copy of a government-issued ID. Please submit a scanned copy or photograph of it to regent.edu/items.


Please feel free to contact the Office of Admissions at 757.352.4990 or admissions@regent.edu should you have any further questions about the application process.

Note: All items submitted as part of the application process become the property of Regent University and cannot be returned.

PART-TIME STUDENTS

DegreeTuition Cost Per Credit HourAverage Credit Hours Per SemesterAverage Tuition Per Semester
Master of Education (M.Ed.)$5656$3,390
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.)$8006$4,800
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)$8003$2,400
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)$8003$2,400

Full-Time Students

DegreeTuition Cost Per Credit HourAverage Credit Hours Per SemesterAverage Tuition Per Semester
Master of Education (M.Ed.)$5659$5,085
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.)$8009$7,200
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)$8006$4,800
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)$8006$4,800

Student Fees Per Semester

University Services Fee (On-Campus Students)$850 (Fall & Spring)
$700 (Summer)
University Services Fee (Online Students)$700

Military Admissions & Aid » | Cost of Attendance »

Part-Time Students

DegreeTuition Cost Per Credit HourAverage Credit Hours Per SemesterAverage Tuition Per Semester
Master of Education (M.Ed.)$5656$3,390
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.)$8006$4,800
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)$8003$2,400
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)$8003$2,400

Full-Time Students

DegreeTuition Cost Per Credit HourAverage Credit Hours Per SemesterAverage Tuition Per Semester
Master of Education (M.Ed.)$5659$5,085
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.)$8009$7,200
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)$8006$4,800
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)$8006$4,800

Student Fees Per Semester

University Services Fee (On-Campus Students)$850 (Fall & Spring)
$700 (Summer)
University Services Fee (Online Students)$700

Military Admissions & Aid » | Cost of Attendance »

*Rates are subject to change at any time.

Advanced Standing

Students possessing an Ed.S. or equivalent may be admitted to the Ed.D. program with advanced standing after a review of their post-master’s transcript(s). Offered in a cohort model. Students may begin the program in the spring, summer or fall semesters. Courses are delivered online with some required face-to-face components. School division cohorts are also offered in varying formats.

Faculty

Dr. Pittman is the concentration chair for Higher Education Administration & Leadership and is committed to your success.

Dr. Jeff Pittman brings a wide range of experience to his faculty role in the School of Education. He served for over nine years as Vice President for Student Services at Regent University. He has also held Regent positions as Associate Dean for Administration and Academics in the School of Divinity; Assistant Vice President for Administrative and Auxiliary Services; and Assistant Director of Admissions and Financial Aid.

Active in several organizations, Pittman is past president (2005) of the National Association of College Auxiliary Services (NACAS). He currently serves on the board of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS). He also serves on the board of the NACAS Education Foundation. In addition to his affiliation with NACAS, Pittman is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and the Southern Association of College Student Affairs (SACSA).

A prolific writer, Pittman is a contributor to Business Officer, College Planning and Management, College Services, the International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, and Leadership Exchange. Pittman completed his Ph.D. at Old Dominion University, where he was selected as a member of the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi. He earned his MBA from Regent University and his B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Pittman holds professional certificates from the Administrative Management Institute at Cornell University and the College Business Management Institute (SACUBO) at the University of Kentucky.

“One of the biggest skills I learned through my studies at Regent was confidence. I learned that I am worthy, and I can go forward in my career and affect more students than just those in my own classroom.”
Kathy Galford, Ed.D., 2018 School Principal, Chesapeake Public Schools
“The Career Switcher program gave me the skills that I needed to feel comfortable stepping into my classroom and allowed for my success. I am now a first-year teacher who is thriving in an environment that applauds creativity and innovation.”
Breanna Mead, M.Ed., 2018 Career Switcher
“The adult track of the TESOL program in Regent's School of Education prepared me to work with students on a beginning English level as well as students on the postgraduate level.”
Joyce Erber, M.Ed., 2009 TESOL
“Regent has played an instrumental role in equipping thousands of graduates. We have the power to use the knowledge gained and the credentials earned to serve, to advocate for, and ultimately to bring change and hope to the hurting world around us.”
Cindi Spaulding, Ph.D., 2009 Teacher
“Regent University taught me how to be a servant leader when it comes to reaching children. I've learned to not just teach students, but to serve them according to what they need.”
Anthony Swann, M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, 2014 5th Grade Teacher, Rocky Mount Elementary