Doctor of Philosophy in Community College Leadership

For questions about the program, please contact edleadership@colled.msstate.edu.

We are currently accepting applications for the summer of 2021 until March 1^st. 

Program Overview

The Ph.D. degree program in Community College Leadership is designed to prepare professionals for leadership positions in community colleges. The degree program is designed to prepare the next generation of community college leaders. The program consists of core courses of study in leading and managing in the community college, interdisciplinary courses, and courses in research and statistics. The program is offered through the Center for Distance Education.

Admission Criteria

To be eligible for admission to the program, the applicant must hold a master’s degree from an accredited institution, meet the basic requirements specified for graduate students at Mississippi State University, have at least 1 year of full-time equivalent work experience in a community college setting and current employment in higher education, and demonstrate academic proficiency based on the following indicators. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.40 on a 4.00 scale is required for all graduate-level credit hours completed. The deadline for summer admission is March 1st . Select students will be asked to come to Starkville for an on-campus interview and writing sample.

A complete admission packet includes the following:

• Application to the graduate degree program;
• Statement of purpose of 500-1000 words, inclusive of reason(s) for wanting in the program, research interests, and career goals and aspirations;
• Names and contact information for three references;
• GRE scores that are five years old or less; 
• Official transcripts from each college or university attended; and
• Current curriculum vitae

Program of Study

In addition to successfully completing at least four applied research courses, students are expected to demonstrate competency in research skills in one of two ways:

1. submit a research paper to a peer reviewed journal, or
2. present a research paper at an annual meeting of a region