About the Program
Core Values
APU’s Department of Doctoral Higher Education programs are driven by these core values:
- A commitment to rigorous research that makes a difference in real-world settings
- A commitment to enable students to become “big picture” thinkers who are people of character and integrity
- A strengths-oriented perspective on learning and leadership that encourages students to reach their full potential and teaches them how to lead effectively by developing the strengths of others
- A commitment to diversity and an international perspective that enhances learning and leadership effectiveness
- A commitment to mentoring doctoral students academically, professionally, and personally
Program Format
The program will serve select faculty and administrators at the host institution, Sias International University, with enrollment open to others seeking a global perspective on higher education.
The program meets at Sias International University in Xinzheng, Henan Province, twice a year—one week in February and one week in August. At each visit, students conclude two courses and begin two new ones. Between sessions, faculty and students are in communication with one another and assignments are submitted electronically. This schedule enables working professionals from a variety of countries to participate in the program. During the program, students will visit the U.S. for two weeks, experiencing U.S. higher education and culture and interacting with faculty and fellow students on the Azusa campus.
The APU Experience
APU’s doctoral programs in higher education are intensive programs for the working professional. As such, there are distinctive features of these programs that make the APU experience a life-changing one for our students.
The Cohort Model
Students are admitted to the intensive program as part of a cohort. Cohorts are typically 12–18 students who are employed full-time in higher education or a related field. They take courses in a carefully designed sequence and stay with their cohort throughout the program, as much as possible. This affords students the benefit of a network of professional colleagues with whom to study and conduct research. Our students report that their fellow students are one of the highlights of being in the intensive program.
Housing
Room and board for the two one-week intensives at Sias International University each year are included in the total cost of the program.
Program Outcomes
Graduates of the Global Ph.D. in Higher Education are expected to:
- Conduct and disseminate original research that extends the theoretical knowledge base of higher education policy and practice and answers meaningful questions.
- Competently engage the critical issues and help shape the conversations that affect the future direction of higher education at the national and international level.
- Lead effectively, collaboratively, and with vision.
- Articulate and evaluate a strengths-based approach to teaching, learning, and leadership development.
- Foster optimal learning in the students they serve, through effective pedagogy and institutional practices that are learning-centered.
- Articulate and evaluate a Christian perspective on effective leadership in higher education.
- Effectively address personal, institutional, and systemic injustices through competent policy analysis, formulation, and revision, as well as individual actions.
