Program Mission                                                                                

The Executive Ph.D. (EPhD) in Urban Higher Education at Jackson State
University (JSU) prepares students to assume senior leadership roles in
post-secondary institutions and other organizations whose primary endeavors relate to or impact the operations of institutions of higher learning. The
program will engage participants in the analysis of different facets of
operations and management of post-secondary institutions and in the development of solutions to potential or existing challenges facing urban and metropolitan institutions.

Students are trained to study higher education institutions from a
trans-disciplinary perspective and to appreciate the role and impact of these institutions as engines of social and economic change in urban and
metropolitan venues.

Students master core knowledge in the field of higher education and develop
a high level of analytical (quantitative and qualitative) research skills, complemented by an extensive breadth of relevant leadership knowledge in management, planning, and policy. Faculty and administrators associated
with the program are committed to the continuous pursuit of knowledge in
the discipline through demonstrated scholarship, effective delivery of
instruction, and professional service in their fields and community.

Program Objectives:                                                                       

• To provide students with the knowledge, skills and dispositions
   required to lead higher education institutions or human services
   agencies in urban and metropolitan communities.

• To enable students to master the theoretical, conceptual, and
   research perspectives necessary to improve the quality of life
   in urban and metropolitan settings.

• To support the development and implementation of clearly defined
   and focused action-research initiatives designed to address existing and
   pressing urban and metropolitan challenges, such as the following:

                          (a) Pre-K through 16 education
                          (b) Human service delivery system
                          (c) Economic development
                          (d) Urban revitalization
                          (e) Regional planning
                          (f) Individual, group and community empowerment
                          (g) Program evaluations

• To create a culture of ongoing intellectual inquiry that supports
   professional development and active lifelong learning.

Target Clientele                                                                               

The audience for this unique program may include:

• Mid-entry level personnel in management from colleges and universities in urban or metropolitan settings
• Executive related agencies that work either as suppliers or clients of the higher education enterprise. This may include:
  • Human resource/service agencies
  • Foundations
  • Corporations with an adult training mission, and
  • Other sectors that represent government, industry, commerce or technology.

     Research