Program: Adult Learning and Leadership (Ph.D.) - Kansas State University

Apr 06, 2025

2019-2020 Graduate Catalog

Offered through the Educational Leadership graduate program, the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Adult Learning and Leadership is a minimum 90-credit hour, post baccalaureate program designed to prepare scholars who are committed to a career with responsibilities and requirements associated with college/university faculty membership and/or interest in the development of knowledge, theory, and research.

With the approval of the supervisory committee, up to 30 graduate hours earned as part of the Master’s degree may be used to satisfy the degree requirements.

A. Required Academic Core Courses (18 credit hours)

Students without a master’s degree in adult education must take these courses in addition to the 90 credit hours in the doctoral degree, as determined by the supervisory committee.

EDACE 780 - Introduction to Adult Learning and Leadership Credits: 3
EDACE 790 - Characteristics of the Adult Learner Credits: 3
EDACE 818 - Critical and Social Issues in Adult Learning Credits: 3
EDACE 830 - Program Planning in Adult Learning and Leadership Credits: 3
EDACE 847 - Adult Learning and Motivation Credits: 3
EDCEP 816 - Research Methods in Education Credits: 3
or equivalent research methods course

B. Required Doctoral Courses (minimum of 12 hours form the following list or equivalent)

EDACE 880 - Significant Literature of Adult Learning Credits: 3
EDACE 916 - Foundations of Adult Learning and Leadership Credits: 3
EDACE 937 - Organization and Administration of Adult Learning and Leadership Credits: 3
EDACE 986 - Advanced Seminars in Adult Learning and Leadership Credits: 1-18
or other courses approved by the supervisory committee

C. Required Research Courses (15 credit hours minimum)

EDCEP 817 - Statistical Methods in Education Credits: 3
EDCEP 917 - Experimental Design in Educational Research Credits: 3
EDLEA 838 - Qualitative Research in Education Credits: 3
EDLEA 938 - Advanced Data Analysis in Qualitative Methods Credits: 3
EDLEA 948 - Data Representation and Writing in Qualitative Research Credits: 3
or quantitative/ qualitative research courses taken from other disciplines at K-State and approved by the supervisory committee.

D. Elective Courses (Select electives appropriate to the area of emphasis that satisfy the minimum 90 credit hours for the program.)

EDACE prefix, additional quantitative/qualitative research courses or other disciplines at K-State and approved by the supervisory committee.

E. Experiential and Individualized Courses (0-6 credit hours)

EDACE 733 - Practicum in Adult Learning and Leadership Credits: 1-6
EDACE 775 - Readings in Adult Learning and Leadership Credits: 1-3
EDACE 795 - Problems in Adult Learning and Leadership Credits: 1-18
EDACE 991 - Internship in Adult Learning and Leadership Credits: 1-18

F. Doctoral Research (12 credit hours minimum)

EDACE 999 - Doctoral Research Credits: 1-18

Preliminary Examination

The requirement for the preliminary examination is satisfactory completion of all segments of a monitored written examination of at least 12 hours over all areas of the program of study.