Student Affairs Administration and Leadership (Ed.D.)

The SAA program is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and meets the Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS) requirements.

This is a three-year, cohort program. The program is designed such that students complete their dissertation during the third year.

Yes. The dissertation process will begin (loosely) in the second year and be completed during the third year of the program.

Yes. All courses are online, and there is no residency requirement.

A unique feature of this program is that students will take two shared courses with students from three other University of Wisconsin (UW) System institutions who are also launching Ed.D programs.  As part of an innovative cooperative agreement, our program is collaborating with UW-Green Bay (Ed.D in First Nations), UW-Oshkosh (Ed.D in Educational Leadership), and UW-Stevens Point (Ed.D in Sustainability Education).  Students are required to complete two elective courses - both of which may be taken through any of the four institutions.

All courses are asynchronous by nature. Some will include activities that require virtual meetings with faculty or classmates at certain times.

Per UWL Graduate Studies policy, students who have completed all coursework required for a graduate degree but who are still working on required research, comprehensive exams, or terminal projects (thesis, capstone or other culminating graduate project) must register for GRC 799 for up to two semesters of continuous registration. (If students can complete their work in one semester, then only one semester is necessary. If students take more than one semester, they must take two and no more than two continuous semesters of GRC 799). Fees for GRC 799 will be equivalent to 1 in-state graduate credit each semester.

MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON.  You can find contact information of current students on the SAA Ambassador page.

You can find this information on the Apply page. Please note that the priority deadline is January 1st. We admit one cohort per year. Cohorts begin coursework in late-May.

You have seven years from the start of your first course to complete your degree. Please go to the Graduate Catalog for more information about this policy.

Unfortunately, not at this time. This program is for individuals working in higher education who want to advance to upper level administrative positions such as a Director, Dean or Vice Chancellor. If, however, you work in a related professional setting and have related prior graduate work, you may be eligible for the program. Please contact SAA@uwlax.edu for additional information.

Depending on the coursework, you may be able to transfer 18 credits from other doctoral programs. Only courses that have been completed within the past seven years can be considered for transfer credit. All transfer credits must be approved by the SAA faculty. For a course to be considered for transfer credits, the course must closely resemble a course in the SAA Ed.D. curriculum. You must submit a Transfer Credit Request Form for credits to be considered.

Decisions about allowing students into classes as a "special student" are done on a case by case basis. Please contact the Ed.D. program director if you are interested in requesting permission to take a particular SAA course.

Yes, but you will need to explore opportunities outside of UWL. Unfortunately, at this time, UWL does not offer scholarships or grants for doctoral students.

The goal of this program is to prepare student affairs professionals for significant leadership roles at diverse institutions of higher education. A doctoral degree in student affairs provides the academic preparation necessary to complement significant professional experience in student affairs, opening doors to apply for such positions as Director, Dean, or Vice Chancellor/Vice President.

Jan 1st - Priority deadline for applications

March 1st - Students are notified about the admissions decision

April 1st - Students make the decision to enroll

May 21st - Classes start

*All dates 2018