The College of Education offers online, in-person and hybrid graduate work leading to Master of Education (Ed.M.), Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees with a major in Adult and Higher Education.

Master of Education (Ed.M.)

The Master of Education in Adult and Higher Education is offered fully online in partnership with College of Education and Ecampus. Applications open in September for fall start the following year.

The Master of Education (Ed.M.) program prepares professionals in education, curriculum development, instructional design, and training to be able to work with adult learners in the following areas:

  • Human resources within for-profit corporations and not-for-profit agencies
  • Organizations involved in systems development
  • Developmental education programs in community colleges
  • Instructional design and technology in educational settings
  • In a variety of additional higher education settings.

This program is guided by the Academy of Human Resource Development Standards, a professional organization recognized internationally.

The Ed.M. degree in Adult and Higher Education is a fully online cohort model designed to be completed in less than two years.

Learn more »

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The Adult and Higher Education (AHE) Ed.D. degree has newly updated curriculum. The coursework includes a series of research, leadership and content expertise courses, which are intended to provide students with the knowledge to take the next steps in their professional careers.

The Ed.D. in Adult and Higher Education is offered in a hybrid format in partnership with the College of Education and Ecampus. During the first two years of this program, students will meet and study with a learning cohort both in person and online. Classes are held two weekends per term at Oregon State’s downtown Portland classroom building.

Applications open in September for fall start the following year.

The Ph.D. is undergoing curriculum and program updates. Changes are anticipated to begin fall 2023. If approved, the program updates will no longer require an option (Community College Leadership or Leadership in Higher Education).

Please visit the College of Education website to learn more about the two programs and how they align best with your career goals.

 Adult and Higher Education Website

 College of Education

 Graduate Student Handbook

 Corvallis
 OSU Portland Center
 Ecampus

Primary Contact

Lindsay Andrews
Program Lead
 541-737-3574

Admissions Requirements

Admit Term
  • Fall Term
Required Tests

none

English Language Requirements ?
  • TOEFL iBT: 0
  • TOEFL Paper: 575
  • IELTS: 0

Additional Requirements

  • International students are not eligible to apply to the Ed.D. doctoral program. International students are able to apply to the fully online master's, but cannot earn a visa to study in the United States.

Application requirements, including required documents, letters, and forms, vary by program and may not be completely represented here. The processing of your application will not be completed until these requirements have been met. Please, before applying to this program, always contact the program office to confirm application requirements.


Application Process

Please review the graduate school application process and Apply Online.

Dates & Deadlines ?

Admissions Deadline for Masters applicants
June 15

priority deadline

Admissions Deadline for Masters applicants
August 15

final deadline

Admissions Deadline for Ed.D. applicants

The priority application deadline has passed. Contact [email protected] for more information if you are interested in applying for 2022-23. All admitted students will begin the program in fall term each year.



MAIS Participation

This program may serve as a secondary or third only field of study in a MAIS degree.


AMP Participation ?

This program does not participate in the Accelerated Master's Platform (AMP)