The OISE/UT PhD in Higher Education for Community College Leaders (CCL Cohort)
 

The Ph.D. program in Higher Education is pleased to advise that a cohort designed for Community College Leaders is available to qualified applicants. A new cohort (“Community College Leadership Cohort” – CCL Cohort) is started every three or four years, depending upon the program’s doctoral thesis supervision capacity.

The CCL Cohort is designed to meet the needs of persons interested in leadership positions at community colleges and other higher education institutions (the primary audience is staff actively engaged in college work although a small number of those in public and private institutions could also be admitted). The Community College Leadership Cohort offers students the opportunity to improve their practice if they are already currently serving in a leadership position. If students are seeking a leadership position, the CCL Cohort provides the opportunity to develop the cognitive, emotional and interpersonal skills required for success in such appointments.

Students are admitted to the flex-time option of the Higher Education program and are subject to the requirements of this option. CCL Cohort students take most of their courses together in two consecutive summers (Summer Institutes) and weekend courses in the intervening fall and winter terms. Many of the courses are specially designed for the Cohort and focus on issues related to the community college.

In particular, topics dealt with include system organization, governance, mission, college functions, student characteristics and educational philosophy.
In addition to the objectives common to all students in the Ph.D. in Higher Education, students entering the Community College Leadership Cohort will gain knowledge about:

Leadership Development
Enables leaders, in particular those who work within Ontario colleges, to pursue studies that develop their knowledge of postsecondary institutions and systems as well as their leadership skills.

Organizational Development
Provides Ontario colleges with increased capacity to conduct institutional research on mission-related issues to promote evidence-based policy and operational decision making.

System Development
Fosters the conditions where resolution to recurring and new challenges facing the Ontario college system are informed more by rigorous analysis and research rather than ideology and polemics.

Research
Develops students’ research skills and abilities to enable them to expand the knowledge base concerning community colleges, effective teaching, and student learning.

The CCL Cohort Curriculum

The CCL Cohort consists of a minimum of six half courses, four of which are required, a graduate comprehensive exam and a successful thesis defence under the supervision of a faculty member.
The typical sequence of courses for the CCL Cohort is outlined below.

Summer Institute I
Two half-courses are completed during the intensive, two-week residential summer institute. These are:
TPS 1819H: Governance/Leadership in Higher Education (1 half course - required)
TPS 1803H: Recurring Issues in Postsecondary Education (1 half course - required)

Fall Year 1
TPS 3820H: Special Topics in Higher Education: Survey of Higher Education Research (1 half course)

Winter Year 1
TPS 1836H: Critical Analysis of Research in Higher Education (1 half course - required)

Summer Institute II
Two courses are completed during the second intensive, two-week residential summer institute. They are:
TPS 3820H: Student Development in Higher Education (1 half course)
TPS 1805H: The Community College (1 half course - required)

Fall Year 2
In addition to the six half course requirement to complete the PhD, students in the CCL Cohort can take an additional course to focus on a review of the literature related to their thesis topic. The course is,
TPS 3852H: Individual Reading and Research in Higher Education: Doctoral Level (1 half course)

Graduate Comprehensive exam

Thesis and defence: Under the direction of a faculty supervisor and committee (please see the School of Graduate Studies calendar for complete requirements).
 

Faculty - Community College Leadership Cohort

Dr. Peter Dietsche - CCL Program Director and William Davis Chair, CCL

Dr. Angela Hildyard

Dr. Glen Jones

Dr. Katharine Janzen