Date of Award

2003

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

College

College of Education

Type of Degree

Ed.D.

Document Type

Dissertation

First Advisor

Dennis Prisk

Second Advisor

Bobbie Nicholson

Third Advisor

Bob Rubenstein

Abstract

The duties of higher education administrators have become more complex as a result of issues relating to decreased funding, competition between and among institutions, and increasingly sophisticated technology. Therefore, it is important for doctoral programs in higher education administration to ensure that their curricula remain current. A needs assessment, similar to the one in this study, is an accepted way of accomplishing that goal. Higher education administrators, graduates from two public universities (n = 213), were surveyed to obtain their opinions on whether or not 25 administrative competencies culled from the literature were addressed in their programs of study and were important to the job of an administrator. Their opinions were also solicited as to their perceived personal competence upon graduation and at the time of the survey. Significant differences at the p<.01 and p<.05 levels were found with regard to respondents’ ages, sex, years of experience, and graduate institutions. Significant differences at the p<.01 and p<.05 levels were also found when relating respondents’ perceived competence upon graduation and at the time of the survey, suggesting that internships providing actual experience in a real administrative setting may allow graduates of doctoral programs in higher education administration to feel more capable. Caution should be exercised when assuming that instruction alone can compensate for deficiencies in competence since respondents (n = 152) indicated a significant difference (p<.01) in perceived competence between graduation and the time of the survey, suggesting that on-the-job experience may afford administrators greater competence than instruction.

Subject

College adminstrators - Education

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