View a complete list of program courses, program-specific and degree-level requirements, full admission criteria, and more.
This program requires a total of 54 credits.
Admission to the program is competitive and is based on a combination of all requirements. Meeting the eligibility requirements does not guarantee admission.
Please note: New cohorts begin in the fall term only.
All applicants will be pre-screened by DMCCPA faculty/staff based on the qualifications in the bulleted list below. Applicants who pass the pre-screen process will be required to interview (30 minutes; via phone or teleconference) with the DMCCPA admissions committee, which will use a common interview guide and will be comprised of faculty members, a staff member, and the program director. Final admissions recommendations will be based upon evaluation of written submissions and interview recommendations from faculty.
You must submit the following materials:
All materials for the fall term start are due by the doctoral program application deadlines:
The following is not required for admission but is good experience recommended for incoming students:
As part of this program's admission requirements, you will need to complete a writing exercise that follows specific instructions and prompts.
Please write 300–500 words for each prompt. Use one page per response. Be sure to complete all prompts.
This information is for students who enroll in the 2024–2025 academic year. For prior year requirements for this program or to review UMGC's complete program requirements for a specific academic year, visit our program catalog archive.
Develop skills and gain knowledge through coursework that draws from our respected faculty’s expertise and experience. With a highly respected credential, sophisticated knowledge, and an accomplished dissertation, you'll emerge from the program with the tools to transform student achievement and successfully guide community colleges into the essential role they will play in the future of higher education.
Our program directors refresh and update the curriculum regularly, with a focus on helping students achieve the following:
This program is designed to develop community college faculty and administrators and other professionals who are interested in becoming transformational leaders and advancing in senior-level careers in community colleges, state or federal agencies, or related not-for-profit organizations.
Gain insight from our faculty and staff and delve deeper into a range of online education and leadership topics.
Get answers to questions that current and prospective students are asking about program admission, credibility, curriculum, advisory board members, and more.
The UMGC DMCCPA program provides students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to become exceptional community college administrators and policy leaders. Through a generous grant provided by the Ascendium Foundation, the UMGC DMCCPA program has been able to uniquely convene and solicit input from top community college presidents and thought leaders from around the country. For example, students learn how to advocate for the role of community colleges as engines of social and economic mobility; how to lead transformational change with a steadfast commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion; and how to apply management theory and best practices to continuously improve policy and outcomes.
The UMGC DMCCPA advisory board is chaired by Dr. Richard Rhodes (chancellor of Austin Community College District and chair of the American Association of Community Colleges board of directors) and Dr. Karen Stout (president and CEO of Achieving the Dream). Other members include:
In addition to working with advisory board members described above, UMGC DMCCPA faculty members work closely with teams of community college experts on specific courses in the program. These expert collaborators include:
Furthermore, UMGC DMCCPA faculty work closely with the university's course development group to ensure the online learning experiences in each course meet international quality standards and are interactive, engaging, and learner-centered.
A PhD is a discipline-oriented research degree with a narrow focus designed to train you for roles as researchers or faculty members in a specific academic area. The Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration develops higher-order thinking and conceptual skills and prepares you to apply evidence-based research in practical management situations in order to identify and solve problems of practice. The traditional career path for a PhD graduate is in the academic world, while the traditional career path for a DMCCPA graduate is that of a practitioner in specialties associated with higher education.
The Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration is a doctoral degree from a regionally accredited university. That is typically one of the requirements for teaching in higher education. Graduates of this program teach at the college/university level, and some have full-time faculty positions at teaching colleges/universities in the positions of dean, vice president, and community college president. However, this program is not designed for students who aspire to earn tenure-track positions at research universities. Individuals with this goal may wish to consider pursuing a specialized PhD.
A strong DMCCPA program candidate:
All DMCCPA students must complete the required 54 credits to complete the program (18 program courses). All courses must be taken in the structured order. There are 14 academic content courses (3 credits each) and 4 dissertation courses (3 credits each). Students will be required to enroll in two doctoral courses per term.
No. Neither the GRE nor the GMAT is required for this program.
No. This program does not accept transfer credits.
Yes. We have designed the Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration program specifically for students who are working full-time. Most students in the program are working full-time. You can expect to spend approximately 20+ hours per week on your studies.
No. Doctoral-level courses are not available for enrollment until you are officially accepted into the program. A completed application, including supplemental documents, is required to be considered for enrollment.
Highly motivated students can complete the degree, including the dissertation, in three years. However, time required to complete the degree will vary depending upon individual progress and individual circumstances while enrolled in the program. You are granted seven years to complete the program; however, the average completion time remains at four years.
No. Not every course in the program is offered every term.
Upon acceptance into the doctoral program, students are expected to make progress through each course in a common group called a cohort. As they progress through the program together, they build helpful working relationships with one another and support one another's development. Beyond their cohort, students in the doctoral program are also members of the broader practitioner-scholar learning community that includes other doctoral students, UMGC faculty, and doctoral alumni.
Yes. UMGC is regionally accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, UMGC is a public state university in the University System of Maryland.
No. Due to licensing restrictions, only currently enrolled UMGC students have remote access to the UMGC Library's online databases.
Dr. Rey GarcÃa, Professor and Program Director
Dr. Rey GarcÃa serves as program director of the DMCCPA. Prior to coming to UMGC, he served as co-director of the community college leadership program at North Carolina State University. Dr. GarcÃa served as President of the Texas Association of Community Colleges for 20 years. He earned his PhD in Higher Education from the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Kate Thirolf, Associate Professor
Dr. Kate Thirolf came to UMGC from her prior role as Vice President for Instruction at Jackson College in Michigan. Dr. Thirolf completed the Aspen Fellowship for rising presidents. She earned her PhD from the University of Michigan.
Dr. Trudy Bers, Adjunct Professor
Dr. Trudy Bers is president of the Bers Group, an education consulting organization. She is a nationally recognized leader in education research, receiving the Sidney Suslow Scholar Award from the Association for Institutional Research. She earned her PhD from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Mr. David Baime, Adjunct Professor
David Baime is the long-serving Senior Vice President for Government Relations at the American Association of Community Colleges. Mr. Baime has a distinguished record of publications and speaking events on key legislative issues. Mr. Baime earned his master's degree from the London School of Economics.
Dr. Darrell Cain, Adjunct Professor
Dr. Darrell Cain serves as Interim President of Everett College in Washington. He had previously served as President of Pierce College-Puyallup. Dr. Cain serves on the Board of Trustees for the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. He earned his PhD from Virginia Tech University.
Dr. Gena Glickman, Adjunct Professor
Dr. Gena Glickman serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. She previously served as President of Massasoit Community and Manchester Community College. She earned her PhD from University of Maryland, College Park.
Dr. Larry Nespoli, Adjunct Professor
Dr. Larry Nespoli retired after a long tenure as President of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Mercer College in New Jersey. Dr. Nespoli earned his PhD from Penn State University.
Dr. Roderick Nunn, Adjunct Professor
Dr. Roderick Nunn serves as Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at SSM Health. He previously served as a campus President at St. Louis Community College, and as director of workforce development for three governors in Missouri and Illinois. Dr. Nunn earned his DM from ¶¶ÒõÊÓƵ.
Dr. Christopher Shults, Adjunct Professor
Dr. Christopher Shults serves as Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning at the Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York. Dr. Shults has a distinguished record of publications that address issues in equity and models for reform of community colleges. He earned his PhD from the University of Michigan.
Dr. Evelyn Waiwaiole, Adjunct Professor
Dr. Evelyn Waiwaiole serves as Vice President of Development at Temple College in Texas. Prior to her current role, she served as Executive Director of the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE). At CCCSE, she amplified the voices of community college students through research reports and major events. Dr. Waiwaiole earned her PhD from the University of Texas at Austin.
An online Doctor of Management in community college policy and administration can give college faculty and administrators the skills to lead effectively so they advance in administrative careers. UMGC’s online Doctor of Management in community college policy and administration is a 54-credit program that features exceptional scholarship, intimate cohorts, online courses, short residencies, distinguished faculty, and dissertation support. Students who enroll in the course will work together with about 15 to 20 students throughout the program and learn the tools to enhance student achievement and successfully guide community colleges.
UMGC's online Doctor of Management in community college policy and administration is a 54-credit program and can be completed within three years.
UMGC is committed to keeping our tuition and fees as affordable as possible. The online Doctor of Management in community college policy and administration follows the doctoral program tuition rate, which appears at the top of this webpage. We also offer scholarships for eligible students, an interest-free monthly payment plan, and no-cost digital materials in place of most textbooks to help make your education more affordable.
You don't need to have majored in a specific area to be successful in the online Doctor of Management in community college policy and administration program at UMGC. However, we recommend you have work and prior management experience in higher education. You will also need doctoral-level reading and writing skills, as the program is writing-intensive. Admission to this program is competitive and based on a combination of factors, which you can review above under "Program Admission Requirements."
You don't need any certifications to start the online Doctor of Management in community college policy and administration program at UMGC.
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