Program Philosophy

LEMCPE is a professional program for leaders in postsecondary education. Professional knowledge is dynamic, requiring practitioners to be knowledgeable of the “state of the art,” but also requiring them to participate in efforts to question and push back the boundaries of professional understanding. It requires scholars to examine the meaning and enactment of effective professional practice.

The administration of complex postsecondary education enterprises requires leaders who actively cultivate and update educational philosophies and knowledge about postsecondary education.  The LEMCPE program provides students with perspectives on current knowledge in postsecondary and adult education and on methods of inquiry aimed at improving postsecondary quality equitably and inclusively. Theory and research on the meanings of equity and the means of achieving it in postsecondary education are the education anchors of the program. Through courses and other planned learning experiences, students critically examine current understandings of how postsecondary education is governed, organized, and managed as well as about how adults learn and develop through learning in diverse contexts.

We believe in the value of intellectual community, which we label “Community of Scholars.” Those studying in the LEMCPE doctoral program are encouraged to engage in the various opportunities provided and/or to create opportunities for the sharing of ideas, critically reflecting on practice and collaborating on research. Examples include the Raines Colloquium, Graduate Research Colloquium, Ewigleben Policy Seminar, and other enriching learning opportunities.

Program Objectives

The program’s objectives are:

• To cultivate learners’ understandings about conceptions of equity in postsecondary education and to enhance knowledge about the means of achieving various conceptions of equity and the barriers that inhibit their realization.  
• To provide learners with an expansive understanding of contemporary and enduring issues in postsecondary education.  
• To expand leaders’ capacities to use professional knowledge and scholarly analysis to support equity-minded change in postsecondary education.
• To develop and implement action plans to enact equity-minded, analytical leadership addressing contemporary problems of practice in higher education and adult learning.

Program Learning Outcomes

The program learning outcomes represent the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that this degree program aims to develop in students. They apply to students preparing for a wide range of leadership and administrative positions in postsecondary education. Students work toward these outcomes throughout the program. The anticipated outcomes serve to guide progress, ground assessment, and supply feedback to students and faculty alike. The learning outcomes are intended to influence individual courses and experiences, connections among and across discrete program elements, and the continuing and culminating assessments for graduation from the program.

Learning Outcome 1: Articulate a philosophy of learning and leading

Students are expected to produce a philosophy about leadership in postsecondary education grounded in a conception of educational equity informed by theory, research, personal values, and professional commitments. This involves:

• Acquiring and updating knowledge on the breadth of topics in postsecondary education covered in courses and advising groups.
• Developing a commitment to learning and leading through scholarly inquiry.
• Striving to understand perspectives that are different from your own and to engage in respectful and informed dialogue that advances the learning of all members of the LEMCPE community.
• Acquiring and refining theories of action that advance equity-minded change in postsecondary education.

Learning Outcome 2: Establish a commitment to evidence and scholarly knowledge.

As doctoral students and professional leaders, program learners will commit to elevating the role of evidence and knowledge in professional work. This means developing habits of taking in and analyzing evidence and, when appropriate, updating one’s views and positions based on new information and others’ perspectives.

Learning Outcome 3: Develop personal, interpersonal and political aspects of leadership.

Leadership involves achieving results through collaboration with other people, drawing on interpersonal skills and sensitivities, as well as exercising micro-political awareness and skill. In this regard, learners will:

• Increase self-knowledge related to leadership tendences, including strengths and weaknesses, and means for addressing them.
• Develop skills and knowledge about philosophical and practical considerations for decision making.
• Enhance skills in communication, collaboration, negotiation, and conflict resolution. 
• Seek to understand the political dimensions of work, including how to lead through political processes.

Learning Outcome 4: Understand professional norms and standards for conduct and practice.

Learners should give attention to the ethical and moral dimensions of leadership, prepare to reason through ethical issues, and be aware of the moral aspects of leadership. This involves:

• A commitment to learn and understand professional standards, normative practices, and ethical imperatives.
• A commitment to treat everyone with dignity and respect.
• A commitment to understanding the convictions and moral frameworks that inform how other people behave and interact.
• Striving to avoid and reduce the harm that may arise from personal conduct and professional practices.

Academic Expectations

Program Participation

All students are expected to enroll in all required courses as outlined in the program plan below and to complete the program as designed.

Attendance

Regular attendance is expected. Instructors will inform the students of course attendance requirements and penalties that may be incurred because of failure to comply with these requirements.

Grades

A 3.0 cumulative grade-point average in the degree program is the minimum university standard. However, attainment of the minimum grade-point average is in itself an insufficient indicator of potential for success in other aspects of the program and the field. The grading system is as follows: 4.0, superior; 3.5, excellent; 3.0, good; 2.5, fair; 2.0 poor; 0/1.0/1.5, failure and in specific courses, P-NG (Pass-No Grade). Grades of a 2.0 or below do not count towards graduate degrees at MSU.  Once grades have been submitted to the registrar’s office, they may only be changed by the course instructor through written application. A student whose semester grade point falls below a 3.0 receives a written warning by the LEMCPE faculty indicating unsatisfactory academic performance.

Incompletes, Defers, and Extensions

Incomplete coursework is discouraged because of the structure and pace of the program. Students unable to complete an assignment or course as planned should contact their advisor as soon as possible.

Writing Standards

Scholarly writing has its own set of rules and conventions that are different from those of creative or technical writing. As a graduate student in LEMCPE, you will be required to meet rigorous writing standards and use APA Style (See Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association).

Continuous Enrollment

We expect that leaves of absence and program interruption will be rare. Students may take leaves of absence only by petition to the HALE faculty in cases of qualified medical, caretaking, or grief leaves. Leaves of absence may delay program completion and graduation. 

Integrity in Scholarship and Research

Students are expected to uphold the principles and standards set forth in university policies that maintain the integrity of academic work. Academic dishonesty, violations of professional standards, and falsification of academic or admission records are considered serious violations and may result in disciplinary action.

Guidelines for Integrity in Research and Creative Activities

The conduct of research and creative activities by faculty, staff, and students is central to the mission of Michigan State University and is an institutional priority. Faculty, staff, and students work in a rich and competitive environment for the common purpose of learning, creating new knowledge, and disseminating information and ideas for the benefit of their peers and the general public. The stature and reputation of MSU as a research university are based on the commitment of its faculty, staff, and students to excellence in scholarly and creative activities and to the highest standards of professional integrity. As a partner in scholarly endeavors, MSU is committed to creating an environment that promotes ethical conduct and integrity in research and creative activities.

Innovative ideas and advances in research and creative activities have the potential to generate professional and public recognition and, in some instances, commercial interest and financial gain. In rare cases, such benefits may become motivating factors to violate professional ethics. Pressures to publish, to obtain research grants, or to complete academic requirements may also lead to an erosion of professional integrity.

Breaches in professional ethics range from questionable research practices to misconduct. The primary responsibility for adhering to professional standards lies with the individual scholar. It is, however, also the responsibility of advisors and of the disciplinary community at large. Passive acceptance of improper practices lowers inhibitions to violate professional ethics.

Integrity in research and creative activities is based not only on sound disciplinary practice but also on a commitment to basic personal values such as fairness, equity, honesty, and respect. These guidelines are intended to promote high professional standards by everyone, faculty, staff, and students alike. For additional information, please consult the Guidelines for Integrity in Research and Creative Activities.

In essence, plagiarism is the use of another person’s words or ideas without proper acknowledgment. Students recycling their own work may also be considered plagiarism. It is imperative that writers appropriately paraphrase, use quotation marks (direct citations), and credit their sources both within the text and in a reference/bibliography. An instructor that suspects that a student has committed plagiarism will provide the student with an opportunity to present and explain the origin of the work. In addition, the instructor will explore whether the student understands the relevant standards of academic conduct. If the instructor determines that a minor offense has occurred, they may require the student to resubmit the assignment or assign a “0” to the assignment. However, if an instructor determines that a major offense was committed, procedures presented in the Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities (GSSR) manual will be followed. Questions about the handling of plagiarism cases should be directed to the department chair.

The advent of large language models (LLMs) and other forms of generative artificial intelligence (AI) complicate the norms of academic integrity and plagiarism. Students are expected to keep up to date with all applicable policies and expectations regarding the use of LLM and AI by Michigan State University, the Department of Educational Administration, and individual course instructors.

Human Research Protection program

The Human Research Protection Program is the home of MSU’s Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). Federal and university regulations require that all research projects involving human subjects be reviewed and approved by an IRB before initiation. Under the regulations, research is defined as a formal investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. For full information on MSU’s Human Research Protection Program, and instructions for submitting research projects for review, please go to the website.

Components and Structure of the Program

The program structure is set and all LEMCPE students must complete it as designed. The program includes 45 credit hours spread over 3 summer terms and 3 academic years. Transfer credits are not accepted, and no course substitutions are possible.

The required program plan is as indicated below:

SUMMER 1:

• EAD 936: Foundations for Equity-Minded Leaders in Postsecondary Education [3 credits] 

FALL 1:

• EAD 960: Proseminar in Postsecondary Education [3 credits] 
• EAD 965: Diversity and Equity in Higher Education [3 credits] 
• EAD 996A: Research Preparation [1-credit] 

SPRING 1:

• EAD 966: Students in Postsecondary Education [3 credits] 
• EAD 968: Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum [3 credits] 
• EAD 996B: Research Preparation [1-credit] 

SUMMER 2:

• EAD 937A: Equity-Oriented Inquiry for Leaders 1 [3 credits] 

FALL 2:

• EAD 970: Organization and Governance [3 credits] 
• EAD 967: Higher Education Policy Development and Analysis [3 credits] 
• EAD 996C: Research Preparation [1 credit] 

SPRING 2:

• EAD 976: Budget and Finance for Equity in Postsecondary Education [3 credits] 
• EAD 964: Comparative Higher Education [3 credits] 
• EAD 996D: Research Preparation [1 credit] 

SUMMER 3:

• EAD 937B: Equity-Oriented Inquiry for Leaders 2 [3 credit] 
• Comprehensive exam to be completed before the end of EAD 937B.

FALL 3:

• EAD 998A: Dissertation in Practice 1 [4 credits] 

SPRING 3:

• EAD 998B: Dissertation in Practice 2 [4 credits] 

Comprehensive Examination

This section provides a summary of the Comprehensive Examination for LECMPE. Specific exam procedure documents provide more details.

The LEMCPE Comprehensive Exam is completed individually by each student. It consists of a portfolio of written products and reflections developed across the course experiences, concluding with an individual final reflective essay. The portfolio is submitted during the 3^rd summer of the program, while enrolled in 937B. Note: The University requires that students be enrolled at the time they are meeting any exam requirement.

Advisement

Students admitted to the LEMCPE program will be assigned to an advisory team. The team will include other LEMCPE students and a faculty advisor. The EAD996 series of courses will be completed as an advisory team. Every effort will be made to assign students to advisor teams at the point of admission. All students will be assigned to an advisory team no later than the start of Fall 1 semester. Advisory group changes are strongly discouraged and can only occur in rare and extraordinary cases. A petition to change advisory groups must be filed by a student in writing to their faculty advisor and the LEMCPE program director. All group changes must be reviewed by the HALE voting faculty who, by majority vote, may approve or deny the request. Students may not change advisory groups without written authorization from the LEMCPE director certifying that a petition was filed and approved by the HALE faculty.

Guidance Committee

Each advisory team must assemble a guidance committee by the end of Fall 2. Each guidance committee must be comprised of the team’s faculty advisor, two additional voting members of the HALE faculty, and one practitioner who holds a terminal degree who is approved by the Graduate School to serve on graduate committees. All guidance committee members must be approved for graduate committee service by the MSU graduate school. The guidance committee must meet once to review the advisory team’s work and plans.

Annual Review of Student Progress

Written evaluations shall be communicated to the graduate student at least once per year, and a copy of such evaluations shall be placed in the graduate student’s SIS file. A student whose performance does not meet the standards of quality will not be permitted to continue to enroll in the degree program, and appropriate action will be taken by the Department of Educational Administration.

The academic advisor and academic unit are jointly responsible for evaluating the student’s competency (as indicated by, e.g., grades in core and other courses, portfolio development, and development of professional skills) and rate of progress (as indicated by, e.g., the number of courses for which grades have been assigned or deferred).

Dissertation of Practice

The dissertation of practice consists of two parts.

Part 1 is a collective scholarly writing project generated collaboratively by the advisory team, henceforward known as the “framing portfolio.” The framing portfolio should include the following elements, in addition to other requirements that may be established by the faculty advisor:

• Problem of practice statement.
• Theory of equity minded change.
• Review of literature.

Part 2 is an individual applied research project prepared as a field-standard scholarly-practitioner research article. Part 2 must confirm to the scholarly expectations of the field and be approved by the candidate’s advisor and dissertation committee.

Dissertation Committee
Dissertation committees consist of four members including the team’s advisor, two additional voting HALE faculty members, and one approved practitioner member. One dissertation committee will serve as the committee for all members of the dissertation group; there will be no individual committees.

Responsible Conduct of Research

Michigan State University requires that all graduate students be trained in the responsible conduct of research as part of their educational experience. The components of the training may be a mixture of online and face-to-face educational experiences.

Each student is expected to enter the relevant information regarding the completion of this training into the Student Information System.  

To support the Responsible Conduct of Research training requirements, the following resources are available. Students should consult with their academic adviser and/or research supervisor to determine the appropriate training topics.

RCR Instructions (Students) — last updated 08/01/23

Human Research Protection Program modules:
https://hrpp.msu.edu/required-training

Workshops offered by the Graduate School:
http://grad.msu.edu/rcr/

Powerpoint resources through the Graduate School: http://grad.msu.edu/researchintegrity/resources/

Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution

Conflicts, disagreements, and issues sometimes arise during the course of a graduate program. If you find yourself in this situation and have exhausted the internal resources for resolving the issue, you may contact the Office of the University Ombudsperson.

The Office of the University Ombudsperson provides assistance to students, faculty, and staff in resolving university-related concerns. Such concerns include: student-faculty conflicts; communication problems; concerns about the university climate; and questions about what options are available for handling a problem according to Michigan State University policy. The university ombudsperson also provides information about available resources and student/faculty rights and responsibilities. The office operates as a confidential, independent, and neutral resource. It does not provide notice to the university—that is, it does not speak or hear for the university.

Contact the ombudsperson at any point during an issue when a confidential conversation or source of information may be needed. The ombudsperson will listen to your concerns, give you information about university policies, help you evaluate the situation, and assist you in making plans to resolve the conflict.

Contact information:
Office of the University Ombudsperson
129 N. Kedzie Hall
(517) 353-8830
ombud@msu.edu
https://www.msu.edu/unit/ombud

Within HALE

Within HALE, the guidelines for Graduate Student Appeals of Allegations of Academic Dishonesty (GSAAD) establishes the right of graduate students to appeal allegations of academic dishonesty. For a complete listing of rights and responsibilities, please see Article 5 of the Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities document at Michigan State University (GSRR). For a detailed explanation of grievance procedures consult the Graduate Student Academic Grievance Hearing Procedures document in the College of Education. 

Grievance Hearing Procedures

Grievance Hearing Procedures: Students with academic concerns that cannot be resolved through conversation with program faculty, or the department chair may file a formal grievance.  Students are expected to familiarize themselves with relevant College and University policies. Information can be found on the College of Education and Graduate School websites.

University Resources

The university provides a number of resources to support graduate students. A partial list is provided below.

Resources provided by the Graduate School:

• Graduate Career Development
• Diversity, equity, & inclusion programs
• Events
• Forms
• Funding
• Graduate life & wellness
• Mentoring
• Policy information
• Professional development
• Research integrity
• Traveling scholar opportunities
• University Committee on Graduate Studies

Additional campuses resources include: OISS, RCPD, Office of Spartan Experiences, the Libraries, the Olin Health Center, Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, the Writing Center, and University Outreach & Engagement, and the Ombudsperson’s Office.