The PhD in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies is a 66-hour program that includes both required and elective coursework. Outside of class requirements, students produce a qualifying research paper. They are also required to submit a comprehensive portfolio to document their curriculum, research, teaching, and other relevant professional competencies that they have attained from coursework and various academic experiences during the course of their doctoral studies. This requirement is in recognition of the fact that publications, conferences, teaching experiences, grant writing skills, consultant experiences, and other competencies are crucial to obtaining faculty and professional positions after graduation. Finally, students engage in substantive original research that results in a dissertation study.