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Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Leadership Program Online
Classes Begin: September 21, 20266-9 months
Fully Online
9
CAEP accredited provider
Drexel University's Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Leadership provides you with the knowledge, skills, and experience to navigate dynamic changes within higher education. Interdisciplinary courses cover topics related to equity and access, legal and ethical matters, diversity and globalization, policies and practices, risk prevention, technology, and transformative leadership. This program is designed for those who currently work in higher education and are looking to advance in their career, or those looking to transition into a career in higher education.
Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Leadership Program Features
- 100% online
- Nine-credit program that can be completed in less than a year
- Learn from diverse faculty and practitioners with extensive leadership experience within higher education institutions (two-year, four-year, public, private, for-profit), organizations, and agencies
- Customizable assignments that can align with your current or future position
- Real-world and experiential curriculum
- Prepares you for administrative and leadership positions within colleges and universities as well as higher education organizations
Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Leadership
Along with your completed application for Drexel’s higher education leadership certificate, you will need to submit official transcripts, one letter of recommendation, a personal essay, and a resume. For more information regarding required materials, please see the Admissions Criteria page.
Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Leadership vs MS in Higher Education Leadership
In addition to the online higher education leadership certificate, Drexel also offers an online MS in Organizational Learning, Leadership, and Policy with a concentration in Higher Education Leadership. The master’s degree builds on the foundation concepts covered in the certificate program and is a great option if you are interested in expanding your industry knowledge further and obtaining a graduate degree. Credits earned in Drexel’s online higher education leadership certificate can be applied to the online master’s degree upon acceptance into the program.
Related Programs
State restrictions may apply to some programs.
Curriculum
This program is organized into four 10-week quarters per year (as opposed to the traditional two semester system) which means you can take more courses in a shorter time period. One semester credit is equivalent to 1.5 quarter credits.
Drexel University is transitioning to a semester calendar system as of Fall 2027. View the semester program of study for this program.
| Required Courses | ||
| Select three: | 9.0 | |
| EDHE 501 | Foundations of Higher Education and Governance | |
| EDHE 521 | Student Development Theory and Application | |
| EDHE 531 | Legal Issues & Ethics in Higher Education | |
| EDHE 541 | Institutional Assessment, Accreditation, and Effectiveness | |
| Total Credits | 9.0 | |
Admissions Criteria
- A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or higher (graduate degree GPA will be considered along with the undergraduate GPA)
Required Documents
With multiple ways to submit documents, Drexel makes it easy to complete your application. Learn more by visiting our Completing Your Application Guide.
- A completed application
- Official transcripts from all universities or colleges and other post-secondary educational institutions (including trade schools) attended
- Resume
- Additional requirements for International Students
Tuition
The tuition rate for the academic year 2026-2027 is $1144 per credit. (A 25% tuition savings off Drexel's regular tuition rate of $1525 per credit)
For the academic year 2026-2027, students enrolled in an online graduate academic program will be charged a graduate online program fee of $125 per year.
- This program is not eligible for Financial Aid.
- Special tuition rates are available for Drexel University Alumni, Military members, and members of our Partner Organizations.
- These rates apply only to new online students and students being readmitted.
- These rates apply only to fully online courses. Hybrid or on-campus courses may have different rates.
- Tuition rates are subject to increase with the start of each academic year in the fall term.
- All students must contact applyDUonline@drexel.edu within the first two weeks of the term to request tuition savings for which they qualify.
- Special rates cannot be combined. If you qualify for more than one special rate, you'll be given the one with the largest savings.
- When receiving special tuition plans , you may not be able to combine them with other tuition benefits that may be available from Drexel University.
Academic Calendar
2027-2028 Academic Year
Term
Classes Begin
Classes End
Exams Begin
Exams End
Fall 2027
August 23, 2027
December 8, 2027
December 13, 2027
December 17, 2027
Spring 2028
January 10, 2028
April 24, 2028
April 27, 2028
May 3, 2028
Summer 2028
May 15, 2028
August 5, 2028
August 7, 2028
August 11, 2028
2026-2027 Academic Year
Term
Classes Begin
Classes End
Exams Begin
Exams End
Fall 2026
September 22, 2026
December 5, 2026
December 7, 2026
December 12, 2026
Winter 2027
January 4, 2027
March 13, 2027
March 15, 2027
March 20, 2027
Spring 2027
March 29, 2027
June 5, 2027
June 7, 2027
June 12, 2027
Summer 2027
June 21, 2027
August 7, 2027
August 9, 2027
August 14, 2027
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