As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, this program is undergoing redesign and is not available to new students for the 2020–2021 academic year. Please e-mail Monica Graham for information about the current status of the program.
For reference, the program requirements outlined below are for students who enrolled in the 2019–2020 academic year. Prior year academic requirements are available in our catalog archive.
Designed for college faculty and administrators who aspire to lead effectively and advance in administrative careers, the unique concentration in community college policy and administration offers exceptional scholarship, intimate cohorts, online courses, short residencies, distinguished faculty, and dissertation support in a program that can be completed within three years. Plus, you’ll gain knowledge you can apply right away to your current professional environment.
You'll work together in the same group of about 15–20 students throughout the entire program and build a virtual community, while benefiting from leadership assessments and executive coaching, developed and led by current and former community college presidents and senior executives.
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.
About the Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration
We've developed the community college policy and administration curriculum in conjunction with community college presidents and senior executives to help you pursue the highest level of leadership and management knowledge. Your courses and residencies will focus on building your leadership competencies, policy expertise, and the skills you need to support dissertation research.
What You'll Learn
Through your coursework, you will learn how to
- Lead change in a rapidly changing sector of higher education
- Advocate for the needs of community colleges and students at local, state, and federal levels
- Apply indicators of institutional effectiveness to all sectors of community college operations
Coursework Examples
In past projects, students have had the opportunity to
- Undergo guided dissertation development, exploring various research methods for the dissertation
- Explore topics in leadership and management theory, higher education policy, and community college advancement
- Interview current community college administrators to expand their understanding of key issues and management practice
- Perform a guided analysis of the budgets and alternative revenue sourcing of their own community college
- Prepare advocacy materials and engage in an advocacy visit to congressional offices in Washington, D.C.
Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration Requirements
Our curriculum is designed with input from employers, industry experts, and scholars. You'll learn theories combined with real-world applications and practical skills you can apply on the job right away.
Doctorate Courses
Core Courses
- DMCC 810
- DMCC 800
- DMCC 830
- DMCC 890
- DMCC 821
- DMCC 891
- DMCC 841
- DMCC 851
- DMCC 892
About the Dissertation
Through the Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration, you'll learn how to conduct and use evidence-based research to make data-informed decisions for management challenges in higher education. Your dissertation will include a systematic review of a complex issue or problem in the community college environment. Most students choose to apply the results of their dissertation research to their home institutions.
Recent dissertation topics have included:
- Neil Soriano Bagadiong: "Leadership Development for Aspiring Community College Presidents"
- Catharine D. Almquist: "Time-Compressed Courses and Student Success: Evidence and Application in the Community College"
- Paul C. Jackson: "Improving Practitioners' Effectiveness as Adjunct Educators Through Comprehensive Training and Development"
- Jocelyn Eager Sirkis: "A Theoretical Model for Designing an In-House Community College Department Chair Professional Development Program"
Career Preparation
This program is designed to help community college faculty and administrators and other professionals who are interested in leading and advancing in upper-administrative careers in community colleges.
Experience Recommended for Success in the Program
We recommend community college work experience and management experience in a community college. You will need graduate-level academic reading and writing skills before entering this writing-intensive doctoral program. We recommend UCSP 605 if you'd like to improve your writing skills.
Program Admission Requirements
Admission to the program is competitive and is based on a combination of all requirements. Meeting the eligibility requirements does not guarantee admission.
You must submit the following materials:
- Official transcript indicating successful completion of a master's degree or higher from a regionally accredited university or college (equivalent degrees from other accredited institutions may be considered on a case-by-case basis)
- Completed application for admission
- An up-to-date resume
- A personal statement
- Two letters of reference, sent by the evaluator to admissions@umgc.edu, using our doctorate recommendation form.
Please send all admissions documents to
- U.S. Postal Mail (please use this mailing address):
UMGC Graduate Admissions
Attn: DM Admissions
3501 University Blvd. East
Adelphi, MD 20783 - UPS or FedEx Packages (please use this mailing address):
UMGC Graduate Admissions
Attn: DM Admissions
1616 McCormick Drive
Largo, MD 20774
All materials are due by the doctoral program application deadline:
- Spring: December 15
- Fall: August 15
There is no doctoral term in the summer.
Personal Statement Details
In your personal statement, you must
- Explain how your professional managerial, supervisory, and leadership experience and academic background make you an ideal candidate for doctoral study (one page)
- Describe your specific area of management interest, and explain how conducting research in this management area will help you fulfill your career objectives (one page)
- Describe your future career goals upon completion of this program (one page)
- Include in-text citations throughout your personal statement, where applicable
State-Specific Details
This program is not available to residents of Maryland. However, this program has an on-site component that meets in Maryland once per term. See the Additional Information section for details.

UMGC's doctoral program gave me the confidence and knowledge to advance, and I was appointed vice president of a community college almost immediately after graduation.
Paula Pitcher
Senior Advisor to the Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration

I would say that if you're thinking of pursuing a degree, come join the UMGC family. Everyone in this program is here to help you; UMGC is here to help you. We really create a community of learners, scholars, and practitioners who lift one another up on the way toward a doctorate degree.
Jeffery Gonzalez
Vice-Provost for Institutional Planning and Effectiveness, Florida International University
Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration
About the Faculty
Featured Faculty

Trudy Bers
Adjunct Professor, Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration

Darrell Cain
Adjunct Professor, Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration

Gena Glickman
Adjunct Professor, Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration

Jennifer Luddy
Adjunct Professor, Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration

Lawrence A. Nespoli
Adjunct Professor, Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration

Charlene R. Nunley
Adjunct Professor, Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration

Roderick Nunn
Adjunct Professor, Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration

Elayne Reiss
Adjunct Professor, Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration
Additional Information
Residency Requirements
You will be required to attend one on-site residency each term on UMGC's campus in Adelphi, Maryland. These mandatory residencies are normally scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays and consist of two days of eight-hour, face-to-face classroom instruction. This time can include instructor-led lectures, guest lectures, cohort discussions, and presentations of class assignments. Residencies provide an excellent forum for discussion, peer support, networking, and deepened scholarship. The intensive, concentrated format leads to enhanced collegial bonds between students.
Residencies are held at the College Park Inn and Conference Center, 3501 University Boulevard East, Adelphi, MD 20783.
AACC Doctoral Discount
UMGC is pleased to offer a 25 percent doctoral tuition discount to full-time employees and staff members of American Association of Community Colleges member institutions. The discount is only available to students who are enrolled in UMGC's doctoral programs and have not been awarded a UMGC scholarship. The discount does not apply to our doctoral prerequisite and post-doctorate courses: DMG 600, DBA 600, and DMGT 899. The discount does apply to all 6-credit courses and 4-credit dissertation courses.
To verify your employment, you must submit your most recent paystub from an eligible AACC institution for each semester you are enrolled within 10 days of the start of the semester. The paystub may be submitted to Monica Graham, academic specialist, via e-mail at monica.graham@umgc.edu or fax 240-684-2404. When you apply to UMGC, please select "Employee – CC Alliance Institute" as your special program on the electronic application. If you have completed your application and neglected to select CCAI, please e-mail the New Student Advising Office at newgrad@umgc.edu to request that your application be coded accordingly.