How can busy parents prepare for the future in the midst of changing diapers, cooking dinner, working 9-5, budgeting, praying, and caring for our families and neighbors? Although most of us realize that continuing professional education is essential for greater effectiveness in the coming century, it is no doubt a great challenge.

I am a mother of two children under two years of age, working full- time, and I am determined to finish a doctoral program before the next century. The Doctoral Program in Educational Management at the University of Bridgeport (UB) is a flexible advanced-degree program designed for the working professional. I have been enrolled in this program for one year and am very pleased with the quality of instruction and students. My classmates include teachers, lawyers, administrators, health-care professionals and a jazz musician, all preparing to successfully manage educational or non-profit organizations. It is offered on a part-time basis at UB campus-each semester class meets for one evening per week, and there is also an interdisciplinary seminar which meets six Fridays and Saturdays per years and for two full weeks during the summer.

Classes carry six hours of academic credit and include such topics as legal issues in education; human relations and communications; international education; policy development; quantitative analysis and statistics, and others. The program requires a minimum of four years for completion (sooner if taken full-time), including three years of formal study and a minimum of one year for completion of dissertation. The emphasis of this program is professional and practical but it is flexible enough for students to integrate their personal interests. My academic background is in philosophy and theology, but through working on various projects within the movement (CARP, campus ministry, businesses, etc.), I was involved in human relations and management issues. After teaching for a while in public high school as a social studies teacher, I realized how important administrators were to the healthy functioning of an educational institution. I felt that God was pushing me to prepare for educational leadership.

I have watched many of my friends pursue Ph.D. programs in philosophy or theology which require a total focus of time and energy. Although I admire and respect their diligence and suffering, I realized after the birth of our first baby that I wanted a more flexible doctoral program, and I found this at UB. When do I have time to study? Usually after 9pm, when the delightful noise of children has died down. For those who want to maintain a busy life and pursue a doctorate, I highly recommend this program. University of Bridgeport has other graduate programs structured for the working professional as well: weekend graduate programs include an MBA program, and a Masters in Nutrition or Human Resource Development. Other graduate programs include Masters in counseling, education, business, engineering, computer science, and mathematics, as well as a doctorate in Chiropractic. If you are interested in these or other educational opportunities at the University of Bridgeport, please call or write to me at:

Josie Hauer
Office of Admissions
126 Park Ave.
Bridgeport, CT 06601
phone: (203) 576-4558
fax: (203) 576-4672

Download entire page and pages related to it in ZIP format
Table of Contents
Copyright Information