The curriculum requires 40 semester hours which includes supervised practice and the completion of a summative experience. The core of the Higher Education & Student Affairs program encompasses coursework in administration, college students and their environments, and current and emerging issues within higher education. Additionally, all students prepare for their concentration with coursework in research and assessment. Depending on concentration, the focus shifts to college students, their learning and development, to policy design and implementation, or to administrative theory and educational management. Students in the Student Affairs concentration complete Professional Seminar credits throughout their M.A. experience while those in the Higher Education Policy or Higher Education Administration concentrations complete a related project. Students fill the remainder of their 40 semester hours requirement with a combination of elective credits and supervised practica.

Detailed course descriptions

Program handbook

Higher Education & Student Affairs Core

All M.A. students must complete the following core courses:

• College Students and their Environments
• Issues and Policies in Higher Education
• Administration in Higher Education & Student Affairs
• Research, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education
• Multiculturalism in Higher Education

Additionally, all M.A. students must complete 3 semester hours of practica and 3-9 semester hours of elective credit. Students choose elective credits in consultation with their advisor; examples include:

• Career Development
• Impact of College on Students
• Practicum in College Teaching
• Advanced Practicum in Student Services

Concentrations

Depending on concentration, students must fullfill the following requirements:

Student Affairs:

1. Twelve (12) semester hours from the following courses:
   • Introduction to Student Services
   • College Student Psychosocial & Identity Development
   • College Student Learning & Cognitive Development
   • Helping Skills
2. Professional Seminar credits
3. Internship (600 clock hours) — typically in the second year assistantship

Higher Education Policy:

1. Twelve (12) semester hours:

   Required Concentration Course

   • Introduction to Public Policy Making

   Recommended Concentration Courses

   • Policy Design and Implementation
   • Program Evaluation
   • Introduction to Policy Analysis/Evaluation
   • Law and Higher Education
   • Finance in Higher Education
   • OR — other courses as approved by faculty advisor

2. MA Project — a culminating project relating to the concentration

Higher Education Administration:

1. Twelve (12) semester hours:

   Required Concentration Course

   • Organizational Theory & Administrative Behavior

   Recommended Concentration Courses

   • Educational Management
   • Theory & Practice of Leadership
   • Administrative Leadership Theory
   • Law and Higher Education
   • Finance in Higher Education
     

2. MA Project  — a culminating project relating to the concentration

Summary of credits:

Experiential Components

All concentrations require some form of experiential curriculum because of the faculty's strong commitment to provide both in- and out-of-class professional development experiences. We believe that supervised experiential learning, including practica and internships, are necessary to add breadth and depth to the development of higher education professionals. Practical experiences obtained as a part of an graduate program in higher education should include developmental work with individual students; program planning, implementation, and evaluation; administration and supervision; exposure to diverse clientele; use of assessment and evaluation tools; familiarity with electronic technologies for communication and teaching; and the application of ethical guidelines.

Practica

M.A. students must complete at least one 7.5-hour/week practicum experience in a student services office. This practicum is typically taken in the second semester of the first year of study. An M.A.-level site supervisor and the program faculty supervise the practicum, and the initial practicum experience includes a weekly seminar. Additional advanced practica may include work in other student affairs settings or as instructor to the College Transition seminar for incoming first-year students. All practica placements are subject to faculty approval.

List of recent practicum sites

Practicum handbook

Internship

M.A. students in the Student Affairs concentration must complete an internship in an approved student services site which includes 600 clock hours under the supervision of an MA-level supervisor. The purpose of the internship is to facilitate the development of a professional identity in the field and to integrate theory and standards into practice. The site and faculty supervisors collaborate to supervise students, and regular evaluations are required to ensure the student's development. Most students complete the internship requirement through their on-campus, half-time graduate assistantships over a period of two semesters in the second year of the HESA program.

Internship handbook