MS in Higher Education

The MS in Higher Education is designed for individuals who want to make a positive impact on students and staff in 4-year colleges, community colleges, and universities to enhance their institution’s ability to successfully contribute to social equity and positive change. Students will learn to think creatively and critically about the challenges facing higher education institutions and provide expertise in addressing these challenges. Learning activities emphasize the application of research-based best practices from business leadership and management, student learning and support, and systems thinking to maximize institutional effectiveness. Critical issues in higher education policy, administration, emerging technologies, legal and ethical issues, and governance are addressed throughout the program in the context of real-world problems facing today’s colleges.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this program, educator professionals will be able to:

Apply an understanding of higher education systems, business principles, and student learning in solving institutional problems to drive institutional and student success.
Make effective decisions based on critical evaluation of research and data.
Articulate the perspectives and interests of multiple stakeholders.
Choose leadership approaches appropriate to the culture of the organization.
Demonstrate an ability to deploy resources to achieve intended results.
Evaluate the potential impact of policies and processes on student outcomes.

Specializations

Degree Requirements

30 total semester credits
Foundation course (3 sem. cr.)
Core courses (12–27 sem. cr., depending on the specialization)
Specialization courses (0–12 sem. cr., depending on the specialization)
Capstone course (3 sem. cr.)
Minimum 5 semesters enrollment

Curriculum

Foundation Course (3 sem. cr.)

EDUC 6155 - Understanding Higher Education

Core Courses (12 sem. cr.)

Additional Core Courses/Specialization Courses

These courses are dependent upon the particular specialization. Please see the course list on each specialization page.

Capstone Course (3 sem. cr.)

EDUC 6960 - Capstone: Master’s Project

Course Sequence

The sequence of courses for this program is dependent upon the specialization. Please see the course sequence chart on each specialization page.

Note on Teacher Licensure or Certification

This program does not lead to teacher licensure or certification. Teachers are advised to contact their individual school districts as to whether this program may qualify for salary advancement.