Master of Education - Higher Education

Program Overview

The Master’s of Education in Higher Education is designed to prepare students for success in entry- and mid-career level professional positions within a variety of postsecondary education contexts. The program emphasizes the integration of theoretical foundations, principles of practice, and reflective professional experiences.

Students admitted into the Higher Education master’s program may focus in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs Practice in Higher Education, or Intercollegiate Athletic Administration. Although coursework in the three areas may vary according to student’s individual plan the objectives remain consistent throughout the program:

• Theoretical Foundation: An integration and application of the theoretical foundations of higher education; this may include economic, political, sociology, psychology, leadership, and organizational theory.
• Principles of Practice: Coursework that develops and refines core competencies for student affairs, general administration, and athletic administration work in colleges and universities and other postsecondary settings.
• Reflective Professional Experience: Professional student affairs, general administration, and athletic internships that lead to successful work in the specialized functional areas of higher education; the experience includes development of a professional philosophy and career plan,and introduction to major professional and service organizations.

Total Number of Credits Required

The M.Ed. in Higher Education requires the completion of 36 credit hours which may include 24 core credits.

EDLF 5810 Introduction to the Study of Higher Education (3 credits) EDLF 5830 College Student Experience (3 credits)

EDLF 5820 Organization and Management of Colleges and Universities (3 credits)

EDLF 6010 Financial Management and Budgeting in Higher Education (3)

EDLF 7610 Research in Higher Education, Student Affairs, & Athletic Administration (3 credits) EDLF 7110 Professional Seminar in Higher Education* (3 credits)

EDLF 7120 Master’s Capstone in Higher Ed. (3 credits)

AND

EDLF 6020 Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in Higher Education (3 credits) OR

EDLF 7130 College Student Development (3 credits) OR

EDLF 8640 Inequality in Higher Education

The remaining 12 hours of coursework are made up of elective courses in the student’s area of focus.

Culminating Experience for the Master’s Degree

The Capstone for the M.Ed. is a cumulative experience that integrates prior theory and content into practice within a simulated university context.

Other specific program requirements

All full-time students in the program are encouraged to complete an administrative internship.

* Part-time students may substitute another 3 credit elective for EDLF 7110 Internship upon consultation with the program advisor.

Doctor of Education - Higher Education

Program Overview

All Ed.D. programs in the Curry School are designed to prepare scholar/practitioners to assume leadership or supervisory roles in their educational fields, or work as faculty members in higher education institutions. The primary purpose of the Ed.D. in Higher Education is to provide experienced and practicing educators with a broad and systematic understanding of higher education, a definitive knowledge of selected aspects of educational theory and practice, and an ability to apply research in an informed and critical manner to educational practice and problems.

Ed.D. students in Higher Education complete a program of study totaling 72 credits consisting of a minimum of 57 hours of coursework, including a required higher education core (21 credits), a minor in research methods (15 credits), a content minor organized around a theme or set of questions of the student’s choice (12 credits), and elective courses in higher education (9 credits). Students will choose their content minor with the advice and consent of their advisors. Courses for the content minor may be taken outside of the program and the Curry School. Typical content minor areas include student affairs, higher education policy, the organization and governance of higher education, the economics of higher education, and the social foundations of higher education.

Students entering the doctoral program with a master’s degree can apply up to 24 hours of credit to their doctoral program, provided that the program area faculty judges that the courses are sufficiently comparable to substitute for courses offered in the doctoral program. Students may earn 12 internship credits, most likely distributed across 4 semesters in which students earn 3 credits during each semester. Paid employment in a school or other practice setting, or other arrangements may be substituted for an on-Grounds internship, provided that the student receives supervision and training throughout this experience.

While Ed.D. students may study on a part-time basis, high-level professional training and intellectual development require a concentrated experience that is possible only through sustained involvement in the academic and other activities of the Higher Education program and University. Participation in Higher Education program research and service projects, informal work with individual faculty members, and sustained interaction with other students all add substantially to the coursework. In short, to round out an advanced degree program, a student is expected to participate in and contribute to a rich academic community.

Core Courses may include: (21 credits)

EDLF 5810 Introduction to the Study of Higher Education (3 credits) EDLF 8651 History of Higher Education (3 credits)

EDLF 5830 College Student Experience (3 credits)

EDLF 8654 Organization and Governance in Higher Education (3 credits) EDLF 6020 Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in Higher Education (3 credits)