Higher Education Administration (M.S.E.) Program Curriculum & Admission Requirements

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

Coursework

The academic coursework is designed to develop the knowledge base necessary for effective research and scholarship development.

Assistantship

Relate relevant assistantship experiences to classroom learning. For full-time students, admission to the program is required prior to being awarded a graduate assistantship, and securing an assistantship is required for enrollment in the program. As a requirement for the assistantships, master's students will meet regularly during the first year in the program to participate in a series of seminars designed to complement the assistantship experience and formal coursework.

Comprehensive examination

Upon completion of 36 graduate credit hours of coursework, the student’s culminating activity is the comprehensive examination. The exam consists of both a written and oral part and tests the student's knowledge of the coursework; ability to reason, evaluate and draw supportable conclusions; and knowledge of current issues and trends within the field.

Internship

As a course elective, students can choose to participate in self-designed for-credit internship experience that complements the learning process with hands-on experiences for graduate course credit.

Program Curriculum

The program consists of 36 credit hours of integrated courses and hands-on experiences - all of which can be completed in two years. Students are able to select content electives in areas such as: higher education law, diversity in higher education, and others that might complement specific professional interests. A for-credit internship experience is also an option.

Course Requirements

Please note: This is only a potential plan of study. Consult with your academic advisor before enrolling.

Additional Requirements

Elective 1 - 3 credit hours
Elective 2 - 3 credit hours
Elective 3 - 3 credit hours
Elective 4 - 3 credit hours
TOTAL PROGRAM CREDIT HOURS = 36

KU Higher Education Administration Core Learning Domains

Foundational competencies to demonstrate an understanding of:

The organization, culture and diversity of higher education institutions
The history of higher education and how that history informs current events and issues
The primary student development theories
The theory and relevant research on how collect affects students
The profession of higher education administration, its history and related ethical principles
A greater commitment to cultural competence

Academic and professional development competencies to demonstrate:

An ability to state a position and provide relevant evidence to support the stated position both verbally and in writing
Proficient writing skills and an understanding of APA format
An ability to use the literatures to link theory and practice
An ability to relate relevant assistantship experiences to classroom learning experiences
The capacity to apply skills to promote student outcomes

Personal growth and development competencies to demonstrate an ability to:

Work effectively in a group
Solve problems, manage conflict and effectively communicate with peers and colleagues.

Fundamental Research and Assessment Skills to:

Demonstrates an understanding of program evaluation and assessment.
Apply theory to practice for the purposes of understanding college student learning, development and success.

Graduate Admission

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) with at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale from a regionally accredited institution or a foreign university with substantially equivalent bachelor’s degree requirements. International applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the application process well in advance of the application deadlines in order to ensure adequate time for processing of visa-related paperwork. Meeting minimum admission standards does not guarantee admission to the program.

Application Deadlines (full-time, domestic & international applicants)

Jan. 5

Priority* application deadline

Application Deadlines (part-time, domestic applicants)

May 1

Summer semester application deadline

July 1

Fall semester application deadline

Dec. 1

Spring application deadline

*The priority deadline is to participate in the assistantship process for full-time applicants. We are unable to guarantee availability of assistantships for students who submit for the final deadline. Individuals participating in the Oshkosh Placement Exchange (OPE) are not required to submit an academic application prior to OPE. See the Employment graduate staff page for more information. Part-time and international applicants are not required to hold an assistantship.

Application Checklist

M.S.E. in Higher Education Administration

Applicants are required to submit the following materials and meet the following requirements before the application deadline:

Admission & Curriculum Resources

The online application is designed to give applicants the ability to submit all supporting documents in one form. We invite you to explore our graduate degree information, review our student resources, and learn more on our knowledgeable faculty and the vibrant community of Lawrence, Kansas.

Apply Online