Higher Education and Student Affairs
Get an in-depth look at Higher Education and Student Affairs
Sidebar
The Higher Education & Student Affairs program at the University of Louisville has been ranked #2 by the Best Online Master's Program in Higher Education. Also, among all the special categories, the program is ranked as the Best for Vets! Read More.
In addition, among the educational administration online offerings, the Higher Education & Student Affairs program at the University of Louisville was also ranked #2 in the nation and received a national distinction for being most responsive to graduate student transfers into its program. Read More
The MA in Higher Education & Student Affairs online program is now ranked #07 in the nation by BestColleges.com!
View the general admission requirements, degree requirements, and concentration requirements for Higher Education and Student Affairs (MA)
Higher Education and Student Affairs Specializations In Depth
This program can be completed in a traditional classroom format or entirely online
MAHESA Program features (both online and in person)
- 30-36 credit hours
- Focus on policy, inclusion, and equity, regardless of religion, race, sex, color, or national origin
- Award winning faculty and program
- Accelerated courses:
- Regular 8-week spring/fall, 3-week May, 6 week summer courses
- Occasional 3-week December courses
- Student body with diverse backgrounds – from recent undergraduates to military officers, many working full or part time and going to school part time
- LEAD 690: Internship course helps students gain practical, hands-on skills in areas of interest
- LEAD 697: Capstone course helps students synthesize knowledge from courses and strategically learn to lead change in higher education
Online program
- Rolling admissions, start any time with 6 course start dates all year
- Virtual orientation 3 times per year (summer, spring, and fall)
- Mostly asynchronous courses, no required log-in time but regular optional times
- Students are enrolled from all over the world
Face-to-face program for Student Affairs
- Final admissions deadline in July for August course start
- August in-person orientation
- Take 1 course at a time and finish in 22 months (results in 2 courses per semester)
- Example schedule:
| Face-to-face Example Part-Time Student Pathway | ||
| Year | First term half | Second term half |
| Fall, Y1 | 682 (Tues) | 693 (Tues) |
| Spring, Y1 | 694 (Tues) | 666 (Tues)/600 (variable) |
| Summer, Y1 | 680 (May online) | Elective (June online) |
| Fall, Y2 | 690 (Full term; Wednesdays) | Elective |
| Spring Y2 | 684 (Tues) | 697 (Full term; Wednesdays) |
If you're seeking to advance your career or considering a career in higher education, the UofL MA in Higher Education & Student Affairs is the program of choice. Our graduates emerge as strong candidates for a variety of positions in universities and colleges across the country and are well-equipped to advance equity and inclusion efforts through the use of data-driven decisions and an in-depth understanding of policy. Check out the variety of roles and salary ranges at https://www.higheredjobs.com/salary
Why Choose a Career in Higher Education?
- CHOICE AND FLEXIBILITY
Work in a variety of different positions on campus. - MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Assist students during very important and critical time in their lives. - INFINITE POSSIBILITIES
Gain valuable experience and insight into higher education. - EXCITING WORK ENVIRONMENT
A campus environment continually offers new challenges. - TERRIFIC BENEFITS
Competitive wages, benefits, discounted tuition. - A CAREER YOU ENJOY
A career that's always new and exciting with constant change!
Career Outlook
Occasionally, for exceptional circumstances (e.g., death in the family, pending deployment), students may need to walk early—that is, participate in the commencement ceremony before their degree is earned. You must ensure you have only one course left and that it will be taken in the semester following the ceremony. You must send a copy of your electronic transcript to the HESA Program Director, an explanation of the extraordinary circumstances, and your ID number. The Program Director will review and then, if appropriate, submit an Early Walker Request, which the Dean must approve, and then the Commencement Office.
View Practice Core and Advanced Core degree requirements and Specialized concentration requirements
Click on a course name (ex. "LEAD 646 ") in the degree requirements or concentration requirements for further information about courses. Information includes class description, prerequisites (if any), terms offered, among other information.
Dr. Jake Gross
Program Director
jpgros02@louisville.edu
502-852-8795
Program Faculty
- Jessica Buckley - Assistant Professor & Assistant Department Chair
- Casey George – Associate Professor
- Jacob Gross – Associate Professor & Program Director
- Kelli Peck-Parrott - Clinical Professor
- Jeffrey Sun – Professor & Associate Dean for Innovation & Strategic Partnerships
- Taylor Pratt - Clinical Assistant Professor
FAQs: Higher Education and Student Affairs
| Preferred Application Deadline | Term | Start Date |
| December 10 | Spring I | January |
| February 10 | Spring II | March |
| May 1 | Summer | June |
| August 1 | Fall I | Late August |
| September 10 | Fall II | October |
We recommend students start with LEAD 682, continue with LEAD 693, continue then with LEAD 600 or 666. The last course students take is a capstone, LEAD 697. Students have options within the middle of their course work.
Once you are admitted to the program, you may request to transfer up to 6 credit hours if your UofL advisor approves the request. Transfer requests are then submitted to the School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies.
The master's program in Higher Education & Student Affairs offered through the Educational Leadership, Evaluation, and Organizational Development (ELEOD) department is intended for those already employed or seeking to be employed in staff or administrative positions in colleges and universities. Our primary focus is on higher education institutions and administrative practices, with an emphasis on policy, inclusion, and equity. The MAHESA program offers concentrations in Administration, Teaching & Learning, Policy & Equity, and Sports Administration. While many of the questions our students and faculty are interested about higher education are related to postsecondary students’ opportunities and outcomes, the Higher Education program does not explicitly focus on the area of student affairs administration. In addition, the MAHESA program does not follow Council or the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) requirements for master's level preparation in student affairs. Students who enroll in the Higher Education & Student Affairs program may take up to two courses in the CSP program as part of their MAHESA electives.
The master's program in CSP prepares a student for administrative positions in student affairs according to standards embraced by the student affairs profession as set forth by the Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS Standards). The program focuses on the skills, competencies, knowledge, and experience needed to work effectively with college students, to be an effective educator in the out-of-class curriculum of the college or university, and to competently administer student affairs programs and services. The length and content of the program are determined by the CAS standards; the design of the program and the curriculum is intended to meet appropriate educational objectives and to prepare our graduates to be competitive with graduates from other CAS compliant graduate programs.
No. GRE scores are no longer required for admission.
Yes.
Not directly. This degree prepares people work in various capacities in university administration, typically leading and supporting all the aspects of the university that do not directly result in teaching (e.g., student success, orientation, advising, recruiting, financing, project leadership, and more). At the same time, many students with higher ed degrees support teaching in different ways or have occasional opportunities to teach. For example, higher ed professionals as a part of their work might teach courses on the orientation to college or college success skills (often aligned with work in student success centers or academic advising offices) or service learning courses (often aligned with work in work in volunteer, study abroad, or student life offices). The degree does not fulfill requirements for P-12 teaching certification requirements, but many other programs in the college do!
More FAQs about the program's Internship requirement
The internship (LEAD 690) provides you with the opportunity to work in a different setting related to higher education. You will complete, under the supervision of the course instructor and a site supervisor, a significant project or projects that allow you to apply what you learned from your program of study and potentially explore a career of interest. The internship activities typically cannot include projects within your current scope of responsibilities. We usually recommend the internship come in the middle to later half of a student's course plan. The class requires a minimum of 105 contact hours. You should contact your advisor one semester before you plan to take the internship course to discuss what you are considering.
Classes in the program are 8-weeks. Students seeking to complete the program full-time will enroll in 3 classes or 9 credit hours per semester and graduate in 3 or 4 semesters. Part-time students enroll in 2 classes per semester or 6 credit hours and graduate within 18 months - 2 years.
The classes are asynchronous providing students with the flexibility needed, however, faculty offer virtual sessions and are available for one-on-one meetings.
The University Career Center (UCC) assists all students plus provides our College with a designated Career Coach. Furthermore, we encourage our students to join the MA HESA Linked In and/or Facebook Groups to network and connect with one another and alumni. The field of higher education and the employment opportunities are robust and everchanging. Check out the Higher Ed Jobs site at
https://www.higheredjobs.com/?locale=en_US
University of Louisville employees enrolled in the UofL MAHESA program and taking online classes are charged at non-bundled fee rates, which are $66 per class or $22 per credit hour.
Full-time employees are eligible to take up to two courses at UofL each semester tuition free. Full-time is defined as working 80% of full-time equivalency or greater. Part-time employees are eligible to take one course at UofL each semester tuition free. Part-time is defined as working 40-79% of full-time equivalency or greater.
Please Note:
- You must be employed on the first day of the semester to be eligible that semester.
- Continued eligibility is dependent on a grade C or better from the previous semester.
- Fees may still apply