Higher Education and Student Development (MA)

Program Description

The Higher Education Program at George Mason University prepares individuals for positions of leadership in teaching, research, and administration at community colleges, four-year colleges, and universities around the globe. The interdisciplinary, graduate-level curriculum focuses on leadership, the scholarship of teaching and learning, administration, and assessment. This 36 credit hour master’s degree prepares students for positions in academic and student affairs as well as in associations, government agencies, and industries whose activities relate to or impact higher education. Students in the Higher Education Program come from varied professional backgrounds in college teaching, university administration, business, the performing arts, and government, and bring a vast spectrum of experience to their studies.

The degree’s core coursework provides essential knowledge about the higher education enterprise. This includes the evolving nature of higher education and its foundational characteristics, students and their development, the management and administration of programs and services, and data driven practices; all in the context of the digital age. The current digital age provides extensive opportunities to communicate, teach, and learn through digital sources. Core courses provide a foundation in social sciences, quantitative reasoning, history, and digital media (e.g., pre and post refereed web writing, wikis, social media, open source learning, data visualization, digital textbooks, Google resources) with an emphasis on graduates’ capacity to apply course content and build skills to enhance educational opportunities in a budgetary constrained environment.