SAA MA students gain a broad perspective of higher education systems from social, historical, and global perspectives. Highlights of the program include:
Thirty-six (36) credit hours completed over 2 years (full-time)
The SAA Forum, providing professional and academic development opportunities
Opportunities to gain teaching experience, including through mentored teaching apprenticeships
Requirements for the Student Affairs Administration Master’s Program
In consultation with their advisors, students must complete thirty-six (36) credits. Students must also complete one (1) practicum placement and pass a certifying examination. For more details on each of these requirements, please see the information below. Further details are available in the SAA MA Checklist.
Professional Development Seminar in Student Affairs
3
Elective Courses (12 credits) Elective courses contribute to a student’s professional goals such as academic advisement, training and development, communications, or counseling, and are approved by the student’s academic advisor. At least two (2) of these courses should be from EAD course offerings taught by HALE faculty.
Examples of EAD courses include:
Course
Course Number
Credits
EAD 850
Issues and Strategies in Multicultural Education
3
EAD 860
Concept of a Learning Society
3
EAD 861
Adult Learning
3
EAD 863
Training and Professional Development
3
EAD 866
Teaching in Postsecondary Education
3
EAD 872
Legal Issues in Higher Education
3
EAD 876
Budgeting and Finance in Higher Education
3
EAD 877
Program Planning and Evaluation in Postsecondary Contexts
3
EAD 878
Education in the Digital Age
3
Notes
With the approval of their faculty advisor, students may take:
900-level courses in EAD;
Courses in other departments within the university; and/or
Up to three (3) credits in upper-division undergraduate courses
*Students may take no more than nine (9) credits of Pass/No Grade coursework. EAD 893 accounts for three (3) Pass/No Grade credits.
Practicum
The practicum component of the master’s degree in Student Affairs Administration is designed to give students the opportunity to apply theory to practice and to engage in professional behavior in a work setting. Students gain insight into the nature of postsecondary organizations, explore applications of student learning and development theory, observe different administrative styles, and further enhance their praxis of student affairs and higher education administration. Every student must complete onepracticum, while registered for EAD 893: Professional Development Seminar, gaining a broad view of the student affairs profession.
Practicum Information For more information about the practicum component of the SAA MA degree program, download the SAA MA Guide to Practica and the Practicum Catalogue linked below.
The purpose of the SAA MA Certifying Exam is for students in the Student Affairs Administration MA Program to independently demonstrate their ability to connect theory and research about information and issues in the field of student affairs and higher education to practice. Students are challenged to integrate information from core courses and other sources and apply this information to situations that relate to student affairs. The exam consists of two essays. To be eligible for graduation, students must have their final essays evaluated and accepted by the SAA faculty. Additional details are provided in the SAA MA Certifying Exam Policy & Procedures. Students may also review SAA MA Certifying Exam FAQs.
