Higher Education Administration (Master's)

In support of the HEA Program's Mission, the HEA Master's Program is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge for successful work in entry- and mid-career professional positions in institutions of higher education, post-secondary education and other related organizations. Students participate in active coursework, field-experiences/internships, and other professional opportunities so that they may become engaged and thoughtful practitioners in higher education and student affairs.

HEA Faculty are focused on facilitating a strong practice-based program for students that includes novel and engaging courses, professional work experiences through internships, assistantships and full-time work experiences, and a sense of community among our practitioners and scholars.

Learn how GW's HEA Master's Program is unique!

Following is a wide-range of information about the HEA Master's Program, and should answer many of the questions you may have about graduate professional preparation in higher education and student affairs at GW.

Programs of Study

The HEA Program has developed an innovative conceptual framework for the core curriculum to meet tomorrow's needs of the field. The 36-hour academic program integrates the Principles of Practice, Theoretical Foundations, and a student-created Individual Inquiry Theme to help students develop both depth and breadth in higher education knowledge and experiences.

The HEA Program provides two concentrations to meet the professional preparation requirements of future practitioners in higher education and student affairs.

• Student Affairs and General Administration.Designed for campus-based professionals, the Student Affairs and General Administration concentration cluster is specifically designed to assist students in their graduate professional preparation for careers on college and university campuses working with students and other administrative positions. This concentration consolidates the older concentrations of the program, including general administration, international education, student affairs, and academic leadership into one cluster of campus-based roles in higher education and student affairs. Students interested in positions in student activities, academic advising, orientation, study abroad, academic administration, student activities, fraternity/sorority life, international student advising, financial aid, admissions, alumni development, media-relations, multi-cultural and LGBT support services, housing and residence life, and more from the entry- to mid-level can find a high-quality educational experience in the program. The conceptual framework clearly identifies the organization of the currriculum, including specific courses and course content.
  • Conceptual Framework for Student Affairs and General Administration

• Higher Education Policy and Finance.Designed for students interested in working on issues relevant to higher education, but not necessarily a campus-based position, the Higher Education Policy and Finance concentration cluster is specifically designed to assist students in their professional preparation for careers working with higher education issues. Students interested in working in state and federal governments, associated professional associations, think-tanks and other advocacy organizations in policy and finance-related entry- to mid-level positions can find a high-quality educational experience in the program. The conceptual framework clearly identifies the organization of the currriculum, including specific courses and course content.
  • Conceptual Framework for Higher Education Policy and Finance

Courses & Sequences

Courses in the GW HEA Master's Program provide a balance between understanding and applying the theoretical foundations of the field. Students will have the opportunity to engage with course facilitators that have a wide-range of front-line experience in working with students and in higher education settings so that they can make strong theory-to-practice connections that extend beyond the classroom into their current and future professional endeavors. Courses are generally offered in the evenings on GW's Foggy-Bottom Campus.

The sequence of courses is designed so that students complete their graduate program in two-years, content in later courses can build on content in earlier courses, and to facilitate a strong community among the students. Generally, students progress through courses in a 6+6+6 sequence (six-credits in the fall, six in the spring and six in the summer), although students may choose to take more or fewer credits. The sequence of courses is focused on allowing students the time to take advantage of distinctive living-learning experiences only available in this area--making the Nation's Capital a laboratory for our students growth and development!

Faculty have created easy to use Advising Worksheets that outline course requirements and sequences. Please see the HEA Resources & Forms webpage, to access the most current Advising Worksheets for your area of interest. Additionally, course descriptions and recent syllabi for many of the HEA Courses are available on the HEA Courses & Schedules webpage.

Development Plan

The goal of graduate professional preparation is personal and professional advancement in the field of higher education. While the Faculty have created a conceptual framework to assist students in learning about both the depth and breadth of the field, graduate work is more than a series of requirements! To ensure that each student has a unique experience while at GW that meets their personal and professional development needs, each student creates a Personal Development Plan (the PDP). In consultation with a faculty member in one of the first courses in the program, students develop an individualized plan of action that integrates course work, their Individual Inquiry Theme, practical field experiences, and other out-of-class experiences during their graduate work (this goes beyond the "program of courses" common in other programs). After exploring readings, research and position descriptions for their chosen areas of interests, students assess their strengths and areas for improvement and establish a specific, actionable personal development plan to allow them to be the most successful as a practitioner in higher education, as well as the most marketable in the job-search process.

Student Profile

The HEA Program is an extremely diverse educational experience, and involves students with varied backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. The Graduate School of Education and Human Development has been named by Diverse Issues in Higher Education as one of the top 40 providers of graduate degrees to students of color, and the HEA Program reflects the School's commitment to issues of difference. In 2008, 34% of the students in the program were students of color. 68% of HEA Master's Students are women. HEA also involves a number of international students, non-heterosexual students, traditional and older students, and students from diverse religious backgrounds. HEA has a national and international, competitive applicant pool.

Students in the program may begin the program directly after completing their undergraduate degrees, or after they have been in the field/work-force for a number of years. Additionally, students in the program work in graduate assistantships, and are engaged in full-time professional positions while completing coursework.

To discover the impressions of current and graduated students of the HEA Master's Program, please see the HEA Prospective Students page for streamed video interviews.

Field Internships

As part of their Individual Inquiry Theme, students in the HEA Program identify and plan specific field experiences and internships that will assist them in developing skills and competencies to meet their specific needs. The purpose of the field experiences and internship program is to provide students with professional career experiences to refine skills appropriate to work in student affairs and higher education. In some cases students will receive a basic introduction, and in others an in-depth understanding and/or working knowledge of a specific functional area. In general, internships require 120 hours of experience.

Because of GW's unique geographic region, students have the opportunity for internship experiences at GW, as well as several other institutional and organizational types within the District and Region. From prestigious nationally known institutions, a premier historically black college and university, a community based university, professional associations, think-tanks, and the Federal Government, students have a wide-range of sites for field experiences unparalleled by other graduate preparation programs in the country. To learn more about the specific expectations of internships and field experiences, click on internships on the HEA Resources & Forms webpage.

Work Opportunities

One of the strengths of professional preparation in GW's HEA Program, particularly for students interested in student affairs and higher education, is the availability of extensive graduate apprenticeships/assistantships, and other professional work experience and funding opportunities. These kinds of opportunities provide the opportunity for students to make theory-to-practice connections between classroom learning and real-world settings, as well as to develop and refine their skills in professional work experiences.

Because of the unique setting of the District, GW HEA Students can explore opportunities for work experience at GW, at one of several other major institutions within blocks of campus, or in professional associations, government agencies and other settings. Current GW students work in full-time and part-time positions at GW, Georgetown, American, the U.S. Department of Education, ACPA, and several other institutions, agencies and organizations.

Faculty Advisor

Upon admission to the program, students are assigned a faculty advisor to assist in planning the graduate program of study, career planning, and other advisement needs. The name of the assigned advisor is included as part of your admissions letter from the graduate school.

Newly admitted students should access the New Admits webpage (coming soon) to identify helpful information about preparing for and transitioning to the District for graduate school. Included on that page are the specific courses students should register for during their first fall semester. By identifying the specific courses you should register for on this webpage, you can focus your energy on finding a position and a place to live--not on what classes to take before you even get here! Once students begin their first semester in the program, you are encourage to contact their faculty advisor for assistance.

Pre-Admission Meeting

Prospective Students to the program have a number of opportunities to learn more about the program, it's requirements and the application process. Information Sessions (both face-to-face and online) are scheduled for students to meet and talk with faculty and staff members knowledgeable about the program. Generally scheduled monthly, Information Sessions provide the opportunity to meet and interact with HEA Faculty as well as interact with other prospective HEA students. If you have questions that are not answered by the webpage, please plan to attend one of the available upcoming events. To see what events and opportunities are coming soon, check-out the HEA On-the-Road webpage for a list of dates and locations!

Application Process

Students generally begin the HEA Master's Program in the fall semester, although after admitted for the fall semester, some students may also decide to take a course in the preceding summer. Additionally, to ensure students benefit from the new conceptual framework for the curriculum and the sequence of courses developed, we generally do not encourage students to begin courses prior to full admission into the program. To apply for the HEA Master's Program, applicants should:

• Complete the Online Application for Admission to the Graduate School.
• Take and request that the GRE or MAT Score be sent to the GW.
• Submit Two Letters of Recommendation Forms (can be completed online).
• Request Official Transcripts be sent from all of the Applicant's Undergraduate and Graduate Institutions directly to the Graduate School.
• Write and submit a Statement of Puprose.
• Submit a current resume/vita.

The HEA Program reviews the total application package, so students should take care in crafting their Statement of Purpose and identifying references who can speak to their specific experiences and strengths as a future professional in the field of higher education. Because our students come from across the country, pre-admission interviews are not required nor expected.

Applications are reviewed on a regular basis throughout the year, although the priority deadline for consideration for merit-based tuition assistance is January 15th, and students who apply and accept their offer of admissions earlier can begin to explore the wide-range of work/funding opportunities more quickly. To access additional details about the application process, or the online application system, please see GSEHD Admissions.