Dr. Mueller with a student in his office ACTIVE PROFESSIONALS IN HIGHER ED - Professor John Mueller (right) has held leadership positions in the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). He is a recognized researcher and scholar in student affairs who has made national presentations and published on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Curriculum Helps You Master the Key Concepts

Student Affairs is an applied science field and, as such, offers the following topic areas: personality and human development; research; specific skills and techniques for helping others learn, grow, and develop; organizational management theory and practice; and practice-oriented courses.

A minimum of 42 credits plus the successful completion of a portfolio or a thesis and the equivalent of two academic years of full-time study are required for the MA in Student Affairs in Higher Education. These include a core requirement of 36 hours.

Required Courses and Credits

SAHE 621 — History of Higher Education in the United States, 3

SAHE 624 — Student Affairs Functions in Higher Education, 3

SAHE 625 — Student Development in Higher Education I, 3

SAHE 631 — Student Development in Higher Education II, 3

SAHE 634 — Assessment and Evaluation in Student Affairs, 3

SAHE 731 — Practicum in Student Affairs (x2), 6

SAHE 733 — Management of Organizational Behavior in Higher Education, 3

SAHE 735 — Individual and Group Interventions, 3

SAHE 737 — The American College Student, 3

SAHE 741 — Contemporary Issues in Higher Education, 3

SAHE 795 — Thesis 3–6 or SAHE Electives, 3–9

TOTAL: 42

Note: Students have the option of waiving the thesis requirement and taking six credits of electives.

SAHE Electives

(Note. Not every elective is offered every year)

SAHE 646 — Interpersonal Sensitivity

SAHE 638 — Topical Areas in Student Affairs

SAHE 640 — Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Higher Education

SAHE 648 — Student Success in Higher Education

SAHE 713 — Legal Aspects of Student Affairs

SAHE 727 — Spirituality in Higher Education

GSR 615 — Elements of Research, 3

Thesis or Portfolio

The SAHE curriculum provides the opportunity to either complete a thesis OR complete six hours of approved electives and successfully complete a portfolio during the final semester. The purpose of the portfolio is to document SAHE student learning opportunities that demonstrate professional competence in areas identified by the two primary student affairs professional organizations as critical to professional success (Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education and American College Personnel Association).

The portfolio also allows the student to reflect upon those learning opportunities and becomes a rich and vivid record of student performance, ability, and potential. A successful thesis experience requires planning during the first year, refinement of those plans over the summer, and implementation early in the second year. The thesis committee will consist of three faculty members, including the student's thesis committee chair.

Students who choose and are successfully progressing toward a thesis, as demonstrated by completion of the Overview and Research Topic Approval Form by December 1 of their second year in the program, do not complete a portfolio.