Santa Clara University

Master of Arts Program

Education Administration: Higher Education

Advisor: Les Goodchild, Ph.D., Director of Higher Education Program and Professor of Education

A 45-quarter-unit program, the master's degree in Educational Administration with a Higher Education emphasis, is designed to prepare students for entry and mid-level positions in higher education as administrators and policy analysts or in preparation for future doctoral work.

Program
The program's priorities include the integration of theory to practice, fostering a high level of academic performance and appreciation for research, reinforcing strong interdisciplinary relationships and enhancing the candidate's leadership potential.

Students take the program's core and specialization cources. In addition, a candidate may request electives from selected graduate courses in counseling psychology, education, law, and business, with permission of the program director. The capstone requirement for the program is the completion of a master’s thesis, especially for those planning to pursue a doctoral program, or a successful passage of the higher education comprehensive examination, usually taken in spring quarter. A three course sequence enables students to prepare and complete their theses. As students near the end of their program, EDUC 490, Research Methods, is initially recommended for understanding a research problem, literature review, and critical reading of journal articles. Subsequently, students should proceed to complete EDUC 409 Master’s Project (chapters 1-3) and then EDUC 499 Independent Study (chapters 4-5). Under special circumstances, a candidate may enroll in a program elective, EDUC 310 Independent Study, if approved by the program director and supported by a higher education faculty member.

Required Core Courses

• EDUC 380-Higher Education Administration and Leadership (3 units)
• EDUC 381-Governance in Higher Education (3 units)
• EDUC 382-Student Development in Higher Education (3 units)
• EDUC 386-History and Philosophy of Higher Education (3 units)
• EDUC 387-Organization and Administration of Student Services (3 units)
• EDUC 397-Academic Ethics in Higher Education (3 units)

Administrative Specialization

• EDUC 383-Law in Higher Education (3 units)
• EDUC 384-Budget and Finance in Higher Education (3 units)
• EDUC 385-Human Resources in Higher Education (3 units)
• EDUC 388-Contemporary Issues and Internships in Administration/Student Affairs (3 units)
• EDUC 395-The American Community College (3 units)
• EDUC 396-Educational Policy and the Legislature (3 units)

Departmental Requirements

• EDUC 409-Masters Project in Higher Education Administration (3 units)
• EDUC 490-Research Methods (3 units)
• EDUC 499-Independent Research (1-3 units)

Electives

• CPSY 212-Psychology of Relations (3 units)
• CPSY 300-Career Development and Life Planning (3 units)
• EDUC 255-Special Topics Seminar (3 units)
  

** Other classes may be selected with help from an advisor.

M.A. Student Advising Handbook 2008