Postsecondary Education: Student Affairs M.A.
Postsecondary Education: Student Affairs Major
This major is designed to prepare an individual for a career in the administration of student affairs programs in college and university settings.
Students interested in this program must submit a completed Application for Admission to Graduate Study and should refer to their MyUNIverse Student Center To-Do list or contact the Department of Learning, Leadership, and Community for other application requirements. Graduate information and application for graduate admission can be found at https://admissions.uni.edu/application. (Also https://online.uni.edu/online-programs/graduate-programs/postsecondary-education-student-affairs-ma).
The Graduate Record Examination (General Test) is not required for admission to the program.
Only graduate courses (course numbers 5000 or above) will apply to a graduate degree, even if the undergraduate course number (4999 or less) is listed. No exceptions will be made.
This major is available on the thesis and non-thesis options. The thesis option requires a minimum of 42 semester hours, and the non-thesis option requires a minimum of 36 semester hours. A minimum of twelve (12) hours of 6000-level course work is required for the thesis option. A minimum of twelve (12) hours of 6000-level course work is required for the non-thesis option.
Students will be required to complete and present a portfolio for the exit requirement.
| POSTSEC 6220 | Leading and Advising | 3 |
| POSTSEC 6265 | Organizational and Personal Foundations for Student Affairs | 3 |
| POSTSEC 6264 | Values, Philosophies and History of Student Affairs | 3 |
| POSTSEC 6268 | Supporting College Students in Higher Education | 3 |
| POSTSEC 6270 | College Student Development | 3 |
| POSTSEC 6274 | Higher Education Law | 3 |
| POSTSEC 6273 | Research and Assessment | 3 |
| POSTSEC 6275 | Professional Helping in College Student Affairs | 3 |
| POSTSEC 6289 | Seminar in Postsecondary Education: Current Issues in Student Affairs | 3 |
| Electives may include, but are not limited to, the following: | 9 | |
| Teaching in College | ||
| The Two-Year College | ||
| Globalization of Education: Components, Issues, and Comparative Systems | ||
| Internship in Postsecondary Education (This course may be repeated for maximum of 12 hrs.) | ||
| Research | ||
| College Effects on Students | ||
| Foundations of Instructional Psychology | ||
| Advances in Educational Psychology: The Science of Learning | ||
| Multicultural Counseling | ||
| Leading People, Driving Success: Leadership and HR Management | ||
| Advances and Developments in Social Psychology | ||
| Diversity & Human Rights | ||
| Total hours for non-thesis option (may include 3 hrs. of POSTSEC 6299 as an elective choice) | 36 | |
| Thesis Option add | ||
| POSTSEC 6299 | Research | 6 |
| Total Hours thesis option | 42 | |
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Note: Upon advisement, some students may substitute course work for internship. A license to teach is not required for this major.
Learning Outcomes
Postsecondary Education: Student Affairs, M.A.
- Students will demonstrate strong written communication skills on a research project that will involve creation of a topic, review of previous literature, determination of method, and completion of the project.
- Students will demonstrate oral communication abilities as evidenced during the presentation of their oral portfolios at the end of the program.
- According to the ten competencies designated by ACPA/NASPA as important for the field of student affairs, students will be able to identify and select appropriate artifacts that demonstrate knowledge in each competency area through the organization and completion of their learning portfolio (completed through the use of a Google Drive). Additionally, students will demonstrate growth in each of the ten competency areas over the program as evidenced by their self-reflections. The ten competency areas are:
- Personal and Ethical Foundations
- Values, Philosophy, and History
- Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
- Law, Policy, and Governance
- Organizational and Human Resources
- Leadership
- Social Justice and Inclusion
- Student Learning and Development
- Technology
- Advising and Supporting