2025-2026 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration

For additional information about opportunities your college offers, please refer to the College of Education and Community Innovation section in this catalog.

Website: https://www.gvsu.edu/education/grad/

Mission

Educating leaders and professionals to engage, enrich, and transform communities.

Vision

The College of Education and Community Innovation (CECI) embodies principles of democracy, high ethical standards, diversity, and active engagement. CECI builds upon the wisdom, goals, and life experiences of our learners and community partners. We will establish an open and creative culture that welcomes innovative scholarship and service where all CECI learners are successful contributors. Within this culture, we will nurture key innovations, bolster community capacity, and inculcate leaders with the appreciation of applied knowledge towards improved and healthy communities.

Values

• Interdisciplinary and Lifelong Learning
• Teaching Excellence, Applied Scholarship, and Impactful Service
• Equity, Social Justice, Inclusive Society, and Social Responsibility
• Ethical Leadership and Democratic Governance
• Collegial, Collaborative, and Consensus Building Culture
• Strategic Innovation for Improvement
• Engagement with Student and Community Stakeholders

The M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration (HESAA) program prepares graduate students and professionals for leadership and administrative roles within institutions of higher education. The HESAA curriculum equips students with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to support diverse student populations and promote inclusive, student-centered environments. Graduates are prepared to serve across a wide range of functional areasincluding admissions, student orientation, residence life, student life, academic advising, recreation and wellness, financial aid, multicultural affairs, career services, international affairs, and judicial affairswith a strong emphasis on holistic student development, critical thinking, and effective organizational leadership.

Admission

Admission requires completed application, resumé, one recommendation, and an essay/personal statement addressing specific prompts.

Program Location

The program is offered at DeVos Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus, located in downtown Grand Rapids, MI, as well as on Allendale Campus.

Requirements for M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration

The M.A. degree in higher education and student affairs administration requires a minimum of 39 credit hours. Students can enroll full-time in a cohort beginning in the fall semester or part-time beginning any semester.

• Core Classes (30 credits required)
  • EDH 647 - College Student Development Theories in Practice (3 credits)
  • EDH 649 - Professional Seminar in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration (3 credits)
  • EDH 651 - Introduction to Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration (3 credits)
  • EDH 652 - College Students and Their Environments (3 credits)
  • EDF 653 - School Learning (3 credits)
  • EDH 655 - Advising and Supporting in Higher Education (3 credits)
  • EDH 656 - Organization and Administration in Higher Education (3 credits)
  • EDH 685 - Practicum/Graduate Field Experience in Higher Education I (3 credits)
  • EDH 693 - Master's Project (3 credits) or EDH 695 - Master's Thesis (1 to 6 credits)
  • EDF 660 - Educational Inquiry and Evaluation (3 credits)
• Elective Classes (9 credits required)
  • EDH 648 - Learning in Adulthood (3 credits)
  • EDH 650 - Teaching and Learning in Continuing and Postsecondary Education (3 credits)
  • EDH 657 - The Community College (3 credits)
  • EDH 658 - Critical Issues in Higher Education (3 credits)
  • EDH 659 - Gender and Sexuality in Higher Education (3 credits)
  • EDH 661 - Crisis Management in Higher Education (3 credits)
  • EDH 662 - Religion and Spirituality in Higher Education (3 credits)
  • EDH 665 - Emotion and Affect in Higher Education (3 credits)
  • EDH 686 - CSAL Practicum/Graduate Field Experience II (3 credits)

*The most recent CAS Standards (2023) require Master's preparation programs to require students to engage in two (2) distinct supervised practical experiences. To accommodate different employment statuses, the program will continue to offer course credit for both supervised practical experiences (practicum/internship, 685/686), which can be satisfied in a variety of ways (including through graduate assistantships and full-time employment in the field). Students will determine with their faculty advisor the appropriate path to satisfy the practical experience requirements.