The master's degree in Higher Education Administration at KU is primarily designed for individuals preparing for administrative careers in higher education and student affairs. The program consists of 36 credit hours of integrated courses and hands-on experiences - all of which can be completed in two years.

The graduate program allows students to extend and apply their knowledge of colleges and universities, and to gain relevant experience in higher education administration. Graduate students will learn from expert scholars and practitioners, as well as fellow classmates, who bring diverse leadership experiences to the higher education administration program at KU.

Graduate students enrolled in the program, can expect to complete coursework and gain experiences that meet specific learning objectives, such as:

• Gain knowledge of organization, culture, diversity & history of higher education institutions
• Understand relevant research on student development theories and its impact on students
• Develop personal philosophy of equity in higher education grounded in scholarship
• Use literature to link higher education administration theory with practice
• Relate relevant assistantship experiences to classroom learning
• Differentiate between functional areas through hands-on internship experiences for graduate course credit
• Demonstrate proficient writing skills and mastery of APA format

Students admitted to the full-time master’s degree program are required to secure and maintain a graduate assistantship at KU (or another local higher education institution). Students with a 0.4% time and above graduate assistantship (GA) at KU receive a tuition waiver of up to 9 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters, health insurance, and a stipend as part of their assistantship at KU.  GA's typically work between 20-30 hours per week.  Additional financial support in the form of scholarships is also available beyond assistantship compensation.  Contact the program coordinator for more information.  International students are encouraged to apply for GA positions but are not required to secure a position.

The number and type of available assistantships will vary slightly from year to year, though assistantship positions are typically available in the following offices:

• KU Student Housing
• Office of Admissions
• Office of First Year Experience (FYE)
• Jayhawk Academic Advising
• Student Involvement & Leadership Center (SILC)
• Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA)
• Financial Aid & Scholarships

Graduate Admission requirements:

Applicants for the 3 master’s programs, education and social policy, educational administration, and higher education administration, must submit the following materials (Please check the departmental website or program advisor for additional information and application deadlines):

1. A completed Graduate application.
2. 1 official transcript from each post-secondary collegiate institution attended.
3. Completed bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, or a foreign university with substantially equivalent bachelor’s degree requirements.
4. Statement of purpose with relevance of degree to career aspirations.
5. A vita or resume.
6. Letters of recommendations or names of references (review specific requirements on the application)
7. Proof of English proficiency, for non-native English speakers.  Visit https://gradapply.ku.edu/english-requirements for further details.

See the application for specific admissions requirements for the master's concentrations.