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Director of the Center for the Study of Higher Education: Dr. Regina Deil-Amen
Established in 1977, the Center for the Study of Higher Education offers flexible, interdisciplinary, and individualized master of arts and doctor of philosophy degree programs with concentrations in comparative higher education, organization and administration, college access, and student affairs.
Students pursuing a Master’s in Higher Education will develop knowledge, skills and awareness to prepare them to be effective and progressive professionals, researchers and academics working in a range of institutions and administrative and policy or advocacy contexts relevant to higher education. This program may be completed full- or part-time. The minimum credit requirement to complete the MA is 36 semester hours, of which not more than six credits may be transferred in from other institutions. Not less than 12 credits must be earned on the University campus in Tucson (i.e., some coursework may be taken at other locations where University of Arizona courses are offered). All work applied to the degree must be completed with 6 years, with some latitude possible by petition to the Graduate College.
Dr. Judy Kiyama, Professor (non teaching) & Associate Vice Provost, Faculty Development (jkiyama@arizona.edu)
These distinctive characteristics go beyond individual faculty; they reflect a collective synergy and orientation of our faculty to scholarship and practice.
Each year we admit around ten (10) Ph.D. students and twenty (20) M.A. students. The life experience and perspectives of the 90-100 students enrolled here flavor our program. A high proportion of our students are accomplished professionals and we value the practical experience and organizational skills they bring.
Ours is a diverse, supportive, challenging intellectual community. Over half of our students are women, over 20 percent are students of color, and over 10 percent are international students. Many are first generation students. This diversity enriches our community and work.
In recognition for its commitment to diversity and inclusiveness, the Center for the Study of Higher Ed has been honored with the Peter W. Likins Inclusive Excellence Award in 2010.
We are supportive of each others' work and that of our students. Most of our students work, yet are fully engaged intellectually in a program that emphasizes a culture of research and reflective practice. Our aim is to bring theories and findings from the academic literature to bear on professional practice in ways that enhance students' abilities to understand, analyze, and act within postsecondary organizations and systems. We seek students who are deeply committed to the advancement and improvement of higher education as students, practitioners, scholars, and activists.
Most of our students advance into positions in various support professions and administration, but some also pursue faculty positions. Although most obtain positions on college and university campuses, we have also placed students in systemwide administration, policy agencies such as WICHE, and in private enterprise.
An important contributor to our intellectual community is the Higher Education Student Organization (HESO). It sponsors formal and informal annual functions and activities that are academic, professional, and social in nature and that address student needs as well as bring students and faculty together for supportive exchange.
Educational Policy Studies and Practice
The Department of Educational Policy Studies and Practice (EPSP) includes Educational Leadership & Policy and the Center for the Study of Higher Education. The EPSP department combines the PK-12 focus with postsecondary education to create a P-20 perspective that taps into the dominant discourse of education and policymakers today.
EPSP prepares graduate students at the doctorate and master's levels. Graduate programs in HED include Ph.D. and M.A. degrees. Graduate programs in EDLP include: Ed.D.(fully online), Ph.D., M.A. (fully online) and M.Ed. degrees. The doctoral and M.Ed. degree programs are focused on educational leadership and policy studies. The M.A. degree has a focus on policy. Through the M.Ed. program, students can earn a degree while satisfying the requirements for principal and supervisor certifications in Arizona.
Both the Center for the Study of Higher Education (HED) and Educational Leadership & Policy (EDLP) maintain their core functions and curriculum, consistent with professional career paths and state standards for certification leading to licensure. However, the combined unit more broadly facilitates and encourages research, instructional, and service and outreach initiatives consistent with a policy development and analysis focus.
College of Education
University of Arizona - Main - Tucson
The GRE is no longer a requirement.
For International Students ONLY:
Minimum TOEFL: 79
Minimum IELTS: 7
Funding Your Degree The program does not provide any guaranteed funding, however, there are a variety of resources to help students’ degrees. If students are the recipient of departmental funding, they will receive an award letter with an acceptance letter. It is highly recommended to first apply for the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://fafsa.ed.gov/. The UA Scholarship Universe portal and the New and Current Student page from the Graduate College are two great resources as well. A breakdown of federal aid eligibility and aid types can be found at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/.
Internships The department does not directly offer internships, though it does have resources for students to find internships and fully supports students in acquiring internships. Advisors and professors can serve as a reference and provide letters of recommendation upon request.
Graduate Assistantships Graduate Assistantship (GA) positions are neither required nor guaranteed by the Higher Education department, but are encouraged for those students who are not already working and need funding resources. Students can apply to any department with open assistantship positions. It is recommended to search Handshake or speak to the department directly to see what openings are available and ask about their application processes. GA assignments offer an in-state tuition benefit rate as well as professional experienc
**Applications for admissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning in December.
You may also be interested in attending one of our 2022 virtual info sessions:
Fall Info Sessions:
September 7th at 9AM
October 7th at 12PM
November 7th at 3PM
December 7th at 4PM
*please note that Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings.
RSVP (for any session) at: https://arizona.zoom.us/.../tZMlduqtqzsiH9SZC0KuGiu33asXU...
Zoom Link: https://arizona.zoom.us/j/87813550850
Each session will cover the same content, and they are designed to share a brief overview of the programs as well as information related to applying, admission, and the assistantship process. Please note that Arizona does not observe daylight savings time.
Domestic Applicants:
International Applicants:
International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.
4832
36
First Semester:
Second Semester:
Third Semester:
Fourth Semester:
You are encouraged to take electives in Higher Education, but you may certainly enroll in courses outside of Higher Education. All courses must be at the 500- or 600-level. If you wish to take more than six credits outside the College of Education, please consult with your academic advisor.
Six units of elective credit may be taken outside the College of Education. Additional credits must be approved by academic advisor.
18 credits or more, which can be taken in Higher Education, or in other programs and departments in the College of Education or the University of Arizona. Below are eligible HED elective courses that students might enroll:
HED 612 (8563) Introduction to Multivariate Regression and Quantitative Program Evaluation, 3 units
HED 613 (93913) Survey Research Methods, 3 units
HED 630 (75389) Values, Consciousness and Professional Practice, 3 units
HED 633 (64208) Introduction to Critical Race Theory in Education, 3 units
HED 634 (59638) Sociology of Community College, 3 units
HED 642 (59794) Gender and Education, 3 units
Comprehensive Exams or Thesis Option A student must successfully pass comprehensive exams or defend a thesis in order to satisfy the requirements of the MA in Higher Education. You may choose to complete either the exam or thesis
Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.
| Program-level Information | |
|---|---|
| Application Acceptance Rate | 87.5% |
| Avg. Time-to-degree (years) | 2.16 |
| Department-level Information | |
| Enrollment Percent Male | 32.31% |
| Enrollment Percent Female | 67.69% |
| Enrollment Percent International | 7.69% |
| Enrollment Percent URM | 41.54% |