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[laurenguida]

Earning a Master's in Higher Education?


I work at a large private university as a marketing analyst.  I am thinking about taking classes and earning a master's in higher education.  Has anyone obtained a Master's in Higher Ed?  If so, from which university? Has the degree been helpful in your career, both present and regarding future promotions?  Do you have any advice or a list of top five things to look for in a Master's degree before starting the curriculum?

[cj405]

Look closely at the curriculum.  Do the classes you will be taking sound like they relate to what you want to do in higher education in the future?   

There are so many different types of master's degrees in higher education--some are more administration/management focused and others are student affairs focused.  So, it is important to know what you are signing yourself up for.

My master's program was counseling focused.  It has helped me tremendously because I spend most of my day advising students.  Also, my current position requires me to have a master's and so do the next several steps up the ladder.  I'm in a field that is very different from yours, though. 

My main question for you is, other than currently being employed by a university, why do you want a degree in higher education?  If you want to continue to work as a marketing analyst, is there another degree that might be more appropriate or useful? 

[dale1]

Lauren:

I hold a M.S.Ed in Student Affairs Administration from a top-5 program in the US, from a Midwest research university.  The program is housed in an Educational Leadership/Policy Studies department.

Yes, the degree is helpful, and indeed required, for many areas of higher education, often including:
Residence Life
Student Activities
Judicial Affairs (though a JD is also very useful)
Academic Advising
Career Counseling (though a MA in Counseling also helpful)
Admissions/Enrollment Management

Without the MS degree, I would not have been competitive for any professional position in the above fields at any institution I know of at the baccalaureate general college level or higher.  It's essential for these kind of positions, or at the very least the preferred credential with the above possible exceptions.

Look for (no particular order):

Program rankings - these matter.
Availability of courses in your area(s) of interest.
Availability of senior and up-and-coming faculty.
Type of program, meaning whether it's administration/org. behavior/leadership focused or counseling focused (as cj405 indicates).
Location and connections -- can you stay in the place your MS is from, can you get it funded due to your work situation, can you take it part-time?  These things impact the quality of life you have in the program, and your prospects once you have completed the program.

I have some program recommendations if you're mobile - just PM me to chat.

[michigander]

Lauren,

The degree is helpful in all areas of student affairs and some areas of academic student services.  Whether it is the best degree depends upon which area you wish to go into.  In my geographic area, the community colleges don't care so much about the specific graduate degree but require counseling licensure for academic advisors and career counselors, and two large state universities and several small liberal arts colleges give preference to candidates for such positions who hold counseling licenses.

[joseph25]

This subject has already been raised at the forum

[mdwlark]

These degrees are useful if the department already wants to hire you because of your experience and skills, and the position requires a master's degree.  But yes, there might also be some skills you learned from the degree that are applicable to the new job.