Update on Higher Education Fall Admission
Higher Education concentration admission deadline for Fall semester for the Master's and Doctoral program:
December 1, 2023.
Core Faculty:
Sharon Fries-Britt
Jeongeun Kim
KerryAnn O'Meara
Awilda Rodriguez
Marvin Titus, Concentration Coordinator
Concentration Structure
Higher Education is an area of concentration within the Higher Education, Student Affairs, and International Education (HESI) program at the University of Maryland. As a nationally recognized graduate area of concentration, Higher Education at Maryland prepares students for leadership positions in higher education institutions and policy organizations, as well as engagement in scholarship. Alumni of the Higher Education concentration work as mid- and senior-level college administrators, higher education policy makers and analysts as well as university faculty.
Students can take courses in the following areas: Policy and Finance; Diversity and Student Experiences; Leadership and Organization; and Academic Professions. In addition, in conjunction with their faculty advisor, students can design an area of specialization to meet their individual needs. Higher Education students can also take courses in areas such as business, public affairs, and the social sciences. Programs of study are individually designed by students in consultation with their faculty advisor. Department courses are usually offered in the afternoon and evening.
Doctoral students with an interest in student personnel services can take courses in the Student Affairs concentration. The two concentrations offer distinct degrees but cooperate closely on course offerings. Because the University of Maryland is located close to the nation’s capital, masters and doctoral students also have access to many seminars and presentations by higher education leaders and public policy makers in the Washington DC area.
Additionally, the Higher Education concentration is in a unique position to also offer students opportunities that enable them to gain practical experience in the form of internships at federal government agencies, public policy think tanks, and higher education advocacy organizations throughout the Washington DC area. In the past, in addition to interning at offices on campus and the University System of Maryland, students have interned at the US Senate, National Center for Education Statistics, American Council on Education, and the Institute of Higher Education Policy.
Admitted students to the Higher Education concentration are invited to our Preview Program each spring in order to interview for assistantships across Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and other administrative offices. Nine-and twelve-month assistantships are available. Some doctoral applicants may be recommended for fellowships by our admissions committee.
Higher Education students and faculty regularly present at conferences and actively work in national organizations such as ACPA, AEFP, AERA, AIR, ASHE, and NASPA.
Presentations by Maryland Higher Education Concentration Faculty and Students at ASHE 2016
Presentations by Maryland Higher Education Concentration Faculty and Students at ASHE 2015
Presentations by Maryland Higher Education Concentration Faculty and Students at AERA 2014
Presentations by Maryland Higher Education Concentration Faculty and Students at ASHE 2014
Master of Arts Program
A minimum of 36 credit hours in Higher Education beyond the bachelor’s degree is required. Coursework includes higher education core courses and electives, as well as research methods courses. Students are also required to participate in an internship and complete a seminar paper. Average completion is two years if enrolled full-time. Students work with an advisor to devlop an individualized program of study. Students may choose whether to complete a thesis or undertake field experience and complete a seminar paper.
Required Core Courses - 12 credits
EDHI 650 Professional Seminar in Higher and Adult Education
EDHI 652 Higher Education and Society
EDHI 666 The Academic Profession
EDHI 754 Higher Education Finance
Research Methods Courses - 9 credits
Requirements include EDHI 672, one quantitative and one qualitative methods course approved by advisor
EDHI 672 Modes of Inquiry in Education Research (3 credits)
Quantitative research methods courses to choose from include:
EDHI 778Y State-Level Higher Education Research
EDHI 788C Institutional Research and Planning
PUAF 610 Quantitative Aspects of Public Policy
PUAF 611 Quantitative Analysis of Policy Issues
PUAF 798R Quantitative Research Methods and Public Policy
ANTH 630 Quantification and Statistics in Applied Anthropology
SOCY 601 Statistics for Sociological Research I
SOCY 602 Statistics for Sociological Research II
SURV 615 Statistical Methods I
SURV 616 Statistical Methods II
COMM 702 Intermediate Quantitative Data Analysis in Communications Research
EDPS 703 Quantitative Applications for Education Policy Analysis
GVPT 622 Quantitative Methods for Political Science
GVPT 722 Advanced Quantitative Methods for Political Science
Qualitative research methods courses to choose from include:
EDHI 700 Qualitative Research Methods in Education
EDHI 788C Institutional Research Planning
COMM 714 Introduction to Qualitative Methods in Communication Research
COMM 715 Advanced Qualitative Methods
EDPS 730 Seminar on Case Study Methods
EDPS 735 Phenomenological Inquiry I
EDPS 736 Phenomenological Inquiry II
EDCP 773 Designing Qualitative Research in Counseling & Student Affairs Contexts
FMSC780 Qualitative Methods in Family and Health Research
EDCI 791 Qualitative Research I: Design and Fieldwork
EDCI 792 Qualitative Research II: Analysis and Interpretation of Data
Higher Education Electives - 9 credits
Choose at least 3 courses from the following list or alternative graduate courses approved by advisor:
EDHI 653 Organization and Administration in Higher Education
EDHI 660 Retention Theories and the Impact of College
EDHI 662 Research on Ethnic Minorities and Demographic Trends
EDHI 664 The College Experience
EDHI 665 College Access and Choice
EDHI 667 Women in Higher Education
EDHI 676 Ranking Systems in Higher Education
EDHI 752 State Systems in Higher Education
EDHI 755 Federal Policies in Post-Secondary Education
EDCP 770 Service Learning and College Student Development
EDHI 788 State-Level Higher Education Research
EDHI 853 Leadership in Higher Education
Internship in Higher Education (Register for EDHI 489 with your advisor) - 3
Seminar Paper (Register for EDHI 679 with your adviser while working on your seminar paper) - 3 credits
Total Credits – 36
Presentations by Maryland Higher Education Concentration Faculty and Students at ASHE 2016
Doctoral Program
Ph.D. students are required to take a minimum of 90 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree, some of which may be satisfied by prior study in a master’s program. In addition to the core and elective courses, this program includes 12 to 15 credits in research methods, an internship, and 12 credits of dissertation research. Average completion is five years if enrolled full time.
Required Core Courses - 9 credits
EDCP 870 Doctoral First-Year Seminar (3 credits)
EDHI 672 Modes of Inquiry in Education Research (3 credits)
EDHI 895 Research Critique Seminar (3 credits)
Research Methods Courses - 12 credits
At least 3 credits of which are quantitative, at least 3 credits of which are qualitative and two additional research courses. Choose from the following list of research methods courses or alternative research methods courses approved by advisor:
Quantitative research methods courses to choose from:
EDHI 778Y State-Level Higher Education Research
PUAF 610 Quantitative Aspects of Public Policy
PUAF 611 Quantitative Analysis of Policy Issues
PUAF 798R Quantitative Research Methods and Public Policy
ANTH 630 Quantification and Statistics in Applied Anthropology
SOCY 601 Statistics for Sociological Research I
SOCY 602 Statistics for Sociological Research II
SURV 615 Statistical Methods I
SURV 616 Statistical Methods II
COMM 702 Intermediate Quantitative Data Analysis in Communications Research
EDPS 703 Quantitative Applications for Education Policy Analysis
GVPT 622 Quantitative Methods for Political Science
GVPT 722 Advanced Quantitative Methods for Political Science
Qualitative research methods courses to choose from include:
EDHI 700 Qualitative Research Methods in Education
COMM 714 Introduction to Qualitative Methods in Communication Research
COMM 715 Advanced Qualitative Methods
EDPS 730 Seminar on Case Study Methods
EDPS 735 Phenomenological Inquiry I
EDPS 736 Phenomenological Inquiry II
EDCP 773 Designing Qualitative Research in Counseling & Student Affairs Contexts
FMSC780 Qualitative Methods in Family and Health Research
EDCI 791 Qualitative Research I: Design and Fieldwork
EDCI 792 Qualitative Research II: Analysis and Interpretation of Data
Cognate Courses - Up to 24 credits
Courses in support field (Master's degree or electives)
Domain Knowledge - 18 credits
Choose at least six courses from among the following:
EDHI 660 Retention Theories and the Impact of College
EDHI 662 Research on Ethnic Minorities and Demographic Trends
EDHI 664 The College Experience
EDHI 665 College Access and Choice
EDHI 666 The Academic Profession
EDHI 667 Women in Higher Education
EDHI 676 Ranking Systems in Higher Education
EDHI 752 State Systems in Higher Education
EDHI 754 Higher Education Finance
EDHI 755 Federal Policies in Post-Secondary Education
EDCP 770 Service Learning and College Student Development
EDHI 788 State-Level Higher Education Research
EDHI 853 Leadership in Higher Education
Disciplinary Perspectives - 15 credits
Disciplinary courses will be selected from Department, College, and University offerings to meet the individual needs of the student.
Dissertation research – 12 credits
EDHI 899
Total credits beyond Bachelor's Degree – 90