Higher Education

Program Director: Susan Marine, Ph.D.

The Mission of the Merrimack College Higher Education program is to prepare practitioners and leaders in higher education to:

• understand the history, functions, and aims of higher education;
• promote student learning and growth, in multiple learning environments;
• develop, implement, and evaluate policies and practices that further the unique missions of diverse institutions of higher learning, and
• lead with integrity, creativity, and a commitment to advance social justice, in keeping with the democratic aims of American higher education.

The Master’s in Higher Education (M.Ed.) prepares students to be student affairs practitioners and administrative leaders in a variety of roles within higher education. The curriculum focuses on the learning and development of college students; college access, equity and diversity; and leadership and organizational development. Students will gain a broad understanding of current trends, policies, leadership challenges, and opportunities to advance social justice in higher education. 

There are two pathways to completion for the Higher Education program:

• Full-time through the Higher Education Fellowship program, which offers a full-tuition fellowship.
• Full-time or part-time as a traditional student, working closely with an academic advisor to plan your program of study and timeline to completion. Traditional students have the opportunity to participate in a field-experience assistantship.

The Master’s in Higher Education is a 36-credit program.

Admission Requirements

• Merrimack College application
• Official copy of all college transcripts, including any graduate courses completed at another institution.
• Current resume
• Two letters of recommendation that speak to your capacity for leadership, professionalism, and ability to succeed in the graduate program. Letters should be from a 1) college professor and 2) college administrator who can speak to your interest and potential for success in a graduate program. If you do not feel you can provide a reference from a professor and/or a college administrator, please contact the program director to discuss alternatives. Letters should be on letterhead, signed by the recommender, and in PDF format.
• Contact the Admissions Office to learn more about which essays you could complete, which are specific to the format you choose (Fellowship or Traditional)
• Phone interview with the program director (required for all International and some domestic students).

 

Program Requirements

Core Courses (12 credits)

The core of our program emphasizes social justice and the multifaceted and critical role that postsecondary institutions play in a democratic, pluralistic, and complex society.

ED 630G	Higher Education in American Society	4
ED 640G	Diversity and Social Justice	4
GRAD 590	Capstone in Higher Education	4

 

All students will complete a capstone experience - an original research project where students demonstrate their proficiency in planning a curricular innovation, or a new program or service to address an unmet need on Merrimack’s (or another) campus. Each student will choose an area of interest related to their career goals, focused on creating change in Higher Education. The capstone course is the culminating experience of the Master’s program.

 

Areas of Concentration and Electives (12 credits)

Student Affairs (choose from the following):

ED 620G	College Student Retention and Success	4
ED 671G	Theories of Adult Learning	4
ED 676G	College Teaching and Learning	4
ED 683G	Gender in Education	4
HED 505G	College Student Development Theory	4
HED 516G	Financial Management in Higher Education	4
HED 555G	College Counseling and Advising	4
HED585G	Higher Education Policy and Practice in Ireland	4

 

 

Leadership, Policy, and Organizational Development (choose from the following):

ED 635G	Theories of Organizational Change	4
ED 667G	University-Community Relations	4
HED 516G	Financial Management in Higher Education	4
HED 546G	Leadership Theory and Practice in Higher Education	4
HED 575G	Organizational Theory and Change in Higher Education	4
HED 583G	Civic Engagement and Higher Education	4

 

 

Fellowship and/or Electives (8 credits)

Students in the Fellowship program work 25 hours a week (average) in their assigned fellowship setting. Fellows also meet regularly in a seminar with an experienced practitioner to reflect upon the experience and document skill and competency development. Fellows will receive 4 credits for their Fellowship and seminar (2 credits each semester), and will select one additional elective to complete their program.  Students who are not participating in the Fellowship program will select two (2) additional electives to complete their program.

Traditional students (part-time or full-time) who do not currently work in a higher education setting are strongly encouraged to participate in an Assistantship for 10-12 hours per week and accompanying seminar and will receive 2 credits per semester for this work. The Assistantship provides students with hands-on experience that directly relates to their academics and may serve as the platform for the capstone.

 

HED 560G

Higher Education Fellowship/Internship Experience

2 or 4