The graduate program in Educational Administration with an emphasis in Higher Education prepares administrators and educators for the demands of leadership in colleges or universities and other institutional settings. Through a comprehensive master’s program for individuals wanting a graduate degree or through coursework taken for professional development, the program supports administrative leaders and educators who seek to enhance their professional competencies and effectiveness in today’s increasingly diverse work place.

Student programs of study at the master’s level are developed to reflect required core courses that provide all master’s level students with fundamental understandings of higher education, student development, organizational leadership and diversity. In addition, the program offers a range of cognate courses that are tailored to meet specific student interests or learning goals in administrative leadership or student affairs administration. Advising materials and meetings with faculty enable students to create academic programs that meet their unique learning needs. Unless indicated, all courses are available to non-degree seeking students for professional development.

All master’s level students will design a full-term internship in collaboration with an on-site supervisor and the instructor of the fieldwork course. The purpose of the internship is to provide students with guided opportunities to enhance skills, expand their professional experience base, and apply course learning in new settings.

Admissions

The Higher Education faculty review all admissions applications and make admission decisions. Admission for the M.A. in educational administration, with an emphasis in Higher Education, requires that the following steps be successfully completed:

Admission Requirements

1. Full admission to the Higher Education Program requires:
   • Completion of the UMKC graduate admission application.
   • An undergraduate 3.0 GPA or higher.
   • GRE (Verbal/Quantitative/Essay) Scores.
   • Two Letters of Reference.
   • A written statement of purpose (500 words maximum) that outlines the student’s rationale for application to the program and learning goals.
2. Students who do not meet the undergraduate grade-point average or who have not taken the GRE can receive conditional admission to the program. The GRE must be taken during the first semester of enrollment and students must complete a minimum of six hours of core requirements with a grade of "B" or better within the first two semesters of enrollment.
3. Application deadlines are as follows:
   • Apr. 1 for summer term
   • July 1 for fall term
   • Nov. 1 for spring term

Required Core Courses (21 credit hours)       Hours
EDUC-UL 5526   Philosophical Foundations of Education                    3
EDUC-UL 5550   Organization and Administration
                           of Higher Education                                                   3
EDUC-UL 5556   The College Student                                                   3
EDUC-UL 5560   Leadership in Higher Education                                 3
EDUC-UL 5564   History of Higher Education                                       3
EDUC-UL 5566   Racial and Ethnic Diversity, and
                           Cultural Understanding                                              3
EDUC-UL 5567   Higher Education Capstone                                       3

Internship (3 credit hours)
EDUC-UL 5571   Internship in Higher Education                                   3

Research and Statistics (3 credit hours)
EDUC-R&P 5508   Principles and Methods of Research                      3
Focus Area: Student Affairs Administration
EDUC-UL 5551    Student Affairs Administration                                 3
EDUC-UL 5558    Advanced Student Development Theory                 3
EDUC-UL 5557    Legal Aspects of Higher Education                         3

Focus Area: Foundations of Education
EDUC-UL 5525   Cultural Foundations of Education                            3
EDUC-UL 5527   Historical Foundations of Education                         3   
EDUC-UL 5528   Sociological Foundations of Education                     3
Focus Area: Sports Administration & Exercise Science
PHYS-ED 5561         Sociology of Sport & Exercise                           3
PHYS-ED 5570         Psychology of Sport & Exercise                        3
PHYS-ED 5530         Organization & Administration of Athletics        3
Students with no focus area must choose 3 electives:
 EDUC-UL 5525   Cultural Foundations of Education                          3
 EDUC-UL 5526   Philosophical Foundations of Education                 3
 EDUC-UL 5528   Sociological Foundations of Education                   3
 EDUC-UL 5551   Student Affairs Administration in
                            Higher Education                                                    3
 EDUC-UL 5552   Financial Aspects of Higher Education                  3
 EDUC-UL 5555   Community College                                                 3
 EDUC-UL 5557   Legal Aspects of Higher Education                       3
 EDUC-UL 5558   Advanced Student Development Theory               3
 EDUC-UL 5559   Current Issues in Higher Education                        3
 CPCE 5505   Career Development                                                     3
 EDUC-R&P 5505   Statistical Methods I                                              3
 PHYS-ED 5561         Sociology of Sport & Exercise                          3
 PHYS-ED 5570         Psychology of Sport & Exercise                       3
 PHYS-ED 5530         Organization & Administration of Athletics       3

Note: The student may select courses from other disciplines to meet elective hours. All coursework must be approved by the adviser.