EdM in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies: Higher Education Administration
For over 30 years, the program in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies: Higher Education Administration has been teaching and learning with hundreds of dynamic university administrators. TheHigher Education Administration concentration of our EdM in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies (ELPS-Higher Education Administration) develops culturally competent leaders through a specific selection of courses that reflect the contemporary higher education landscape and issues currently impacting colleges and universities. Students graduate our program having engaged in theory-to-practice learning that enables them to meaningfully contribute to their current and future roles as administrators involved in areas including student life, financial aid, admissions, career advisement, pre-college advisement, development, and alumni relations.
The EdM in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies -Higher Education Administration comprises two distinct 36-credit programs — residential (on campus) and online.
Residential, On-Campus: Students who enroll in the residential program complete a set of core, required courses and a set of electives. The residential program is structured to facilitate both full-time and part-time study. Full-time students begin their studies in the fall semester and complete the program in one academic year; part-time students may begin the program in either the fall or spring semesters, and typically complete the program in two years (including one summer).
Online: Students enrolled in the online degree program complete a fixed set of nine (9) required courses and may begin the program in the fall, spring, or summer terms.
Please note: The intersection of theory, learning and practice is an essential element of the ELPS-Higher Education Administration programs. Full-time students must complete a graduate assistantship each semester. Part-time students, both residential and online, are expected to be working full-time in higher education or a related field.
At the end of the Ed.M. in Higher Education Administration program, students will be able to…
•Demonstrate a proficient understanding of the complex context shaping higher education’s past, present, and future (including cultural, developmental, financial, historical, legal, pedagogical, and political features). Appreciate the rich diversity of institution types and missions that comprise higher education and how the higher education industry relates to broader societal purposes.
•Source and understand scholarly research; understand student development theory; and, apply sound assessment practices that lead to improved curricular and co-curricular outcomes. Appreciate the inter-relationship between theory and practice in the development of feasible action plans and management practices. Demonstrate proficiency in written and oral communications, especially those that are relevant to professional practice.
•Respond adroitly to complicated issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion within various higher education settings. Appreciate how issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education relate to broader societal purposes.
•Analyze and articulateinstitutional policies and their implications for effective administration, leadership, and management within higher education. Appreciate how institutions shape and respond to local and national policy environments.
•Understand and be able to assessthe characteristics of effective leadership in higher education and reflect critically on one’s own leadership, career, and advancement.
Essential Questions
How long does it typically take to complete this program?
When completing the program full-time, this typically takes one academic year. If you chose to complete this program part-time, it typically takes two years. Depending on whether you attend the program residentially or online, you may be able to begin the program in September, January or May.
Please note that if you wish to pursue this program full-time, you should apply to begin this program in the fall. Due to the requirements of the full-time program, these students would not be able to start this program in the spring semester.
When and how will I take courses?
The residential program offers courses on BU’s Charles River Campus during the fall, spring and summer terms. Most courses are offered in the evenings and are delivered in a synchronous format that incorporates active learning and discussion. The online program is delivered 100% online, and classes are offered asynchronously with optional weekly live sessions with your faculty and peers. Fully online courses are 7 weeks in length and are offered in the Fall (two courses), Spring (two courses), and Summer (one each term) semesters. You can learn more about how our online courses work here.
Students enrolled in either the online or residential program may take courses offered in the alternate format, i.e., students enrolled in the online format may take classes in person and vice versa. Due to different degree requirements between the residential and online programs and the timing of course offerings, please consult with your advisor about your plans to take courses in an alternate format.
Does this program lead to licensure?
This program of study does not lead to licensure.
Students within our Higher Education Administration concentration of our EdM in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies program are guided by a dynamic pedagogical framework that is structured within a broad-based curriculum and customized electives. Our rich curriculum offers students exposure to, exploration in, and experiential opportunities with both historical perspectives and real-time challenges facing colleges and universities. Students engage in theory-to-practice learning that allows them to meaningfully contribute to their current and future administrative roles.
Request more information.
Program Requirements
Visit the BU Bulletin for information on this program’s academic requirements.
Program Faculty
Mary L. Churchill, Adjunct Professor, Associate Dean For Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement
Raul Fernandez, Lecturer, Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
We appreciate your interest in Boston University (BU)’s Ed.M. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies with a concentration in Higher Education Administration (HEA)! Housed in BU’s School of Education, HEA has been teaching and learning with hundreds of dynamic university administrators for over 30 years.
Structured within a broad-based core curriculum and customized electives, we strive to reflect the contemporary higher education landscape and issues currently impacting colleges and universities. We welcome students in full-time, part-time, campus-based, and online capacities.
Our smaller full-time, Boston campus cohort allows students to complete their degree in an accelerated 1-year degree program and provides a purposeful combination of theory (through coursework) and practice (through assistantships and internships).
Our larger part-time, Boston campus cohort allows students to work at their own pace, with the average time to degree completion in the range of 2-2.5 years. These full-time professionals bring experiences from a wide array of higher education areas (including student affairs, academic affairs, health and wellness, development, admissions, financial aid, and professional schools) to their coursework and gain the theory to complement their practice. Part-time students represent colleges and universities throughout Boston and the broader New England region.
Our online cohort allows students to attend BU virtually, taking two 7-week courses per semester, with the average time to degree completion in 5 semesters. This cohort is designed for working professionals who are place-bound or prefer online learning and has a set curriculum of nine required courses.
This rich spectrum of perspectives and students’ practical experiences provides for lively learning environments inside and outside the classroom.
Dedicated faculty, who have significant experience as practitioners themselves, lead BU HEA, strongly encourage theory-to-practice learning in every component of the program, and offer students the opportunity to wrestle with real-time challenges facing higher education and its administrators. Our 36 credit hour program offers exposure to, exploration in, and experiential opportunities with core higher education concepts of history, theories of student learning and development, strategic planning and administration, legal issues, research and assessment, social justice perspectives, and current issues, while also allowing personalization through the selection of electives.
Interested in becoming a part of a 30-year legacy of outstanding higher education administrators and scholars? You should be! With over 60 universities and hundreds of higher education associations in Boston, there’s no better place to study all things higher education. Join us!
Go Terriers!
Dr. Laurie Pohl
Program Director for Higher Education Administration
Curricular Framework & Learning Objectives
The BU Higher Education curriculum is guided by three principles of deeper learning:
Exposure
New Ideas, Perspectives, and Experiences: Guest Speakers & Peers, Field Trips & Community Engagement
Controversial Issues
Complex Resolutions
Exploration
Scholarly & Practical Readings
Socratic-Driven Discussions
Peer Evaluations & Feedback
Team-Based Projects
Experience
Co-Authored Learning Environments
Theory-to-Practice Based Assignments: Case Studies & Role Plays, Program & Policy Development
Assisstantship & Internship Opportunities
BU Higher Education Ed.M. students develop as culturally competent leaders in higher education administration and advance their:
Reflective mindset that critically considers how personal and professional narratives shape educational worldviews and higher education administration.
Judicious understanding of developmental theories and ability to apply those theories in the advisement of students in curricular and co-curricular environments.
Substantive understanding of the complex context shaping higher education’s present and future administration (historical acts, reports, commissions, administration, faculty, students, community, political, legal issues, etc.)
Appropriate responses to issues of educational equity, diversity and inclusiveness.
Critical understanding of contemporary issues in U.S. higher education and its collective impact on underrepresented populations.
Ability to be good consumers and users of research and literature to drive administrative work.
Coursework Timelines
Full-Time, Residential Sample Coursework Timeline
Fall Semester:
AP 601 History and Foundations of Higher Education
AP 615 Theories of Student Learning & Development
AP 801 Professional Development Seminar, Part I
RS 600 Introduction to Research
Elective (student’s choice)
Spring Semester
AP 699 Current Issues in Higher Education
AP 755 Legal Issues in Higher Education
AP 801 Professional Development Seminar, Part II
Two electives (student’s choice)
Part-Time, Residential Sample Coursework Timeline
Year 1
Fall Semester
AP 601 History and Foundations of Higher Education
AP 615 Theories of Student Learning & Development
Spring Semester
RS 600 Introduction to Research
Elective (student’s choice)
Summer Semester
Elective (student’s choice)
Year 2
Fall Semester
Elective (student’s choice)
Elective (student’s choice)
Spring Semester
AP 699 Current Issues in Higher Education
AP 755 Legal Issues in Higher Education
Please note: the above represents a self-paced timeline and students may choose to take between 1-3 courses per semester based on their learning style and full-time employment schedule.
Coursework Timeline for Online Degree Students
Students enrolled in the online EdM in ELPS-Higher Education Administration complete a sequence of nine, 4-credit, 7-week asynchronous courses. Students begin their studies with the courses offered during their semester of matriculation and continue to sequence through carousel of course. The courses and timeline listed below are based on a fall start and the first course being AP 601 History and Foundations of Higher Education. Please note that this program is for part-time enrollment only.
Fall Semester
AP 601 History and Foundations of Higher Education
AP 600 Diversity and Justice in Education
Spring Semester
AP 622 Student Affairs
AP 730 Innovation in Higher Education
Summer 1
AP 755 Legal Issues in Higher Education
Summer 2
RS 600 Introduction to Research
Fall Semester
AP 662 Strategic Planning and Implementation
AP 612 How Colleges Work
Spring Semester
AP 699 Current Issues in Higher Education
Information about Graduate Assistantships
Our applied learning partners include the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tufts University, Babson College, Stonehill College, and more.
Full-time Ed.M. students in the Higher Education Administration program are required to have an assistantship or internship as part of their academic experience. Graduate assistantships (GA) and internships ensure that students have an opportunity to implement theory to practice and gain meaningful experiences that will be valuable in their job search process upon graduation.
Assistantship and internship opportunities are available at Boston University, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science (MCPHS), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as well as several of the Greater Boston area’s other colleges and universities. These opportunities include options in both student affairs and academic affairs. Students are also welcome to work with an institution of their choice to create an assistantship or internship opportunity. For a list of graduate assistantships opportunities, please visit BU Wheelock’s GA page .
Students should contact our partner employers directly to indicate interest and send their resumes and cover letters; employer contacts are listed in each GA posting. We will inform our employer partners of students who are admitted to our program in late January or early February each year to assist them in making their GA hires. While faculty members are available to assist students with the search process, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to secure the practical experience.
In addition to these listed options, BU offers some graduate resident assistant (GRA) opportunities. See BU’s Residence Life site for additional information on this process or contact Residential Education at 617-353-3540 or resed@bu.edu.
Note: In conjunction with their practical experiences, full-time students also take a year-long professional development seminar (AP 801) to support professional identity development, job search, and entry into the profession. (2 credits in fall, 2 credits in spring)
Example Graduate Assistantship Opportunities at BU
Graduate Internship, Undergraduate Student Services, School of Education
Graduate Assistant, Graduate Student Services, School of Education
BU Arts Initiative Intern, Provost’s Office
Graduate Internship, Academic Advising, College of Arts & Sciences
Graduate Internship, Community Service Center
Career Development Internship, Center for Career Development
Internship Administrator, Center for Career Development
Graduate Assistant for Programming / Campus-Wide Events, Student Activities
Graduate Assistant for Student Clubs and Organizations, Student Activities
Example Graduate Assistant Opportunities at MCPHS
Graduate Assistant, Dean of Students Office/Conduct
Graduate Assistant, Disability Support Services
Graduate Assistant, Office of Residence Life
Graduate Assistant, Center for Campus Life
Graduate Assistant, Academic Resource Center (ARC)
Example Graduate Assistantship Opportunities at Other Area Institutions
Graduate Student Assistant, Public Service Fellowships – MIT
Graduate Assistant of Wellness, Alcohol & Other Drug Services, Babson College
Graduate Assistant, Career Services Center, Mount Ida College
Graduate Intern, Office of Intercultural Affairs, Stonehill College
Graduate Student Internship of Residential Education & Staff Development, Residence Life, Stonehill College
Create Your Own Opportunities
Work with an accredited college or university in Boston to create your own unique, applied learning experience!
Contact Info
For more information about this program and the requirements for admission, please contact highered@bu.edu.
