Higher Education (HIED)

Graduate Degree Program
College: Education

Abstract

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.
 
It is important to note that while being a concentration in HESI, the Higher Education concentration is a distinct program with its own admission criteria and requirements. 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.

Financial Assistance

The Department has a very limited number of merit-based fellowships and graduate assistantships available to students. Fellowships are awarded to doctoral students in March only for the following fall semester. Assistantships are also awarded in the spring for the following fall semester, but occasionally an assistantship may become available at another time of year. A large number of assistantships are also available throughout campus, and many students regularly find assistantships in other departments and offices on campus. Both fellowships and assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis. It is to the student’s advantage to apply well before the published application deadlines and to submit a complete application package if they intend to be considered for a fellowship, assistantship, or other form of financial aid. It is a requirement that a student be admitted as a condition of eligibility. International students’ applications are not considered complete and are not reviewed by the Department until they have received clearance from the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), which can take additional time.
 
If you need information about ISSS clearance, visit the ISSS website at http://www.umd.edu/ies. For more information on financial assistance, see the department website: http://www.education.umd.edu/chse/admissions/finance.

Contact

Sharon Fries-Britt, Ph.D., Admission Director
Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education
3214 Benjamin Building
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Telephone: 301.405.2878
Fax: 301.405.9995
Email: sfries@umd.edu

Jillian Cordial, Graduate Assistant
Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education
3214 Benjamin Building
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Telephone: 301.405.2878
Fax: 301.405.9995
Email: jcordial@umd.edu

Carol Scott, Coordinator of Graduate Studies
Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education
University of Maryland
3214 Benjamin Building
College Park, MD 20742
Telephone: 301.405.8384
Fax: 301.405.9995
Email: chse-admission@umd.edu

Website: http://www.education.umd.edu/chse

Courses: EDCP EDHI EDPS HESI

Relationships: International Education Policy (HIEP)     Student Affairs (HISA)

General Requirements

• Statement of Purpose
• Transcript(s)
• TOEFL/IELTS/PTE (international graduate students)

Program-Specific Requirements

• Letters of Recommendation (3)
• CV/Resume
• Writing Sample

To be recommended for full admission to a doctoral or master’s program, a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 is required. A minimum graduate grade point average of 3.5 is required for doctoral programs. Of the three scores on the Graduate Record Examination (verbal, quantitative, analytic), at least one should be at the 70th percentile or higher for PhD applicants (40th percentile or higher for master’s applicants) and none should be under the 40th percentile for PhD applicants.

If the Miller Analogies Test is used, the score should be at least at the 70th percentile for PhD applicants (40th percentile for master’s applicants). Students who do not meet one of these requirements, but show other evidence of outstanding potential, may be considered for provisional admission. For more information on admissions please refer to our website at http://www.education.umd.edu/CHSE/admissions/overview/ and click on prospective students.

It is recommended that, if possible, prospective students talk with concentration coordinators and faculty, and visit classes, to help determine if a particular concentration is appropriate to their academic interests and professional goals.

Application Deadlines

RESOURCES AND LINKS:

Program Website: http://www.education.umd.edu/chse
Application Process: gradschool.umd.edu/admissions

Faculty and students in the Department work closely with area schools, colleges, universities, associations and other education-related organizations. Extensive resources in the Washington, D.C., area, including international agencies and non-governmental organizations, provide exceptional opportunities for internships, field experiences, and research to enhance formal course experiences.