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Fall 2025 Graduate Catalog

Higher Education Administration, MA
School of Professional Development
Degree Awarded: Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration
 
Faculty Director: Brian A. Kerr, Brian.Kerr@stonybrook.edu
Director, Admissions and Student Engagement: Andy Fong, Andrew.Fong@stonybrook.edu, (631) 632-7759
 

The Higher Education Administration program is designed to provide the academic preparation and credentials necessary for college and university professionals to enhance their expertise and advance their careers. The curriculum combines aspects of theory and practice within the changing landscape of American higher education. It is suitable for individuals working in community colleges, 4-year colleges and universities-both public and private-as well as government agencies that address higher education planning and regulation.

The 36-credit Master of Arts degree offers a comprehensive program of study that explores student affairs, academic affairs, and college and university administration. Students complete an 18-credit core requirement and then choose from a variety of electives that address their individual interests. The program provides an experiential learning practicum and culminates in a master’s project.

Admission Requirements

  • Personal statement.
  • Resume that includes degree(s) awarded, employment history, and past/current leadership, volunteer, or other relevant involvement and experience. The program accepts students who do not have professional experience in higher education, though the Admissions Committee gives preference to applicants who have some work experience and/or student leadership experience in a higher education setting.
  • A bachelor’s degree, applicants with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA are preferred. Applicants who have less than a 3.0 GPA are considered, in part, on the basis of their years and depth of professional experience in higher education.
  • Applicants are required to submit a 750-1000-word essay that addresses the following question: What are three critical issues facing colleges and universities today?
  • Two letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters should be written by individuals who can speak about your academic ability, commitment to the higher education field, and attributes and experiences that will make you a successful student in this program. Recommendations from current or former employers and/or faculty members are strongly encouraged.
  • In those cases where the departmental admissions committee deems it desirable, personal interviews with departmental representatives may be necessary.

Program Requirements

Master’s Program Requirements

The Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration is a 36-credit program that can be taken after completing a bachelor’s, master’s, or other advanced degree. It is the appropriate degree for someone who wishes to work in the higher education field in a student affairs or administration capacity-either working directly with students or in a service-related or administrative department.

Current and upcoming course offerings are updated for every semester and can be found on the HEA Course Schedule webpage. For details on course descriptions and other important information, please review the Higher Education Course Descriptions.

All Master of Arts requirements must be completed within five years from the student’s first semester of matriculation. A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA is required to earn the MA.

Core Courses - 18 credits

The following 6 courses are required.

Electives - 18 credits

Select 6 courses from the list below.

Practicum

Required for Students With Less Than One Year of Full-Time Experience

Students who do not have one year of full-time professional work experience in higher education or are not currently employed in higher education are required to complete a 150-hour (10 hours per week for 15 weeks) unpaid internship with an approved supervisor working in the higher education field to gain practical experience. Students will earn three credits and can choose to do their internship in the fall or spring. The three credits earned will count as one of the six required electives for the program.

Practicum sites can be at Stony Brook or at another college or university. Students can find current listings of available Stony Brook opportunities in Handshake (the database supported by the Career Center) and the HEA Brightspace community. Students who are looking outside of Stony Brook must find a department and supervisor who is willing to work with them. Supervisors will be required to have an earned master’s degree and at least 5 years of professional higher education experience.

In addition to their field hours, students will also complete a 14-week online course, HEA 586 - Higher Education Administration Practicum , to build a strong theory-to-practice connection, and to reflect on and discuss the practicum experience. Once they have found a location, HEA program advisors will work with the supervisor to make sure the experience meets program requirements.

All practicum experiences must be approved by the program director prior to enrollment in HEA 586  or HEA 587 .

Note: The practicum opportunity is for students in the Master of Arts program only. Students in the Advanced Graduate Certificate program are not eligible to earn credit for a practicum experience.