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Degrees and Schools
Academic department heads are typically required to hold a doctoral degree in the subject area which is taught in the department or, at the community college or vocational level, a master's degree may suffice. Student Affairs Administrators should have a master's or doctoral degree in higher education administration, counseling or student affairs administration. These types of programs can be found at various universities and colleges throughout the US.
Coursework
Higher education administration programs prepare students for any number of positions. Below are some examples of coursework that may be included:
- quality improvement and accreditation
- law and ethics in higher education
- governance and organization in higher education
- budgeting and finance in higher education
- higher education policy
- the American college student
- administration of intercollegiate athletics
- student personnel management
- enrollment / admissions management
- human growth and development
- counseling theories and techniques
- college personnel administration
- administration of college student services
Online Classes and Programs
A number of online programs in higher education administration and student affairs administration are available through online schools and a few traditional schools. These schools should be accredited by a regional accreditation agency.
Employment Requirements
Academic department heads typically need to have substantial teaching and/or research experience at the postsecondary level and are often offered the position after teaching at the institution for a number of years. Student affairs administrative positions have varying education requirements depending on the level of job, type of job and type of institution. Requirements vary from bachelor's or master's degrees for entry-level jobs and master's or doctoral degrees for supervisory roles. Depending on the job, the degree will need to be in a field such as higher education administration, student affairs administration, business, counseling or psychology. All positions in this field require candidates have excellent interpersonal and communications skills.
How to Evaluate Schools and Programs
When choosing a program that will lead to a position in higher education administration, the following questions can be helpful to ask:
- Electives - Does the program offer electives in a student's area of interest such as athletics, international exchange, admissions counseling, etc?
- Internships - Does the program include an internship? What type of internships are typically available? Are students allowed to find an internship on their own?
- Employment - What type of assistance is available to help students find a position after graduation? What type of positions are past graduates working in?
- Reputation - Does the school have a strong reputation for this type of program? Will future employers value the quality of the education received?
- Accreditation - Is the program accredited by one of the six regional accreditation agencies?
Postsecondary Administrators Job Description
For universities, colleges and other institutions of higher learning to be successful, they must be well-managed by professionals who take care of everything that happens outside of the classroom to make sure students and faculty can focus on academics. Postsecondary administrators can have a variety of roles including heading an academic department, managing one or more student services or overseeing an entire institution. Depending on the size of the institution, an administrator may specialize in one area, such as admissions or career services or may have responsibility for more than one area. Presidents have responsibility for the institution as a whole and oversee the other administrators. Postsecondary administrators work at all types of higher education institutions including community colleges, four-year colleges, universities, online schools and vocational training schools.
Academic department heads may teach and conduct research as well as perform administrative duties such as:
- recruiting, hiring and evaluating faculty
- determining program curriculum
- determining course schedules
- assigning teachers to classes
Non-academic administrators, sometimes referred to as Student Affairs Administrators, may be responsible for one or more of the following services:
- admissions
- health and counseling
- student housing
- student records
- financial aid
- career services
- extracurricular programs
- foreign student services
- athletic programs
Resources
National Association for Student Personnel Administrators - The NASPA supports higher education student affairs administrators through professional development, publications, policy development and advocacy.
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers - AACRAO supports its members with professional development in the form of meetings, online courses and webinars. They also advocate for laws that affect higher education and provide consulting services.
National Association of College Admission Counseling - The NACAC advances and supports the work of admissions and enrollment professionals through professional development programs, publications and research efforts.
National Association of College and University Business Officers - NACUBO offers professional development, advocacy, research, publications and events to support higher education business professionals.
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