Shaping student success: The impact you can make with a master's in higher education

Higher education careers welcome people from every academic background, with paths to start fresh or advance into leadership. No matter where your education has taken you so far, a career in higher education has a place for you to grow. 

Have you ever wondered:

• Who makes sure a first-generation student knows where to turn when college feels overwhelming?
• Who decides how a university invests its budget in student success?
• Who writes the policies that keep a campus fair, safe, and legally sound?
• Who designs the programs that help students stay enrolled and graduate?
• Who uses data to decide what is working on campus and what needs to change?

What do higher education administrators do?

Higher education administrators are the professionals who shape how colleges and universities support students, manage resources, and set policy. A master's degree in higher education prepares you for these roles through coursework in student development, law, finance, governance, assessment, and leadership. Ohio University's Online Master of Education in Higher Education is a 30-credit-hour, 100% online, asynchronous program you can complete in five semesters (1 year, 8 months), with no GRE or thesis required.

What impact can you make as a higher education administrator?

Faculty shape the learning experience in the classroom, administrators shape the environment that makes learning possible. With a master's in higher education, you can make an impact in areas such as:

• Student success: Designing advising, orientation, and support programs that help students thrive.
• Access and inclusion: Building pathways for first-generation, adult, and underrepresented students.
• Policy and compliance: Applying higher education law so campus decisions are fair and legally sound.
• Financial stewardship: Directing resources toward students and academic programs.
• Assessment and improvement: Using evidence to measure what works and guide change.
• Leadership and change: Leading teams and initiatives as institutions evolve.

Many paths lead to a career in higher education

There is no single route into higher education administration. Our students come from many backgrounds, and each path brings something valuable to the work.

Some are recent graduates who want to go directly into a career supporting college students. Others are career changers from business, marketing, counseling, K-12 education, nonprofits, or the military who are looking for work with purpose.

Many are current college and university employees ready to grow into leadership roles. Others are professionals in related fields, such as human resources, finance, technology, or communications, who want to apply their skills in an education setting.

Whatever your starting point, your previous experience is not a detour. For instance, a marketer understands recruitment, an accountant understands budgets, and a former teacher understands how students learn. Each of these bring valuable strengths to careers and jobs in higher education.

How a master's in higher education advances your career

A master's degree in higher education adds a credential that shows you understand how colleges operate as whole organizations. It tells hiring committees that you can connect everyday decisions to student development, policy, and institutional goals.

The degree gives you specialized knowledge of the history, governance, finance, and legal landscape unique to colleges and universities. Its coursework also addresses areas reflected in the ACPA/NASPA Professional Competency Areas, including law, policy, and governance; assessment; and leadership.

Because it covers the institution as a whole, the degree prepares you for roles across academic affairs, student affairs, enrollment, and operations, not just one office. Along the way, faculty and classmates become professional connections across institutions and areas of higher education.

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Ohio University's online Master of Education in Higher Education

Our Online Master of Education in Higher Education prepares professionals for leadership roles in higher education and student affairs administration. It is offered through the Patton College of Education, offering coursework ranging from historical foundations of higher education to current affairs. 

Program at-a-glance

• 30 credit hours
• 100% online, asynchronous coursework
• Five semesters to complete (1 year, 8 months)
• Three start terms each year
• No GRE and no thesis required

Required courses

Our curriculum includes 10 required courses:

• College Student Development: Theory with Practice
• Historical and Contemporary Issues in Higher Education
• Higher Education and Student Affairs in the United States
• Legal Issues in American Higher Education
• Diversity in American Higher Education
• Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education and Student Affairs
• Finance and Budgeting in Higher Education
• Organization and Governance of Higher Education
• Leadership and Change Management in Higher Education
• Policy Perspectives in Higher Education

Admission requirements

• The Ohio University graduate application and $50 fee
• Official transcripts from your bachelor's degree and any graduate coursework
• A 2–3 page personal statement about your interest in higher education
• Three letters of recommendation
• A current resume or CV
• Proof of English proficiency, for international applicants

For current costs, visit our graduate tuition and fees page. Ohio University has been consistently ranked a Best Value University by U.S. News & World Report.

Online vs. hybrid format

Unlike the online program, our hybrid master's in higher education holds most courses face to face for working professionals in Southeast Ohio. Both formats require 30 credit hours and take about five semesters.

Professional standards that guide the field

Higher education administration does not require a license, but the field follows shared professional standards. ACPA and NASPA, two leading student affairs associations, jointly publish 10 Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Educators.

The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) sets standards for master's-level higher education and student affairs preparation programs, most recently revised in 2020. Together, these organizations define the knowledge and skills the profession values.

Summary of frequently asked questions

• Can I go straight from my bachelor's degree into a master's in higher education? Yes. Our admission requirements call for a completed bachelor's degree and do not list required work experience. That makes the program an option whether you are finishing college or changing careers.
• Do I need an education degree to apply? No. Our admission requirements do not list a specific undergraduate major, so graduates from business, the arts, sciences, and other fields can apply.
• How long does the online program take? The program takes five semesters, or 1 year and 8 months. It requires 30 credit hours and offers three start terms each year.
• Do I need the GRE? No. Our online Master of Education in Higher Education does not require the GRE or a thesis.

Start making an impact in higher education

Wherever your path begins, whether you are finishing your bachelor's degree, changing careers, or ready to advance in the office you already work, our Online Master of Education in Higher Education meets you when you're ready for that next step. In five semesters of flexible, fully online coursework, you will build the knowledge of student development, law, finance, governance, and leadership that colleges look for in their leaders.

Behind every student who finds their footing, stays enrolled, and walks across the graduation stage, there are peers, faculty, and administrators who made that path possible. They design the support programs and lead the changes that shape the college experience. A master's degree in higher education prepares you to be one of those people. Join us and apply today.