Program overview

The MS in Student Affairs and Higher Education (SAHE) program is a practitioner-focused program that prepares students to work directly with college students in student affairs roles. This program places a strong emphasis on applied skills, ethical practice, and responsiveness to diverse student populations.

Core courses include foundations of student affairs, assessment, helping/supervision, and student development. Additional focus areas include counseling and helping skills, program design, and evaluation. The program curriculum centers on supporting students from a wide range of backgrounds, with real-world project experience built in.

This program is built around a cohort model, where students move through a shared sequence of courses together, fostering deep community connections. About half of the courses overlap with the Higher Education Administration (HEAM) program; the other half are SAHE-specific.

Why study Student Affairs and Higher Education?

The M.S. in Student Affairs and Higher Education (SAHE) is built for you if you’re drawn to working directly with students, not just administering systems. This practitioner-focused program prepares you for hands-on roles supporting college students, with coursework in student development, assessment, helping and supervision, and program design, all grounded in ethical practice and responsiveness to diverse populations.

SAHE’s cohort model means you’ll move through the program with the same peers, building deep, lasting connections with classmates and faculty alike. Classes blend synchronous engagement with real-world projects, taught by both higher ed and student affairs faculty alongside practitioners in the field.

Graduates go on to careers in student life, academic advising, residence life, orientation and leadership programs, and access initiatives like TRIO. And with shared coursework across our Higher Education Administration program, you’ll have flexibility to explore multiple pathways along the way.