The Student Affairs and Higher Education (SAHE) program is relaunching with an updated curriculum designed to prepare students for the changing needs of colleges, universities, and the student affairs profession. The revised program features a cohort-based online structure, applied learning opportunities, and coursework focused on student development, leadership, equity, assessment, and organizational practice. 

SAHE Relaunch

The Student Affairs and Higher Education (SAHE) (formerly known as CSP) program is relaunching with an updated curriculum designed to reflect the evolving needs of students, institutions, and the higher education profession. The revised program builds on the strengths of the former College Student Personnel (CSP) program while introducing a clearer academic online sequence, a cohort-based structure, and greater alignment between coursework and current professional practice.

As part of the relaunch, students will complete a curriculum that emphasizes student learning and development, organizational leadership, access, supervision,  assessment, and applied problem-solving. The program will culminate in a problem-of-practice Capstone that allows students to connect theory, research, and professional practice while addressing a meaningful issue in a higher education or student affairs setting.

SAHE Application Deadlines

• Priority Deadline: November 15, 2026
• Final Deadline: December 1, 2026

Typical application materials include:

• Online application
• Resume or CV
• Personal Statement (Short answer responses)
• 3 Letters of Recommendation
• Academic Transcripts
• Additional materials may be requested depending on the applicant’s background.

Cohort Model

The SAHE program uses a cohort-based model in which students begin the program together and progress through the curriculum as a group. This structure allows students to build meaningful relationships with peers, develop a strong sense of community, and learn through shared academic and professional experiences. The cohort model also supports collaboration, mutual encouragement, and the exchange of diverse perspectives throughout the program.

Graduate Student Assistantships (GAs)

Graduate assistantship opportunities at the University of Tennessee are very limited and highly competitive. Students are responsible for identifying, applying for, and securing their own assistantship opportunities, and admission to the SAHE program does not guarantee an assistantship. The program does not centrally place students into assistantship positions, so students are encouraged to begin searching early and apply broadly across campus departments and offices. Students are also responsible for reviewing the funding, tuition benefits, fees, work expectations, and appointment length associated with any assistantship they pursue. Funding packages vary by position and hiring unit, and some assistantships may not cover the full cost of attendance. Students should carefully review the terms of each offer and contact the hiring department with any questions before accepting a position.

Please note that a graduate assistantship is not required for admission to or enrollment in the program.

Practicums

Practicum experiences are not required as part of the SAHE degree program. Students can complete the program’s academic requirements without enrolling in a practicum course or participating in an additional field placement. The curriculum is designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and applied learning needed for professional practice through coursework, assignments, and the culminating Capstone experience.

Problem-of Practice Capstone

The SAHE program concludes with a problem-of-practice Capstone designed to help students integrate and apply what they have learned throughout the curriculum. Rather than completing a traditional thesis, students identify a meaningful challenge, issue, or opportunity within a higher education or student affairs setting and develop a project that responds to that problem in a practical and informed way. The Capstone gives students an opportunity to draw on relevant theory, research, professional standards, and institutional context as they examine the selected problem of practice. Depending on the nature of the project, students may develop a program proposal, assessment plan, policy recommendation, training resource, strategic initiative, or another applied product that addresses the needs of a campus office, department, or organization. Through the Capstone process, students demonstrate their ability to analyze complex problems, engage relevant stakeholders, communicate recommendations, and connect scholarship to professional practice. The final project is intended to serve as both a culminating academic experience and a meaningful example of the student’s readiness to contribute to the field of student affairs and higher education.