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Master of Science in Higher Education
Courses

Drexel's Master of Science in Higher Education (HE) is designed as a career-oriented program that provides students with the practical skills and knowledge to become professionals in all areas of higher education.

The program requires 45.0 credits and consists of 14 courses: six core courses, four primary concentration courses, three elective courses or secondary concentration courses, and a two-part capstone course (co-op with portfolio).

Core Courses

18 Credits
View Description EDHE 500 Foundations of Higher Education

Study of historical growth and advancement of colleges and universities in U.S. from Colonial era to "virtual" public and private universities. Integrated overview of contemporary issues, policies and practices that characterize the operational environments of higher education institutions in the 21st century; including financial management, accreditation, curriculum, and institutional planning.

3.0
View Description EDHE 510 Governance, Management & Administration in Higher Education

Organizational and administrative structures within the institutional hierarchy are explored as students examine the relationship between the university and the community it serves, the role of outreach in the modern university, and the role of faculty, staff, and student unions in academic operations and Risk Management.

3.0
View Description EDHE 520 Student Development & Customer Service Management

Examines Academic Support and Student Life Services from customer satisfaction perspective including admissions, orientation, student health and counseling, and Greek life. Best practices in Customer Relationship Management is introduced.

3.0
View Description EDHE 540 Outcomes Assessment and Continuous Improvement

Introduction to "typical" institutional accreditation process. Best practices presented for performing an institutional self-study, defining appropriate outcomes aligned with institution's strategic plan as well as introduction to appropriate quantitative and qualitative assessment methods.

3.0
View Description EDUC 705 School Law and Politics

This course us designed to assist students with their understanding of how law, politics, and power structures interact to influence the goals and operations of the schools. Students will student the roles of school boards and community organizations, state boards of education, state government agencies, special interest groups, professional organizations, and unions.

3.0
View Description ORGB 631 Leading Effective Organizations

Prepares students to make informed decisions as leaders in common institutional and environmental contexts. The focus of the contingency-based perspective of this course is to help leaders understand how best to motivate and coordinate employees and to control outcomes in a manner that ensures they fulfill strategic objectives.

3.0

Primary Concentration

Students complete the four required courses for the primary concentration: Higher Education Administration and Organizational Management Concentration.

12 Credits
View Description EDHE 602 Managing Campus Operations

Detailed overview of key areas affecting campus operations that fall under Finance and Administration units including parking and transportation, non-exempt HR, facilities management, construction, risk management, and environmental health. Introduction to campus master plan development process for strategic planning.

3.0
View Description EDHE 606 Higher Education Career Development

Provides understanding of career patterns of faculty, deans, vice presidents, provosts, and presidents while exploring academic employment markets of these professions. Traditional career paths, diverse points of entry in Higher Education and career development of faculty are explored as well as administrative roles of managing academic units, decision making and change implementation.

3.0
View Description EDHE 714 Introduction to Research Methods

This course will introduce students to the process and conduct of educational research. Students will learn about the characteristics of specific research designs and will review a research study employing the specific design. Students will use established criteria given evaluate research studies. There will be an emphasis on the purpose and function of the review of the literature in educational research. Survey and interview design will also be discussed.

3.0
View Description AADM 710 Strategic Planning and Evaluation

Provides a survey of the theory and practice of planning and evaluation as it relates to arts programs. Includes development of critical issues, goals, strategies, outcomes research planning, and protocol development.

3.0

Capstone

6 Credits
View Description EDHE 715 Higher Education Co-op with Portfolio

The HE co-op I is the first half of a two quarter sequence in which students work in administrative offices to incorporate their knowledge and develop skills learned in the HE program. The first half of the co-op is designed to prepare students to undertake the hands-on co-op projects they will begin in the second quarter of the co-op.

1.5
View Description EDHE 716 Higher Education Co-op II

Students are required to participate in a part-time co-op that lasts no less than two quarters (20 weeks). The co-op is structured to provide students with real-life, hands on experience in higher education. Students work in administrative offices and incorporate the skills and tools they have garnered in the MSHE program.

4.5

Electives or Secondary Concentration

Students select either three elective courses (from offerings within the School of Education) or three courses within the secondary concentrations offered. Courses within a student's primary concentration do not count as electives.

9 Credits

Secondary Concentration in
Student Development & Affairs

Credits
View Description EDHE 652 Enrollment Marketing and Recruitment

Comprehensive overview of principles and practices of strategic process including marketing and recruitment through graduation. Exposure to contemporary issues and legal problems in enrollment management.

3.0
View Description EDHE 662 Critical Issues in Student Affairs

Profession of Students Affairs and most critical issues examined through use of current texts and articles. Topics include overview of the field, diversity, fiscal/budgetary issues assessment and staff training and development. Other topics include campus conduct, academic integrity, feedom of speech, sustainability and other current issues.

3.0
View Description EDHE 663 Safety and Crisis Management

Examination of a broad range of campus safety and crisis management issues and exploration of safety and security strategies and consideration of essential elements of a model crisis response plan. Students will work toward understanding macro and micro safety and security issues and responses, and will design a sample crisis response model as the final course assignment.

3.0
View Description EDHE 669 Diversity in Higher Education

NCourse examines research on issues of race, class, gender and disability in education in historical and contemporary contexts; emphasizes evidence-based data analysis, specifically qualitative analysis of data; introduces qualitative analysis of data, assumptions, designs, collection, analysis, and research ethics.

3.0

Secondary Concentration in
Community College Administration & Leadership

Credits
View Description EDHE 664 Strategies for Educational Success

Examines research on historical and contemporary responses to inequality in education; includes multicultural education, culture of poverty, single race/sex schools; addresses new trends and strategies affecting equity in education, including immigrants, sexual identity, age, gender, organizations, developmental education, and special needs learners (i.e older adult learners and students with disabilities).

3.0
View Description EDHE 668 Transformational Leadership

Reviews research about community college leadership, with an emphasis on transformational leadership, creation and implementation of a vision; develops skills in how to identify, interact, and mobilze key community organizations and constituents with an emphasis on board relations and community development.

3.0
View Description EDHE 669 Diversity in Higher Education

Course examines research on issues of race, class, gender and disability in education in historical and contemporary contexts; emphasizes evidence-based data analysis, specifically qualitative analysis of data; introduces qualitative analysis of data, assumptions, designs, collection, analysis, and research ethics.

3.0
View Description EDHE 634 Proposal Writing and Sponsored Project Management

Provides knowledge and skills required to acquire and manage sponsored projects from a variety of sources including learning and practicing process of developing proposal, organizational vision, goal setting, political realities, and budget in addition to compliance management and reporting.

3.0

Secondary Concentration in
Academic Development, Technology & Instruction

Credits
View Description EDHE 634 Proposal Writing & Sponsored Project Management

Provides knowledge and skills required to acquire and manage sponsored projects from a variety of sources including learning and practicing process of developing proposal, organizational vision, goal setting, political realities, and budget in addition to compliance management and reporting.

4.0
View Description EDUC 524 Current Research in Curriculum and Instruction

Examines the relationship of curricula and instruction to current research in learning and knowledge construction, developing higher-order thinking in specific disciplines and content areas, and the role of understanding and metacognition in learning. Complex problems of pedagogy are identified and analyzed (e.g., interdisciplinary curricula, team teaching, collaborative learning), with attention to designing learning goals and outcomes with effective instructional strategies.

3.0
View Description EDUC 530 Advanced Techniques in Instruction and Assessment

Major professional and educational issues associated with college teaching are addressed. Provides multiple opportunities to develop and enhance teaching skills, as well as exposure to alternative assessment.

3.0

Secondary Concentration in
Institutional Research

Credits
View Description EDHE 640 Foundation of Institutional Research

Provides comprehensive understanding of institutional research including roles and responsibilities. Students are introduced to database systems, statistical software and research methods to explore multifaceted links of institutional research to key divisions within higher education institutions.

3.0
View Description EDUC 644 Student Assessments & Academic Program Evaluation

Exposes research tools and theoretical models related to assessing student outcomes and student success measures. Benchmarking and importance of evaluating academic programs and curricula to proactively respond to institutional reporting requirements and accreditation.

3.0
View Description EDUC 646 Survey Tools, Statistical Software and Effective Reporting

Introduction of latest survey tools and statistical software for institutional research. Develops skills related to data gathering and effective reporting with use of latest application and support technologies to maximize research related to institutional effectiveness, program evaluation, and student outcomes.

3.0
View Description EDUC 803 Educational Research Design

Introduces students to research design paradigms and the assumptions behind them, use of the literature, developing research questions, qualitative and quantitative procedures, and research study formats.

3.0

Secondary Concentration in
Enrollment Management

Credits
View Description EDHE 650 Introduction to Enrollment Management

Introduction to history of enrollment management and how it fits university system. Provides a strong understanding of enrollment process, organizational structure, federal and legislative issues, and importance of diverse student body.

3.0
View Description EDHE 652 Enrollment Marketing, Recruitment and Retention

Comprehensive overview of principles and practices of strategic process including marketing and recruitment through graduation. Exposure to contemporary issues and legal problems in enrollment management.

3.0
View Description EDHE 654 Financial Aid & Enrollment Management

Strategic relationships between financial aid and enrollment management are examined in order to secure desired student mix. Financial Aid guidelines and career management strategies are discussed to explore integration of traditional student financial aid and development of aid packages.

3.0

Students enrolled in the MS in Higher Education program are required to receive the grade of "B" or better in the program's core and primary concentration coursework. Grades of "C" or lower are not considered acceptable at the graduate level. For the Credit/No Credit grading system, Credit is equivalent to a grade "B" or better and No Credit is equivalent to an "F." This School of Education policy is in addition to the Drexel University Office of Graduate Studies' policy that all graduate students maintain a minimum, cumulative 3.0 GPA per term as well as an overall 3.0 GPA for graduation purposes.

NOTE: For co-op/capstone course: If you are currently employed, you may use your work at your current place of employment to fulfill this requirement, but typically you must go above and beyond your current job function.