Master of Arts Higher Education Administration

If you’re a current or aspiring professional, the master’s in higher education administration online degree at Fairleigh Dickinson University can help you build or advance your career in higher education. The program prepares you for roles in administrative and student support services within the higher education sector, offering both the theoretical and practical training you need to professionally advance. Explore career outcomes >>

Throughout the program, you’ll have the opportunity to develop critical leadership skills and gain an in-depth understanding of the complex challenges facing colleges and universities today. To better fit your individual career goals, our program allows you to customize 15 hours of coursework in electives to further develop your knowledge of administration, admission, financial aid, risk management and more.

Key Topics

Key topics in the master of arts in higher education administration online degree program include:

• Theory and practice of college student development
• Current issues in higher education
• College governance
• Program development and planning
• Budgets and resource acquisition
• Legal issues within higher education and student affairs
• Technology in higher education
• Multiculturalism and diversity
• Adult and continuing education
• Residential life
• Public relations
• Financial aid
• Campus safety and security
• Crisis management
• Grant writing
• Financial issues in higher education
• Mentoring

To ensure you gain hands-on training, the program requires a master’s project and an internship. Through these experiences, you will learn how to synchronize your knowledge and apply it practically to the real world.

At FDU, you’ll learn from dynamic faculty with years of experience in their fields. Plus, you’ll benefit from the flexibility of an online education, which allows you to fit your education around a schedule that works for you.

Path to Doctor of Education in Higher Education:

Master’s in higher education administration online students can receive advanced standing into the Ed.D. in Higher Education program upon admission. You can apply 6–9 credits of your 36-credit M.A. in Higher Education Administration degree towards the 45-credit Ed.D. upon admission.

Once admitted to the M.A. in Higher Education Administration online program, students must be accepted into the Ed.D. program and maintain the required minimum cumulative GPA and program requirements to advance to the Ed.D. in Higher Education program.

The Ed.D. in Higher Education program is a fully online 45-credit degree program designed to bring fresh insights to the critical issues facing colleges and universities. Our practitioner-driven degree offers immediate real-world application and can be completed in 27-45 months without career interruption. The curriculum provides a strong understanding of the history, culture, and structure of higher education and a firm foundation in such operational areas as enrollment management, leadership, strategic planning and use of data analytics to understand the systemic issues currently affecting higher education.