Program Statement

GW’s unique campus setting just blocks away from the White House, Congressional Buildings, One Dupont Circle (home to many of the leading Higher Education Professional Associations), Embassy Row, and several divergent institutions of higher education provides a stimulating scholarly environment in which students can learn and experience a wide range of opportunities not available in other areas of the country or student affairs/higher education programs. From internship field experiences at a premier historically black university or the nation’s leading higher education institution for students with hearing disabilities just a short distance from campus, to engaging in conversations with leaders of federal policy initiatives, to experiencing national and international educational, political and social movements first hand, students can’t get a better living-learning community of scholars and practitioners than GW!

As the only higher education program in the Nation's Capital, GW is fortunate to be situated in a region that allows us to involve a number of senior-level administrators from different premier institutions, as well as leaders in the federal government and higher education professional associations located in the District of Columbia. GW’s HEA Program provides a truly unique combination of full-time higher education scholars, adjunct and visiting faculty, and guest lecturers that allow students to learn from the depth and breadth of experiences of innovative practitioners actively leading the broader higher education and student affairs profession. HEA is a high-quality academic program that makes knowledge useful, prepares individuals for exciting careers in entry, mid and senior level administrative, academic and research positions in two- and four-year institutions of higher education, national and international associations, government agencies and other post-secondary educational settings.

In support of the HEA Program’s Mission, the HEA Master’s Program is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge for successful work in entry- and mid-career professional positions in institutions of higher education, post-secondary education and other related organizations. Students participate in active coursework, field-experiences/internships, and other professional opportunities so that they may become engaged and thoughtful practitioners in higher education and student affairs. HEA Faculty are focused on facilitating a strong practice-based program for students that includes novel and engaging courses, professional work experiences through internships, assistantships and full-time work experiences, and a sense of community among our practitioners and scholars.

Program Mission

The mission of the GW Higher Education Administration (HEA) Program is to prepare exceptional leaders for administrative, academic and research positions in two- and four-year higher education institutions, national and international associations, government agencies, and other post-secondary educational settings. From Master's to Doctoral degrees, the Higher Education Administration Program has a strong tradition of preparing engaged leaders ready to meet tomorrow's challenges in higher and post-secondary education. Program graduates rise rapidly within administrative and scholarly ranks based on their knowledge, skills, experiences, and research expertise developed while involved in the Program’s community of scholar-practitioners centered in the nation’s capital.

Program Uniqueness

The Institution...

• Located just four blocks from the White House, GW is the largest institution of higher education, and the only one to offer graduate degrees in higher education administration, in the Nation’s Capital.
• The GW Graduate School of Education and Human Development is ranked 10th among private schools and 29th overall by U.S. News and World Report among graduate schools of education.
• GW is located in one of the most dynamic regions of the country! Our geographic location provides access to experts in professional associations, governmental agencies and different institutional types unparalleled in other graduate preparation programs.
• As a nationally ranked Graduate School, GSEHD has a strong tradition of preparing leaders and scholars to improve educational institutions and settings in government, private, non-profit and military sectors.

The HEA Program...

• The GW Higher Education Program has a history of assisting students in their professional and scholarly endeavors.
• Regularly offered, HEA’s Meet-the-Leader’s Series provides out-of-class learning experiences in which students can access and engage with leaders of the field from professional associations, governmental agencies, and leading national foundations and non-profit organizations.
• HEA offers the Educational Symposium for Research and Innovation each year to provide students the opportunity to immerse themselves in current research and innovation in education.
• The HEA Program builds community among its students and enriches the academic experience through a variety of student development activities which range from informal dinners at a professor’s houses, to hosting nationally recognized scholars and leaders, to informal coffees.
• The HEA Program is an extremely diverse educational experience, and involves students with varied backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. The Graduate School of Education and Human Development has been named by Diverse Issues in Higher Education as one of the top 40 providers of graduate degrees to students of color, and the HEA Program reflects the School’s commitment to issues of difference. In 2008, 34% of the students in the Master’s Program and 40% of the Doctoral program were students of color. 68% of HEA Master’s Students are women, and 60% of HEA Doctoral Students are women. HEA also involves a number of international students, non-heterosexual students, traditional and older students, and students from diverse religious backgrounds.
• The Higher Education Student Association (HESA) is actively involved in expanding the academic and social experiences of our students, and is known as the strongest student organization in the Graduate School!

The HEA Master's Program...

• The HEA Master's Program is a practice-based program in which students apply the research and theoretical foundations of the field in a very meaningful way, with innovative and engaging teaching methods, diverse practica/internship experiences, and a focus on developing future scholar-practitioners.
• Courses related to the Principals of Practice, Theoretical Foundations and Individual Inquiry Theme ensure that students have the breadth and depth of experiences to be successful in the job-market and profession.
• Each student develops a Personal Development Plan with the assistance of program faculty to ensure that graduate work at GW is a unique, personalized, and effective professional preparation experience.
• Internship field experiences allow students to apply classroom content to real world work experiences. Students can explore internships at several prestigious private institutions, a premier historically black university, a primary national university for the deaf, major public universities, professional associations, federal government and non-profit foundations and organizations. The options for unique, meaningful field experiences at GW can’t be beat!
• Students directly apply classroom content to real-world settings in higher education. For example, in EDUC 220, students participate in an Assessment Consultant Group (ACG) to directly apply classroom learning on outcomes and assessment procedures in a student and academic affairs unit. In EDUC 274, students shadow an undergraduate student organization to better understand student development and leadership and group dynamics. In HEA, innovative and engaging student learning experiences are prioritized!
• To be the successful in the job market, each student works with Program Faculty to develop a Job Market Strategy. Developing this strategy early will help you be the strongest candidate possible while you explore the next step in your career!

National Standards

• Meets ACPA Professional Preparation Commission Standards: YES
• Meets CAS Standards: YES
  

Students generally begin the HEA Master’s Program in the fall semester, although after admitted for the fall semester, some students may also decide to decide to take a course in the preceding summer. To apply for the HEA Master's Program, applicants should:

• Complete the Online Application for Admission to the Graduate School.
• Take and request that the GRE Score be sent to the GW.
• Submit Two Letters of Recommendation Forms (can be completed online).
• Request Official Transcripts be sent from all of the Applicant’s Undergraduate and Graduate Institutions directly to the Graduate School.
• Write and submit a Statement of Goals.
• Submit a current resume/vita.

The HEA Program reviews the total application package, so students should take care in crafting their Goal Statement and identifying references that can speak to their specific experiences and strengths as a future professional in the field of higher education. Because our students come from across the country, pre-admission interviews are not required nor expected.

Applications are reviewed on a regular basis throughout the year, although the priority deadline for consideration for merit-based tuition assistance is January 15th, and students who apply and accept their offer of admissions earlier can begin to explore the wide-range of work/funding opportunities more quickly. To access additional details about the application process, or the online application system, please see the GSEHD Admissions Webpage.

Prospective Students to the program have a number of opportunities to learn more about the program, it’s requirements and the application process. Open House Sessions are regularly scheduled for students to meet and talk with faculty knowledgeable about the program. Generally scheduled monthly by the GSEHD Office of Admissions and Student Services, Open Houses provide the opportunity to meet and interact with HEA Faculty as well as interact with other prospective HEA students. If you have questions that are not answered by the webpage, please plan to attend one of the available upcoming events. To see what events and opportunities are coming soon, check-out the HEA On-the-Road webpage for a list of dates and locations!

The HEA Program has developed an innovative conceptual framework for the core curriculum to meet tomorrow’s needs of the field. The 36-hour academic program integrates the Principles of Practice, Theoretical Foundations, and a student-created Individual Inquiry Theme to help students develop both depth and breadth in higher education knowledge and experiences.

The HEA Program provides two concentrations to meet the professional preparation requirements of future practitioners in higher education and student affairs.

• Student Affairs and General Administration. Designed for campus-based professionals, the Student Affairs and General Administration concentration cluster is specifically designed to assist students in their graduate professional preparation for careers on college and university campuses working with students and other administrative positions. This concentration consolidates the older concentrations of the program, including general administration, international education, student affairs, and academic leadership into one cluster of campus-based roles in higher education and student affairs. Students interested in positions in student activities, academic advising, orientation, study abroad, academic administration, student activities, fraternity/sorority life, international student advising, financial aid, admissions, alumni development, media-relations, multi-cultural and LGBT support services, housing and residence life, and more from the entry- to mid-level can find a high-quality educational experience in the program. The conceptual framework clearly identifies the organization of the curriculum, including specific courses and course content.
  • Conceptual Framework for Student Affairs and General Administration

• Higher Education Policy and Finance. Designed for students interested in working on issues relevant to higher education, but not necessarily a campus-based position, the Higher Education Policy and Finance concentration cluster is specifically designed to assist students in their professional preparation for careers working with higher education issues. Students interested in working in state and federal governments, associated professional associations, think-tanks and other advocacy organizations in policy and finance-related entry- to mid-level positions can find a high-quality educational experience in the program. The conceptual framework clearly identifies the organization of the curriculum, including specific courses and course content.
  • Conceptual Framework for Higher Education Policy and Finance

Courses in the GW HEA Master’s Program provide a balance between understanding and applying the theoretical foundations of the field. Students will have the opportunity to engage with course facilitators that have a wide-range of front-line experience in working with students and in higher education settings so that they can make strong theory-to-practice connections that extend beyond the classroom into their current and future professional endeavors. Courses are generally offered in the evenings on GW’s Foggy-Bottom Campus.

The sequence of courses is designed so that students complete their graduate program in two-years, content in later courses can build on content in earlier courses, and to facilitate a strong community among the students. Generally, students progress through courses in a 6+6+6 sequence (six-credits in the fall, six in the spring and six in the summer), although students may choose to take more or fewer credits. The sequence of courses is focused on allowing students the time to take advantage of distinctive living-learning experiences only available in this area—making the Nation’s Capital a laboratory for our students growth and development!

The HEA Program is an extremely diverse educational experience, and involves students with varied backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. The Graduate School of Education and Human Development has been named by Diverse Issues in Higher Education as one of the top 40 providers of graduate degrees to students of color, and the HEA Program reflects the School’s commitment to issues of difference. In 2008, 34% of the students in the program were students of color. 68% of HEA Master’s Students are women. HEA also involves a number of international students, non-heterosexual students, traditional and older students, and students from diverse religious backgrounds. HEA has a national and international, competitive applicant pool.

Students in the program may begin the program directly after completing their undergraduate degrees, or after they have been in the field/work-force for a number of years. Additionally students in the program work in graduate assistantships, and are engaged in full-time professional positions while completing coursework.

	% of Part-Time Students	% of Full-Time Students	% of students enrolled in the program who also hold some form of financial assistance (graduate assistantship, fellowship, tuition waiver, scholarship)
(Fa08) Total:	90% of students adhere to the Program's 6+6+6 course sequence so that they may take advantage of opportunities unique to the Nation's Capital.		Most students (averages < 93% each year) receive financial assistance through professional work experiences in higher education/student affairs (assistantships, apprenticeships, full-time employment, etc.). Program provides a limited number of merit-based tuition awards each year.

Program Faculty

HEA Core Faculty. Core HEA Faculty represent the central, full-time faculty members of the program. As core faculty, members are responsible for conducting the teaching, advising, research and service work of Higher Education at GW, and are assigned full-time to HEA (100%). In Fall, 2009, the HEA Program is expanding to include a total of 6 full-time members.

• Rick Jakeman is an Assistant Professor of Higher Education Administration and Coordinator of the Cohort Track. Former positions include both administrative and academic roles at Drury University (MO), including seven years as a student affairs practitioner. His research interests include graduate student motivation and persistence, graduate program climate, the experiences of students (including satisfaction) in Higher Education programs, and how students progress though the P-16 academic pipeline. He annually facilitates 6 HEA courses.
• Minsun Kim is an Associate Professor of Higher Education Administration. She has served as a consultant and panelist for the National Science Foundation. Former posts include faculty positions at the University of Arizona at Tucson and the University of Missouri at Columbia. Her teaching and research interests include college impact, comparative higher education, equity and opportunity issues, finance, equity and opportunity issues, higher education policy, organizational theory, special colleges for special populations, and bridging K-12, higher education and work. She annually facilitates 5 HEA courses.
• Sharon McDade is an Associate Professor of Higher Education Administration, currently on-leave working with the American Council on Education. She focuses on leadership development. Current projects include interviews about leadership learning of heads of colleges in the US and England and women science academicians. McDade has launched leadership development programs for senior administrators in both higher education and business, in the US and abroad and worked with presidential cabinets, trustees, and other leadership groups. She directed the Massachusetts Higher Education Executive Leadership Institute (MHEELI) sponsored by the New England Resource Center for Higher Education (NERCHE) funded by Massachusetts Board of Higher Education; was a founding faculty member of the National Association for Women in Education (NAWE) Institute for Emerging Women Leaders and a NAWE Senior Scholar. She annually facilitates 5 HEA courses.
• Billy Molasso is an Assistant Professor of Higher Education Administration and serves as the HEA Program Coordinator. Former posts include Assistant Professor of Adult and Higher Education at Northern Illinois University and over 10 years as a student affairs practitioner at Michigan State University, the University of South Carolina, and the University of Florida. His research interests include problem behaviors of college students, assessment in student affairs, and how college students experience having a sense of purpose in life. He annually facilitates 3 HEA courses and coordinates all three semesters of HEA field experiences (internships, independent studies, practica and other field experiences).
• Roger Whitaker's is a Professor of Higher Education Administration. His career spans 33 years, four educational institutions, and three continents. Most recently, he was GW's Dean for the College of Continuing Professional Studies, after serving as the Associate Vice President for Academic Development and Continuing Education. Whitaker has been among the leaders in national and international discussions on the direction of the university of the future. He has a long track record of re-engineering and re-invigorating existing organizations. He successfully launched several start-up educational enterprises in very complex and difficult circumstances, in the U.S. and abroad. His international experience includes service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa and founding president of the American College of Sofia in Bulgaria. He annually facilitates 3 HEA courses.

HEA Visiting Faculty. Visiting Faculty are full-time members of the HEA Faculty, but are in fixed-term appointments. Visiting faculty generally join our faculty for specific projects for a period of no more than 2-years, but add unique perspectives from the field that expand our programs course and research support and offerings for students.

• Ray Francis is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Higher Education Administration. He is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who has held several command and staff positions in the United States and in Europe. He has also held executive leadership positions in business and industry. His research interests include leadership, leadership development, and leadership coaching. He teaches 7 courses each year during his visiting appointment.
• Jacqueline Skinner Jackson is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Higher Education Administration. Former positions include Director of Educational Programs and Publications at the American College Personnel Association (ACPA), Associate Director of the Consortium for the Advancement of Private Higher Education, and over fourteen years as a student affairs practitioner at a private college and various public universities including St. Olaf College (MN) and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Her research interests include college student spiritual development, diversity, civic engagement, and K-16 partnerships. She teaches 7 courses each year during her visiting appointment.
• John Wilson is a Visiting Associate Professor of Higher Education and Executive Dean of The George Washington University Virginia Campus (on leave). His primary research and teaching interests include fundraising, transformative advancement in higher education, the role of black colleges and universities, and identifying the most sensible paths aspiring institutions can take toward greater stability and prestige. Former posts include Director of Foundation Relations and Assistant provost at MIT and teaching Fellow in the School of Education at Harvard University. He teaches 4 courses each year during his visiting appointment.

Regular Adjunct Faculty. Regular Adjunct Faculty are practitioners who regularly facilitate courses in the HEA Program. While regular adjunct faculty may not have direct faculty appointments in HEA, they provide key resources for students, including serving as chairs and members of dissertation committees, regularly facilitating HEA courses, and assisting students in connecting research and theory to practice.

• Peg Weissinger is Director of Assessment and Evaluation, Georgetown Medical School, and regularly facilitates the course Curriculum in Colleges and Universities (among others). Her research interests include problem-based learning, critical thinking, and distance education. Number of courses taught in past 3-years: 5.
• Bob Chernak is GW Vice President for Student and Academic Support Services, and regularly facilitates the course Strategic Decision Making in Student Affairs. Number of courses taught in past three years: 3.
• Todd Olson is currently Vice President for Student Affairs at Georgetown University, and regularly facilitates the course Budget Management in Higher Education. Number of courses taught in past three years: 3.
• Peter Konwerski is the Associate Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for GW's Division of Student and Academic Support Services, and facilitates courses in enrollment management for the program. Number of courses taught in past three years: 1.
• Charles Barber is GW's Associate General Counsel, and regularly facilitates the course Higher Education Law. Number of courses taught in past three years: 4.
• Frank Pengitore facilitates several courses in the program, and has provided direct dissertation support and guidance to a number of HEA Doctoral Students. His teaching and research interests include the adult learner, the history of adult and higher education, instructional systems design, student persistence in college, and workforce education. Number of Courses Taught in past three years: 8.
• Other prominent practitioners and scholars in higher education from institutions in the Metro-DC Area, the federal government, and inter/national professional associations often facilitate individual courses as needed and available.

Last modified 01/16/2009
Information submitted by: Billy Molasso

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