Can you specialize a Master’s in Education in Student Affairs? If you’re interested in becoming a professional in this area, this is probably a question you’ve been thinking about, especially if you’re getting ready to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. The short answer is yes, you absolutely can, but there are some things you will need to keep in mind when looking for the right degree program for you.
Resource: Top 10 Best Online Master’s in Education Degree Programs (M.Ed.) 2016
Who is the Degree For?
This degree was designed for students interested in becoming counselor education professionals; these employees are also known as practitioners. It is not an academic degree and will not serve a student who wishes to continue in an academic capacity. If you are interested in working in this profession at the university level, this is the perfect degree for you, as it will offer you real-world opportunities to work within the field as well as make you aware of professional development organizations and conferences that can aid your career once you’ve completed the degree.
Available Programs
It is possible to get a Master’s in Education in Student Affairs, but beware: not all of these programs are created equally. Some programs are known as SAHE programs, which focuses solely on higher education, while others have no distinction of what subfield of this industry they currently work in. If you’re interested in this degree, your options will be limited; most schools offer a Master of Science in SAC or a Master of Arts in Counselor Education with a minor specialization in the field, but a graduate education degree in the subject is still uncommon.
Look for ACPA and NASPA Accreditation
Once you find a school that offers this degree, the next thing you will want to check for is if the program is accredited by the ACPA or the NASPA. Programs that are either accredited by these organizations, or at the very least are modeled on its professional competencies, are widely valued in the field and can help you gain assistantships and internships with potential employers. Keep in mind that accredited programs can be harder to get into, so research your programs and apply as early as possible to guarantee yourself entry into the program of your choice.
Requirements
Programs can vary from college to college, but most require 33 credit hours of work in this area as well as a practicum and an internship, both of which must be approved by the program director. The experiences must total at least 400 hours in order to be considered completed by the program, although this amount can change depending on the program. Some degrees may also require a thesis in addition to the other requirement, which demonstrates that students understand the core competencies and can articulate it both in a research paper and through an oral defense.
As this becomes a more important profession, especially as the field becomes considered a bulwark against college silos. Few students go throughout their entire college career without consulting with this office at least once, so now is a great time to seriously consider this career. And the next time you wonder, “can you specialize a Master’s in Education in Student Affairs,” remember that it’s becoming more common as a viable career.
