Program Details
The focus of the field of student affairs is students — serving, supporting, and challenging them in the out-of-classroom environment, and helping them maximize the educational and developmental benefits of their college experience. The skills and special training of student affairs professionals offer three invaluable contributions:
To the institution –
Student affairs serves as
the primary vehicle for attaining the institution’s mission within the co-curriculum. To the students –
Student affairs serves as a source of co-curricular services and activities in support of both their curricular education and their personal growth and maturation. To both the institution and its students –
Student affairs is one of the few dominant integrative forces on the campus that strives to interpret the institution holistically to its students according to their individual needs and aspirations. Classes are held on a weekly basis utilizing the university’s nine-week term schedule. Students pursuing this option who are employed three-quarters time or more are encouraged to complete their program over three years instead of two. Student Outcomes
Because the specific roles of student affairs practitioners vary greatly across functions and institutional types, this graduate program seeks to prepare student affairs educators who have a generalist perspective of the profession and possess the basic competencies necessary to be successful in a wide range of circumstances. Specifically, upon completion of the graduate program, students should be able to demonstrate competence in these areas:
-A well-defined moral, ethical, and spiritual compass
-Visionary leadership
-Quality programming
-Assessment and evaluation
-Counseling and advising
-Budgeting and fiscal management
-Fostering student learning
-Legal and ethical issues
-Effective campus and community relationships
-Managing conflict and crisis
-Multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills
-Technology
Career Opportunities
Graduates from the M.S. in College Counseling and Student Development program pursue career opportunities in residential life, career development, campus ministries, admissions, counseling, academic support services, student activities, student financial services, service learning, and many other co-curricular campus programs.
