Curriculum

The master's curriculum is organized into four levels of study. Please consult the following material and MA curriculum diagram for precise course numbers and titles. Students choose a program of study in consultation with their academic advisor.

Click here to view a diagram of the program requirements.

Level 1: Core

Since the field of higher education is multidisciplinary, it is critical that all students share a common foundation. Thus, all graduate students in the Higher Education Program are required to take a course in the historical and social foundations of higher education: Higher Education in American Society.

Level 2: Foundational Studies in Higher Education

Students may choose from among a set of courses that cover higher education from the perspective of different foundational disciplines: organizational sociology, law and policy, psychology, comparative studies, history, and philosophy. In consultation with their advisors, students must choose 3 of the following 6 courses to fulfill this requirement. (Additional courses from the list may be taken as electives.)

Level 3: Methodological Requirement

To ensure that all incoming master's students have the skills necessary to analyze research articles critically, all masters students in the School of Education are required to take one of the following methodological courses:

Level 4: Internship (ED 975) and Comprehensive Exam (ED 888)

To gain practical experience, master's students are required to complete a supervised internship in the field of higher education for at least one semester. Interns will register for ED 975 and will be required to work 10-12 hours per week in a postsecondary institution or agency and to attend a biweekly seminar and complete assignments such as a journal of their experiences. Many program alumni have been able to secure jobs in specific fields in large part due to their internship experiences. Master's students with significant full-time work experience in higher education may be able to waive the internship requirement with the approval of their faculty advisor. In this case, an additional elective would be substituted for ED 975. Internships are normally unpaid, although paid graduate assistantships are often available and can be included as internships. Paid assistantships can count towards an internship with professor's approval.

Specialized Electives in Higher Education and Related Studies

To complement the core courses and design an individualized program, master's students also take a minimum of 4 elective courses with a substantive focus in higher education or educational or psychological studies. Students may choose additional Level 2 courses as electives.

Electives may also be taken outside of the Higher Education Program. With their faculty advisor's approval, students may also select electives from the human development, counseling, curriculum studies, instruction or evaluation programs in the School of Education or elsewhere at Boston College. For example, a popular course with Higher Education masters students is PY440: Principles and Techniques of Counseling. In addition, electives may be taken at one of The Consortium institutions (Brandeis, Boston University, or Tufts). It is also possible for students to conduct an Independent Study to pursue their own area of interest. (With special permission, up to 2 graduate courses can be transferred from another university, provided they have not been part of another degree program.) Examples of additional elective courses outside of the higher education program are the following: