PROGRAM STATEMENT

Chartered in 1895, Northern Illinois University is a Carnegie primarily residential, selective Comprehensive Doctoral Extensive institution, with high research activity. With over 25,000 students, NIU is located in Chicagoland--one of the most dynamic regions of the country.

The NIU Adult and Higher Education (AHE) Program in the College of Education offers professional preparation for students at the Masters and Doctoral levels for entry level and leadership roles in adult and higher education. The Student Affairs and Higher Education area of study in AHE is designed for students interested in working in student affairs and other administrative positions in community colleges, 4-year institutions, and other post-secondary environments.

AHE Faculty are focused on facilitating a strong practice-based program of study that includes innovative and engaging courses, work experiences through internships and assistantships, and a sense of community among our practitioners and scholars. Students interested in positions in student activities, academic advising, orientation, student activities, fraternity/sorority life, financial aid, admissions, alumni development, multi-cultural and LGBT support services, housing and residence life, and more from the entry- to senior-level can find a high-quality educational experience in the program. The AHE Program is an extremely diverse educational experience, and involves students with varied backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. NIU is ranked as one of the most diverse institutions in the country, and the AHE program reflects NIU’s commitment to issues of difference. In 2005, 38.15% of students in the program were students of color. ! 62.65% of AHE students are women. AHE also involves a number of international students, non-heterosexual students, traditional and older graduate students, and students from diverse religious backgrounds.

One of the strengths of professional preparation in AHE at NIU for students interested in student affairs and higher education is the availability of extensive graduate assistantship opportunities. Graduate assistantships provide the opportunity for students to make theory-to-practice connections between classroom work and real-world settings, as well as develop and refine their skills in professional work experiences. Through partnerships with the Division of Student Affairs, over 65 individual assistantship opportunities are available for students in the program. New students interview for available assistantships and learn more about the Student Affairs area of study in the AHE Program during the Annual Graduate Student and Assistantship Recruitment Program, held in March of each year. To learn more about the student affairs and  higher education area of study, see the GSARP page at: http://www.cedu.niu.edu/cahe/GSARP.html

PROGRAM MISSION

The mission of the M.S.Ed. in Adult and Higher Education is to provide comprehensive continuing professional development and pre-professional preparation in adult and higher education encompassing local to global perspectives.

PROGRAM UNIQUENESS

Northern Illinois University....

1. NIU is a Doctoral Research-Extensive institution where teaching matters!
2. NIU is located in one of the most dynamic regions of the country! Students may take advantage of the many valuable benefits of living in Chicagoland, but still learn and study in a college-town environment!
3. Over 25,000 students study at NIU. NIU is recognized as one of the most diverse campuses in the country, including almost 30% students of color.

The Adult & Higher Ed Program....

1. AHE is a practice-based graduate program, with innovative and engaging teaching methods, diverse internship experiences, and a focus on the development of future practitioners and scholars!
2. Students directly apply classroom content to real-world settings in AHE. For example, in CAHE 572, students participate in an Assessment Consultant Group (ACG) to directly apply assessment procedures in a student affairs unit. Students also explore broader issues in higher education by using simulation software packages. In AHE, innovative and engaging student learning experiences are prioritized!
3. AHE has a strong focus on social-justice, issues of difference and international issues, integrated across the curriculum!
4. AHE Faculty have facilitated study-abroad programs for AHE graduate students to Brazil, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan in just the past three years alone!
5. Annually each Fall, the AHE Student-Faculty Retreat is designed to assist students engage in scholarly conversation around emerging issues in adult and higher education. The Fall, 2006 Retreat had over 150 participants!
6. Each Spring, AHE sponsors the African-American/Latino(a) American Research Symposium for participants to explore and present emerging research and practice related to African-American and Latino(a) issues.

Graduate Assistantship Opportunities...

1. New AHE students for the Fall, 2006, had the opportunity to interview for over 65 available graduate assistantship opportunities!
2. GA’s are provided a 9-credit tuition waiver for each semester. If you hold an assistantship for a fall and spring semester, NIU also pays your summer tuition—regardless of if you are working or not!
3. CAHE and the Division of Student Affairs partner to bring the annual Graduate Student and Assistantship Recruitment Program. This event allows new students to learn more about the program, identify and easily interview for a range of assistantship opportunities, and meet other new students before they come to campus!

When Exploring Student Affairs Preparation Programs, Consider...

• Available Graduate Assistantship Positions (both total numbers and range of positions)...
• Tuition waivers, including if summer tuition waivers are offered for GA’s (regardless of if you are working your assistantship in the summer!)...
• Integration of social-justice, issues of difference and international education across the curriculum...
• Focus on structured learning experiences in research and assessment in student affairs and higher education for all students...
• Out-of-class learning experiences offered, such as retreats, symposiums, and colloquia...
• Availability of internship opportunities (both in the institution itself, and available different institutional types in the region)...
• Courses that are practice-based, dynamic, & high-energy in which students may make true theory-to-practice connections...
• Accessibility to social, cultural and recreational activities within less than an hour drive from campus...

NATIONAL STANDARDS
Meets ACPA Professional Preparation Commission Standards: YES
Meets CAS Standards: YES

APPLICATION AND ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Application For detailed information about the application process, please see the CAHE webpage, Prospective Students Section. Briefly, applications to the AHE Master’s Program involves: Application for Admission to the Graduate School. Take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and request that the GRE Score be sent to the NIU Graduate School. Two Letters of Recommendation Forms. Request Official Transcripts be sent from all of the Applicant’s Undergraduate and Graduate Institutions directly to the Graduate School. A Master’s Student Information Sheet. A Written Statement of Goals. Plan to attend the Graduate Student and Assistantship Recruitment Program, held in mid-Spring each year.

CURRICULUM INFORMATION

Program Required Hours:

 

Curriculum Program Required Hours: M.S.Ed.-36 Hours The Master of Science in Education–Adult and Higher Education is a 36-semester-hour program that offers theoretical and methodological bases for professional development, while providing comprehensive pre-service education for persons seeking careers in the field. The Student Affairs and Higher Education area of study in the Adult and Higher Education Master’s Degree prepares students for professional work in student affairs and higher education administrative positions in 4-year institutions and community colleges. A program of study has been created to meet the standards of the Council for Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), and ensure that students investigate the range of issues in student affairs administration, but still have the flexibility to explore particular areas of interest to individual students. Students interested in the Student Affairs/Higher Education area of study generally take: The Nature of Adult and Higher Education (3). Introduction to Student Affairs (3). Culture of the College Student (3). Introduction To Educational Research (3). Adult Learning: Maturity through Old Age (3). Educating Culturally Diverse Adults (3). Assessment Methods in Higher Education (3). Internship Experiences (3-6). Electives (12+). Elective Credits are for students to explore individual areas of interest, and may include courses in Higher Education, Adult Education, Human Resource Development, Community Colleges, International/Global Issues, Counseling, Career Counseling, Psychology, Sociology, Education Technology, and other relevant fields. Students may also choose to complete a Graduate Certificate.  Certifying Examination: Students in the M.S.Ed. Program have three options to complete the comprehensive exam requirement: (1) Complete a take-home weekend comprehensive exam; (2) Complete a capstone research exam/paper in CAHA 598; or (3) Complete a Master’s Thesis. Generally students should complete their comprehensive exam in the Fall of their second year, or complete their thesis during the second year in the program. Additional details about each of these options is available on the CAHE webpage under Resources & Forms. Is a thesis required? Thesis is optional, depending on student needs and interests.

STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION - Students in student affairs or higher education administration programs  (Fall 2005):

	Total Number	# of Males	# of Females	# of Whites	# of Persons of Color
Total	74	25	49	56	18
	% 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)
Total

PROGRAM FACULTY - Faculty members with areas of specialization and percentage of time devoted to the program.

Lisa Baumgartner, associate professor, Ed.D., University of Georgia
Phyllis Cunningham, Distinguished Teaching Professor, emeritus, Ph.D., University of Chicago
LaVerne Gyant, associate professor, Ed.D., Pennsylvania State University
Brian Hemphill, assistant professor, Ph.D., University of Iowa
Jorge Jeria, professor, Ph.D., Iowa State University
Laurel Jeris, associate professor, Ed.D., Northern Illinois University
Margaret MBilizi, assistant professor, Ph.D., Indiana University
Billy Molasso, assistant professor, Ph.D., Michigan State University
Richard Orem, professor, Ed.D., University of Georgia
Amy Rose, professor, Ed.D., Columbia University Teachers College
Gene Roth, Distinguished Teaching Professor, Ph.D., Southern Illinois University
Christine Sorensen, associate professor, Ph.D., Iowa State University
Lemuel Watson, professor, Ed.D., Indiana University
Wei Zheng, assistant professor, Ph.D., University of Minnesota

Last modified 10/17/2006
Information submitted by: Billy Molasso

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