Degree Requirements

Higher Education Master's Offers 3 Concentrations

Community College Leadership
Strategic Leadership & Admin
Student Affairs

General Requirements

Completion of a minimum of 30 graduate semester-hour credits. Included in the 30 hours, students take 12 hours of courses within a chosen concentration — Student Affairs, Strategic Leadership & Administration or Community College Leadership. 

Admission Prerequisites for Master of Education Program

Formal admission to the Master of Education degree in Higher Education requires prior admission to the University of Arkansas Graduate School, which requires a separate application process. Admission to the Graduate School requires a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade-point average or a 3.0 GPA on the last 60 hours of course work attempted. Applicants who do not meet the GPA guideline may qualify for admission by special consideration after consulting with the program coordinator prior to applying for the program.

In addition, admission to the program requires:

  1. Completed Higher Education Master’s program application form
  2. Statement of interest
  3. Current resume
  4. Professional letter of recommendation

Students admitted into the Higher Education Program should either secure a graduate assistantship before the start of the program, be employed full-time in higher education or a related field, or be actively searching for a graduate assistantship or employment in higher education (exceptions must be approved by faculty).

Accelerated Program in Higher Education Master of Education

Applicants for the Higher Education M.Ed. under the Accelerated Program must be a U of A undergraduate pursuing a bachelor's degree, have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25, and be approximately 3 semesters from completing a bachelor's degree at the time of application (to start the accelerated program one year before completing a bachelor's degree). Application materials include current transcripts, a resume, one professional letter of recommendation and a statement of interest.

All prospective students who apply through the Accelerated Program are evaluated by the Higher Education Program faculty using various factors, including GPA, resume/curriculum vitae, letter of recommendation, and a statement of interest. GRE or other standardized test scores are not required to apply to the M.Ed. program.

Courses Completed During the Final Undergraduate Year

Accelerated students may take up to 12 hours of Higher Education (HIED) graduate coursework (5000- and 6000-level coursework) in the last 12 months of their undergraduate degree that will be counted toward both their bachelor's and master's degrees. Upon completion of the bachelor's degree, accelerated students with at least an average 3.0 GPA in HIED graduate courses will be accepted by the program faculty into the HIED M.Ed. degree program after admission into the Graduate School.