Master of Education in Administration of Higher Education

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

Auburn University

Program Overview

Auburn University’s Master of Education in Administration of Higher Education prepares professionals to take on leadership and administrative roles in colleges and universities. The 33-credit-hour program develops expertise in higher education leadership, student development, institutional policy, assessment, research, and administration.

Curriculum Structure

The university does not publish a fixed year-wise course sequence. The following is an indicative progression based on the official curriculum.

Year 1: Students build foundational knowledge through courses such as HIED 7210 – Leadership in Higher Education, HIED 7250 – College Student Development, and HIED 7270 – Overview of Postsecondary Education. They also study student services administration and complete an approved research methods course.

Year 2: Students develop advanced administrative and professional skills through HIED 8200 – Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, HIED 7920 – Internship, and electives such as HIED 7220 – Higher Education Management, HIED 7240 – Legal Issues in Higher Education, and HIED 8230 – Planning and Budgeting in Higher Education.

Focus Areas

Higher education leadership, college student development, student services administration, institutional assessment, educational policy, legal and financial management, research methods, and professional practice.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates develop the ability to lead higher education institutions, support student development, manage academic and administrative services, evaluate institutional effectiveness, understand higher education policies, and apply research to organizational decision-making.

Professional Alignment

The curriculum includes leadership, ethics, diversity, research, and policy. The official program page does not specify a separate program-specific professional accreditation.

Reputation and Employability

Auburn University’s official program information does not publish specific employment rates, salary outcomes, or placement statistics for this degree.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The programme connects higher education theory with professional practice, helping students understand how colleges and universities operate and how administrative decisions influence institutional effectiveness. Its internship requirement, research-based coursework and elective opportunities provide exposure to institutional leadership, student services, policy and educational management.

Higher Education Internship – HIED 7920: Students complete supervised internship experiences in a school, college or another appropriate setting. The experience involves applying academic knowledge in a professional environment, followed by evaluation and analysis of the internship. The course may be repeated, subject to departmental approval.
Practicum – HIED 7910: Available as an elective, this course provides an opportunity to connect theoretical knowledge with practical higher education administration experiences.
Leadership Development – HIED 7210: Students examine leadership and organisational theories and consider how effective leadership can improve institutional practices, decision-making and educational environments.
Student Affairs Experience – HIED 7230 and HIED 7250: Coursework develops an understanding of student services administration and college student development, helping students explore student engagement, support services and institutional responsibilities.
Institutional Assessment and Research – HIED 8200 and HIED 8480: Students develop knowledge of assessment, evaluation and institutional research, including how information can support planning, performance monitoring and administrative decisions.
Higher Education Policy and Management – HIED 7240 and HIED 7220: These elective subjects introduce legal issues, organisational challenges and management practices relevant to colleges and universities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The M.Ed. in Administration of Higher Education prepares graduates for professional and leadership-oriented careers in colleges, universities, community colleges, postsecondary education organisations and related educational agencies. Through its focus on leadership, institutional policy, student development, research, assessment and financial management, the programme develops skills relevant to the planning, administration and continuous improvement of higher education institutions.

Career Opportunities: Higher Education Administrator, Academic Affairs Coordinator, Student Affairs Administrator, Admissions Officer, Student Services Coordinator, University Programme Coordinator, Institutional Research Analyst, Higher Education Policy Analyst, University Operations Manager, College Administration Officer.

Professional Career Areas:

Academic Affairs Administration: Graduates can support academic programme coordination, curriculum administration, faculty-related processes, academic scheduling and institutional planning. These roles contribute to the effective delivery and management of academic programmes.
Student Affairs and Student Development: Opportunities include managing student support services, student engagement initiatives, academic advising, orientation programmes and student development activities. Graduates can contribute to creating supportive learning environments and improving the overall student experience.
Admissions and Enrolment Management: Graduates can work in admissions operations, student recruitment, enrolment planning, application management and outreach activities. These roles help institutions attract students, coordinate admission processes and support enrolment objectives.

Industry and Institutional Exposure: The programme is relevant to career opportunities across university central administration, academic affairs, student affairs, admissions, institutional research and educational policy. Its internship requirement provides an opportunity to gain supervised professional experience and understand administrative responsibilities in an educational setting. Graduates can apply these skills in public and private universities, community colleges, educational foundations, higher education associations and organisations involved in postsecondary education.

Leadership Development: Coursework in leadership, management, assessment, budgeting and organisational issues helps students develop capabilities for coordinating teams, managing institutional resources, evaluating educational programmes and supporting strategic decisions. With relevant professional experience, graduates may progress towards positions such as Director of Student Affairs, Director of Admissions, Academic Affairs Director, Institutional Research Director or Dean of Students. These are potential career pathways rather than guaranteed programme outcomes.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates interested in advanced academic study can pursue Auburn University's Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration. The doctoral programme develops deeper expertise in higher education leadership, ethics, diversity, research and policy through advanced coursework, research methods, electives, internship experience and dissertation research. This pathway can prepare graduates for senior university leadership, higher education policy development, institutional research, academic administration and university teaching or research careers.