Northern Illinois University Higher Education & Student Affairs Graduate Programs (M.S.Ed. & Ed.D.)

The NIU Higher Education & Student Affairs Program in the College of Education offers professional preparation for students at the master’s and doctoral levels. M.S.Ed. Program: If you are passionate about helping college students learn and develop, our M.S.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs will equip you to succeed and lead. Our program grounds you in the theory and methodology of student development. Our program prepares you for a variety of leadership and administrative positions in student affairs and higher education. The program is 36 semester hours; internships generally require 120 hours of field experience. Ed.D. in Higher Education: Our Executive Weekend Ed.D. in Higher Education will prepare you to advance in leadership roles at various types of postsecondary institutions. The program provides you with analytical, theoretical and foundational groundings to address contemporary issues facing higher education educators, administrators and institutions. Topics related to diversity, social justice and inclusion are thread throughout the curriculum. You will have the opportunity to engage with a dynamic community of experts in order to enhance your leadership skills. Ed.D. in Community College Leadership: Our Community College Leadership Ed.D. program is designed to prepare higher education professionals to advance in a variety of administrative positions within the community college environment. Our online program (with face-to-face instruction for one week over the summer) emphasizes applied practice and action-based research, giving midcareer professionals the edge to move ahead. The Ed.D. in Higher Education specializing in Community College Leadership consists of 54 credit hours beyond the master's degree and is designed to be completed within three years.