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Hear from CSU’s Student Affairs in Higher Education faculty-practitioners about how you can gain practical knowledge and skills in higher education administration, working with students, program development and implementation, and DEIJ when you earn your master’s in student affairs online.
This online student affairs in higher education (SAHE) Master of Science degree prepares you for a career in student affairs through a curriculum taught by faculty who are both scholars and practitioners. Through the SAHE program, you will learn professional competencies needed to be successful in a wide range of settings on college and university campuses, including:
Through coursework and practicum experience, you will gain professional knowledge and skills to help you succeed in any student services capacity, increase your ability to work directly with students, communicate effectively, and support student success.
Topics of study include:
Diverse backgrounds and experiences enrich student affairs graduate programs, so CSU aims to include students from across the United States, and around the globe, from a variety of backgrounds — including recent graduates of bachelor's programs, current employees in entry-level student affairs positions, and those with years of higher education and student affairs experience.
Unlike many student affairs graduate programs, CSU is one the few in the country that sponsors a journal for graduate students. Learn how to write, submit, and publish graduate-caliber work that will increase your marketability in future career paths.
Rather than completing a thesis or comprehensive exam, you will complete a culminating paper that showcases your learning, research, and practical experiences applied to current issues in student affairs in higher education. Get valuable faculty feedback that integrates real-world experience and scholarly theory to improve your practice.
Faculty in the School of Education have significant experience as practitioners working in the field of student affairs. By learning from and collaborating with knowledgeable instructors, you will gain access to evidence-based tools, strategies, and research.
Find out how CSU’s research is making an impact by tuning into the Health and Human Science Matters Podcast, a collection of lively, engaging conversations with members of the college community.
The SAHE graduate program provides learners with a wide range of skills needed to work as a practitioner in student affairs and higher education administration in a college setting.
Graduates are currently employed in:
What do our students have to say about CSU's online student affairs in higher education master's? Find out what they think about the curriculum and faculty, how they have benefitted from the program personally and professionally, and how Colorado State University Online makes it possible to fit quality education into their lives.
Hear how the SAHE program allows Kimberly to apply what she learns in her classes at 8:00 in the evening directly to her work at 8:00 the next morning at Dillard University in New Orleans.
See how CSU Online allows Samantha to pursue her master's degree in student affairs at the school of her choice, regardless of where she's living.
Hear Sheena discuss how this degree has helped her apply research-based practices to improve her job performance as a student support administrator.
Watch Steve tell his story of what led him to work in GLBT student services, and how CSU's online master's program has allowed him to advance his career.
The M.S. in Student Affairs in Higher Education is delivered via the Canvas learning management system. This system allows you to watch lectures, engage in course content, and communicate with peers online. Courses are asynchronous, allowing you to study at the time that best fits your schedule. In your courses, you will:
*Students are required to complete one practicum experience to develop and enhance skills related to the student affairs profession. A practicum can be completed in a wide variety of locations, either near your home or abroad.
Here are some reflections from past student experiences outside of the US:
Although online learning offers flexibility, this program still requires the same amount of work as an on-campus program. Depending on your learning style, expect to spend nine to twelve hours per week on a three-credit course.
She/Her/Hers
Interim Chair, M.S. in Student Affairs in Higher Education
Dr. Carmen Rivera currently serves as the co-chair of the Student Affairs in Higher Education master’s program and as the Talent Manager for Organizational Development for the Division of Student Affairs at Colorado State University.
One of the first things she tells folks is that she is from northern New Mexico and where she’s from is fundamental to who she is. As a first-generation college student, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Mexican American studies and Spanish from the University of Northern Colorado. She then went on to earn her master’s degree in student affairs in higher education and her Ph.D. in higher education leadership from CSU.
Dr. Rivera's higher education career began when she worked for the Upward Bound program. She worked in TRiO for more than 13 years, then worked in international education as the Director of Student Experience at INTO CSU for several years. Additionally, she’s a faculty member for the Social Justice Training Institute and a consultant in the areas of social justice and leadership. One of her most important roles is raising her two super awesome sons with her super awesome wife. She loves 90’s R&B, travelling, cooking, and is obsessed with all things Frida Kahlo.
He/Him/His
Business and Graduate Operations Coordinator
You are required to complete 33 graduate credit hours. During your final semester, you will complete the Culminating Paper that showcases your ability to take knowledge and experience from the SAHE coursework to identify how your practice is informed by a theoretical and practical understanding of how you frame a practitioner-scholar philosophy of student affairs in higher education to meet the current needs of the field.
The SAHE degree comprises a variety of courses introducing you to all facets of the profession. Courses are offered Fall, Spring, and Summer, so you can choose how many and which courses fit your work and family schedule.
Students who need a longer timeline to degree should work with their advisor on an appropriate course plan.
| Fall semester | June 1 |
| Spring semester | October 15 |
| Summer semester | February 15 |
Start your application online and upload materials directly into the online system. You can save your progress and return any time.
Apply NowThe student affairs in higher education master's degree requires that applicants have the following:
While not required, undergraduate activities in student affairs or other leadership experiences are important to the application. Volunteer work after a bachelor's degree is earned is also helpful. Meeting the minimum department standards does not ensure admission to the program. Admission to Colorado State University graduate programs is based on a number of factors, including prior academic experience and completion of an admissions interview.
Prepare the materials below and upload when you apply online.
The mission of the Master of Science in Student Affairs in Higher Education (SAHE) is to prepare well-rounded, competent, and inclusive student affairs practitioners. Our students effectively engage in critical analysis through reflection and action (praxis) to demonstrate transformative learning grounded in an ethic of love. A central component of the SAHE program is engaging in intentional, reflective practice as a foundational skill necessary to be an effective professional in student affairs. This is both a process and an outcome such that reflection-on-action happens in the program to produce practitioner-scholars who can effectively reflect-in-action as a foundational skill. Colorado State University’s Principles of Community also guide us.
Through engaging in such reflective practice, as well as receiving formal and informal feedback, students who participate fully in the learning experience offered through the SAHE program will develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions applicable to their professional practice.
The Statement of Purpose is intended to be a personal and professional statement that demonstrates your alignment with the SAHE program’s mission, values, and intended outcomes, as well as your readiness to engage SAHE’s curriculum.
Keeping all this in mind, please write your statement responding to the prompts below. Your statement must not exceed 1000 words (approximately four pages) and should be written in 12-point font and double-spaced.
Include any previous experience in student affairs and other relevant work experiences, along with position titles, dates of employment, institutions, and major responsibilities.
Provide two letters of recommendation, which should comment on your ability to do graduate work and your student affairs professional practice. You will provide information about your recommenders in the online application. CSU will contact them with instructions and a link to a secure form they will submit on your behalf.
Complete the online graduate application and pay the nonrefundable application processing fee (payable online). As soon as you have completed the required information, please submit your application. Your application will not be reviewed until it is complete and all required materials have been received.
CSU's Graduate School offers several application fee waiver opportunities. Visit their website to determine if you are eligible for a waiver.
Request one official transcript of all collegiate work completed from all institutions attended. Transcripts from Colorado State University are not required. Transcripts must be received directly from the originating institution to be considered official.
Please Note: Students may be unconditionally admitted and registered in their first semester of courses with an unofficial transcript. Official transcripts must be submitted, prior to or during your first semester, before you can register for your second semester of graduate work. Failure to meet this condition will result in your dismissal from the Graduate School.
Electronic (preferred): Digital Transcripts must be submitted by the originating institution using a secure service such as parchment, eScrip-Safe, the National Student Clearinghouse, or e-Quals. Transcripts received via emails are considered unofficial. Use institution code 4075 for Colorado State University or gradadmissions@colostate.edu if the secure service requires an email address.
Mail (if necessary) Graduate Admissions Colorado State University – Office of Admissions 1062 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523-1062
After the initial screening of applications by the SAHE faculty, candidates are contacted to set up 30-minute telephone interviews. This is also an opportunity for you to gain more information about the program.
The selection committee, comprised of SAHE faculty members who are also advisors in the program, conducts the program interviews.
View your application status at any time to ensure your application checklist is complete or to check on updates.
Selection Timeline Applications will be reviewed after the June 1 deadline. Admit decisions will be made by late July.
Proof of English language proficiency is required for applicants from countries or United States territories where there are official languages other than (or in addition to) English. This includes the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.
Not quite ready to jump into a master’s program yet? Consider earning a graduate certificate first. These programs offer advanced knowledge and skills, but with less time commitment than a degree. You can also transfer your certificate credits into the Student Affairs in Higher Education Master’s program, if you decide to continue your education.
Two graduate certificates transfer credits into the SAHE master’s program:
If you’re unsure whether this profession would be a good fit, consider taking the Exploring the Student Affairs in Higher Education Profession free online course. If you’ve ever considered what it might be like to work in areas such as college admissions, campus recreation, enrollment services, housing and dining, or other student affairs departments, take this risk-free opportunity to learn more about the field.
We love learning about your goals and answering any questions you have.
