About Master’s Program,
In addition to coursework, our students gain practical experience in higher education administration through a required practicum, assistantships, and other positions. The curriculum gives them opportunities to reflect on these experiences and integrate them into their scholarly work.
Some of our students come directly from undergraduate programs, while others have extensive experience in higher education. They have a wide range of undergraduate degrees and many worked in campus administrative offices as undergraduates. Most complete the master’s program in two years as full-time students, but part-time enrollment is possible as well.
Our alumni go on to work in higher education administration, working in areas such as student affairs, residential life, student activities, academic advising, admissions, assessment, policy, and development.
Master’s Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
- Generally we recommend a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0.
- Experience working in the field of higher education (e.g., as an R.A.) is recommended.
- Our master’s students come from many different undergraduate majors (English, Communications, Government, Journalism, Political Science, Health Science, Economics, Sociology, Business Administration, History, Education, Media Studies).
- We typically do not admit students who already have a master’s degree to our master’s program—regardless of the field of study in which it was earned. If you already have a master’s degree we encourage you to apply to our online master’s program, Higher Education Leadership & Administration Graduate Certificate Programor our doctoral program.
Master’s Funding Coverage,
The University of Massachusetts Amherst offers a fully funded MEd in Higher Education. As a master’s student in higher education, you’ll immerse yourself in the scholarship of the field while preparing for a career in university and college administration. Graduate assistantship positions are available to higher education students in a variety of areas on the UMass campus. The assistantships are 10-30 hours/week, provide a full tuition credit, excellent benefits (including health care), roughly $30 hourly wage, and all are unionized positions. Some students choose to remain at one assistantship throughout graduate school, while others may have several.
Application Requirement,
- Graduate Online Admissions Application
- Letters of Recommendation – A minimum of two letters of recommendation. At least one should be from someone who can speak about your academic background.
- Official transcript(s) – An official transcript from all colleges/universities attended, undergraduate and graduate, where 6 or more credits were taken.
- Personal Statement – Tell us why you are interested in pursuing a program in Higher Education, and why this is the right program for you.
- Résumé/CV
- Application fee
- The GRE is not required
Application Deadline,
Dec 01, 2025
Application Fee,
The nonrefundable $85 application fee is payable online via credit card.
