College Student Affairs

Program Details

Area(s) of Study:
  • College Student Affairs
Location(s):
  • On-Campus
Program Level:
  • Masters
Program Type:
  • Degree

Description

View the CSA Homepage

The Master of Education (Ed.M.) in College Student Affairs (CSA) at Rutgers New Brunswick/Piscataway is a 42-credit hour course of study designed to prepare students for professional positions in the field of student affairs. The CSA program is based on the academic requirements established by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) which have been endorsed by NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and ACPA: College Student Educators International. Learning opportunities for students include combinations of classroom instruction, project-based learning, field experiences, internships, and individualized learning.

The CSA program has an applied focus—the integrated learning experience helps students develop the knowledge, skills and work experience to prepare them to be student affairs professionals. Student Affairs professionals work directly with students in a wide range of specialty areas that include, but are not limited to: housing and residence life, campus unions, student activities, volunteer student services, educational programming, counseling and advising, career development and placement, new student orientation, admissions and enrollment management, services for students from underrepresented groups, retention programs, assessment offices, parent programs, student judicial programs, service learning, academic advising, disability services, Greek affairs, campus recreation programs, veterans services, cultural centers, and health and wellness services.

Enrolled Ed.M. students pursue a rigorous program of academic study combined with practicum and internship experiences that enable them to focus on their particular areas of interest or gain experience across a variety of student affairs offices. The CSA student organization Future Leaders in Student Affairs (FLSA) plans and provides a variety of professional development, community-building, and social events.

The integrated curriculum of the College Student Affairs Ed.M. program at Rutgers is designed to provide students with in-depth understandings of:

  1. Interpersonal communication, program planning, community building, leadership, and student learning;
  2. The evolution of the student affairs profession and its contemporary organizational and administrative contexts;
  3. Theories and models of college students’ development such as psychosocial, cognitive, and learning theories. Students will utilize theoretical and empirical knowledge to inform their professional practice in student affairs across a variety of organizational and institutional contexts.
  4. Individual and group interventions to assist organizations and individuals in achieving their goals. In addition, students will develop the abilities and skills to engage and serve a diverse student population effectively.
  5. Assessment models and approaches, along with an overview of research methods, that enable students to be more sophisticated consumers of educational research and to assist with the design and implementation of assessment.

Admissions

Completed application materials for the College Student Affairs program may be submitted electronically via the Graduate Admissions Website. The application deadline is December 15; all application materials must be received by this deadline. Applications are accepted only for fall admission.

Applicants for admission must have an earned bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; competitive applicants have a 3.0 or higher undergraduate GPA. In addition, all applicants must submit:

  • Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work
  • (Optional) scores from the Verbal and Quantitative tests of the GRE (score reports from up to five years ago will be accepted)
  • A personal statement
  • Resume
  • Three letters of recommendation. At least one must come from a faculty member and at least one must be from a student affairs professional. The third letter may be from another faculty member, another student affairs professional, an academic or student organization advisor, or a work supervisor.

Applications will first be screened for acceptance into the CSA program. These individuals will be notified and invited to attend a two-day campus event in late Feburary. During this campus visit, program applicants interview for part-time graduate internships. Acceptance of a graduate internship offer is the final step to acceptance into the CSA Ed.M. program. If your questions pertaining to admissions and program information are not addressed in the FAQ lists, please contact college.student.affairs@gse.rutgers.edu.

Graduate internships generally pay a stipend and provide full tuition remission for in-state students. CSA students are responsible for paying university fees. Graduate internships within Residence Life also provide housing and a meal plan.

For information on financial aid opportunities, please see the GSE's Fellowships, Scholarships & Assistantships page.

Return to CSA Homepage

Courses

Full-Time College Student Affairs

 

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION COURSES - Sample Course Schedule

Graduate

Credits

Course #

Title of Course

Crs

1st Fall

15:245:501

Introduction to Student Affairs

3

33

15:245:502

Student Development & Learning: Theory and Research

3

15:245:603

Introduction to Assessment, Evaluation, and Research

3

15:245:605

Internship Seminar

3

1st Spring

15:297:501

Introduction to Counseling and Interview Skills

3

15:230:620

Organization and Administration in Higher Education

3

15:245:601

Field Experience*

3

 

Option: Elective Course**

 

Summer

Although enrollment in summer courses is not required, taking summer courses can lighten students’ academic year loads - especially with respect to Field Experience and/or Elective coursework.

2nd Fall

15:230:606

Higher Education Law

3

15:245:602

Student Leadership, Workshop, and Program Development

3

15:245:601

Option: Field Experience*

3

 

Elective Course**

3

2nd Spring

15:245:604

Capstone Course

3

15:245:601

Option: Field Experience*

3

 

Option: Elective Course**

3

Electives**

6 credits of electives must be “Special Topics in CSA” courses

 

15:245:640-649

Special Topics in College Student Affairs***

1.5-3

9

15:297:507

Multicultural Issues

3

15:297:505

Group Counseling: Theory and Practice

3

15:297:510

Career Counseling and Development

3

15:245:601

Field Experience (with faculty adviser’s approval)

3

15:295:580

Psychology of Learning

3

 

 

TOTAL MINIMUM CREDITS

 

42

Part-Time College Student Affairs-Executive Management Concentration

  CSA Executive Management: Example Curriculum 

Graduate

Credits

Course #

Title of Course

Crs

1st Fall

15:245:501

Introduction to Student Affairs

3

33

15:245:502

Student Development & Learning: Theory and Research

3

1st Spring

15:297:501

Introduction to Counseling and Interview Skills

3

15:230:620

Organization and Administration in Higher Education

3

1st Summer

15:245:602

Student Leadership, Workshop and Program Development or approved equivalent

3

 

Elective course(s)**

3

2nd Fall

15:245:603

Introduction to Research, Evaluation, and Assessment

3

15:230:606

Higher Education Law

3

2nd Spring

15:245:604

Capstone Course

3

 

Elective Course(s)**

3

2nd Summer

 

Elective Course(s)**

3

Electives**

6 credits of electives must be “Special Topics in CSA” courses

15:245:640-645

Special Topics in College Student Affairs***

1.5-3

 

15:297:507

Multicultural Issues

3

15:297:505

Group Counseling: Theory and Practice

3

15:297:510

Career Counseling and Development

3

15:295:580

Psychology of Learning

3

 

 

TOTAL MINIMUM CREDITS

 

33
More information about individual courses can be found here.

Faculty

Florence A. Hamrick Paul A. Herman
Ebelia Hernández Barbara A. Lee
Saundra M. Tomlinson-Clarke  

Program Requirements

Full Time Schedule

The CSA program is designed as a two-year cohort experience requiring full-time enrollment along with part-time employment in a graduate internship during each of the two years. Ed.M. students must complete an approved program of study of at least 42 graduate credit hours, and they must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) during all semesters of program enrollment. CSA faculty conduct regular reviews of students' grades and professional development experiences to ensure satisfactory progress within the program.

Part Time Schedule

CSA Entry Level Part-Time Track

This track is open to entry and mid-level professionals working in Student Affairs who are looking to obtain their Master's degree in the field. Completion of degree requires 42 credits, including seminar classes and a field experience. In consultation with your faculty advisor, you will develop a customized plan for completion of degree requirements. Enrolling part-time in the CSA program will generally take 3 years to complete the degree requirements and students will take 6 credits per semester. Applicants seeking admissions in CSA-Executive Management Concentration must be currently employed full-time in student affairs work by an accredited post-secondary institution. Admissions requirements are the same as for full time students, including a completed application and paid fee, (optional) GRE scores from the last five years, all transcripts, and 3 letters of recommendation, one of which should be from a faculty advisor or educator. If you cannot obtain a letter from a faculty member, one of your letters must speak to your reading, writing, and verbal skills.

Executive Management

The Executive Management track is open to senior-level or managerial-level professionals working in Student Affairs who wish to obtain their Master's degree in the field. Part-time students enrolled in the CSA Executive Management program will have an abridged curriculum consisting of 33 credits which can be found below. Students must complete the program with a minimum 3.0 GPA and pass a comprehensive examination consisting of the successful creation and presentation of a learning narrative with supporting documentation. It is expected that students will enroll in 6 credits each semester and summer, completing the program in 2 years. Applicants seeking admissions in CSA-EMC must be currently employed full-time in student affairs work by an accredited post-secondary institution and must have completed 5 years of full-time employment as a student affairs professional.

 

As a culminating project, Ed.M. students create and present a learning narrative with supporting documents in accordance with guidelines set by the CSA faculty.

A complete listing of degree requirements is available for download. If you have more specific questions about this concentration, please contact college.student.affairs@gse.rutgers.edu.

 

Tags: 
College Student Affairs