Post Master's Certificate in Higher Education

EL 6500 / ED 7500  Contemporary American Higher Education
This course will introduce you to and provide the opportunity to reflect upon, higher education as: the location of your educational experiences; the environment in which you participate in professional practice; an organizational entity; the subject of scholarly research; and an economic, social, cultural, political institution; as well a potential force for social justice within American society.

EL 6520 / ED 7520  Critical Leadership Perspectives in Higher Education
Leadership can take place at any level in the organization of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). We will read and analyze case studies displaying leadership actions as well as the scholarly literature on leadership and the personal narratives of selected leaders. Consistent with the social justice focus of our higher education program, this course will especially consider the idea that leadership as a “gendered” construct and therefore discuss its potential effects on both cisgendered and self-identified women.

EL 6580 / ED 7580  Critical Social Justice Perspectives in Higher Education
The goal of this course is to explore the relationship between social inequities and higher education. Aligned with social justice pedagogy and informed by critical social theories, the broad survey course is premised upon the understanding that systems of oppression, societally and institutionally perpetuated, are realities that exacerbate personal and community well-being. We will critically assess the individual and institutional dynamics of oppression (including racism, sexism, heterosexism, cissexism, ableism, classism, and so forth) and explore possible interventions that can engender equitable participation in US institutions, particularly higher education.

EL 6682 / ED 7682  Critical Historical Perspectives in Higher Education
American higher education as a story of growth and change often accompanied by a persistent struggle for inclusion, definition, and identity. For more than 375 years of higher education in the US, the system has evolved from a limited institution – one designed to train a small percentage of elite white men for the clergy and high political positions – to an enterprise involving well over half the adult population of the US and countless citizens from other nations. This broad survey course will give you a basic foundation in order to understand the origin and evolution of critical issues in higher education that are still important today, with a particular emphasis on the history on the causes and consequences social justice issues.

EL 6683 Introduction to Student Affairs

The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the professional field of student affairs in higher education.  It emphasizes the roles that student affairs professionals (#SAPros) play to promote the intellectual, social, moral, ethical, spiritual, emotional, civic and physical development and well-being of students.  The course is designed to facilitate an open, scholary, and self-reflexive exploration of professional identity within the student affairs field.

EL 6684 Introduction to Academic Affairs

The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to academic affairs in postsecondary education.  Guided by the question of what is higher education's purpose, the course will examine pedagogy, curriculum, and learning, current topics of contention in the field, and the role of academic governance and leaderhsip in shaping students' experiences.  Content in this area will contribute to theoretical and intellectual understandings of student learning as a holistic endeavor.  Grounded in social justice and equity, the course will challenge confentional wisdom and approaches to academic affairs, aiding in practitioners' ability to create transformative educational environments for all students.

EL 6900 / ED 7900  Current Topics in Higher Education
The purpose of this course is to explore current issues in American higher education. Many of these issues stem from the broader socio-political climate. Participants will examine the intersection of social issues and higher education practices through reading, dialogue, peer review and case studies. Students will have a keen understanding of how various social issues influence sense of belonging in higher education spaces.