https://eps.edu.miami.edu/certificates/index.html

Overview

Colleges and universities are complex institutions that constantly need skilled administrators who understand all aspects of the ever-shifting higher education environment.  The Certificate in Higher Education Administration is a 12-credit minimum program designed for working professionals who already have master’s degrees and seek career-enhancing skills and credentials. 

The certificate also can be integrated into the Master of Science in Higher Education Administration Program (for a total of 39 credits) and thereby completed with no extra time.

Application Requirements

Admission to all graduate programs in the School of Education and Human Development is based on the recommendation of the faculty. Admissions decisions are based on faculty review of the following general requirements that apply to all Graduate Programs in the School as well as specific documents listed under each concentration.

Applicants must:

  • Provide official transcripts showing completion of a master's degree from an accredited institution;
  • Provide three letters of recommendation that address the issues and meet the criteria established by the program being applied to;
  • Provide a personal statement that addresses the mission and purpose of the program being applied to;
  • Provide a current resume;
  • Take part in an admission interview (required by some programs); and
  • Exhibit personal and professional experiences and characteristics that are relevant to the profession and/or field and/or program for which the application is being submitted.

International Applications

All international applications must provide additional information and meet additional requirements as required by the UM Graduate School and the Office of International Student and Scholar Services. For an appropriate link to these requirements, please visit the Graduate School website.

Admission Decision

Once an applicant has been admitted to graduate study, that individual should meet with the faculty advisor who was appointed to serve in that capacity and whose name appears in the admission letter. This advisor will help the student enroll in courses that are appropriate to the program and develop and refine a Course Sequence Plan that must be on file in the Office of Graduate Studies by the end of the first semester of enrollment. (Depending on credentials and experience, the student may need to enroll in an additional course or courses to receive the certificate.)

Honor Code/Handbook of Policies and Procedures

The School of Education and Human Development follows the Graduate School’s Honor Code. All students are required to review the Graduate Student Honor Code and the School of Education and Human Development’s Handbook of Policies and Procedures for Graduate Students and submit the signed Acknowledgement of Receipt located on page 3 by the end of their first semester of enrollment.

Curriculum Requirements for the Enrollment Management Concentration

Core Courses6
Enrollment Management: Theory and Practice
Advanced Seminar in Enrollment Management
Electives6
Select a minimum of 6 credit hours from the following courses divided into four areas, or as otherwise approved by an advisor:
Practicum
Practicum: Administration of Higher Education
Higher Education Foundations
Organization and Administration of Higher Education I
The Community College
Administration of Student Affairs
Higher Education in the United States: From Harvard to Present
Student Diversity in American Higher Education
Organization Administration of Higher Ed II: Governance, Leadership and Finance
College Student Development: Theory, Research and Practice
Critical Issues in Student Affairs: The Law and Higher Education
Seminar in Higher Education Administration: Contemporary Issues
Business
Managerial Economics
Leading Teams
Foundations of Marketing Management
Budget and Financial Management and Administration
Research
Essentials of Research in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Program Evaluation
Quantitative Methods I
Qualitative Methods I
Survey Research Methods
Total Credit Hours12

Curriculum Requirements for the Student Life and Development Concentration

Core Courses6
Select a minimum of 6 credit hours from the following:
Administration of Student Affairs
Student Diversity in American Higher Education
College Student Development: Theory, Research and Practice
Electives6
Select a minimum of 6 credit hours from the following courses divided into four areas, or as otherwise approved by an advisor:
Practicum
Practicum: Administration of Higher Education
Counseling and Advising
Counseling Process and Practice
Basic Skills in Counseling and Interviewing
Group Dynamics and Communication Skills
Foundations of Higher Education
Organization and Administration of Higher Education I
The Community College
Administration of Student Affairs
Higher Education in the United States: From Harvard to Present
Student Diversity in American Higher Education
Organization Administration of Higher Ed II: Governance, Leadership and Finance
College Student Development: Theory, Research and Practice
Critical Issues in Student Affairs: The Law and Higher Education
Enrollment Management: Theory and Practice
Advanced Seminar in Enrollment Management
Seminar in Higher Education Administration: Contemporary Issues
Research
Essentials of Research in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Program Evaluation
Quantitative Methods I
Qualitative Methods I
Survey Research Methods
Total Credit Hours12

Mission

The Higher Education Administration Certificate offers a choice between concentrations in Enrollment Management and Student Life & Development.

The Enrollment Management focus is on data-driven decision-making in the complex, ever-shifting higher education environment. 

The Student Life focus is on students’ transition and adjustment to college and on elements that enhance their academic achievement and personal well-being.

Goals

Designed for working professionals who already have a master’s degree, the program aims to provide career-enhancing skills and credentials today’s higher education administrators need to help their institutions and students succeed.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Enrollment Management Concentration: Students will demonstrate understanding of enrollment management (EM), the characteristics of a successful enrollment manager, and the components of an effective strategic plan.
  • Student Life and Development Concentration: Students will demonstrate holistic understanding of how college affects diverse undergraduate students, including student development theories on psychosocial, cognitive, moral, identity, authorship, self-efficacy and other related indices.