You want to pursue the MSHE graduate program full-time. Bravo! We believe students’ own passions and experiences should guide their learning. Therefore, our courses offer flexibility for students to examine areas of particular interest within each topic. The Master’s Project and internship experience(s) give you the opportunity to deepen your understanding of the issues within higher education that are most important to you.
Graduate in 1 year
Full-Time 1-Year Cohort
when you start
Summer or Fall
time to degree
12 months
internships available
YES!
courses per quarter
3 courses
Complete 12 Courses
Core (5 Courses)
This introductory course focuses on current and ongoing issues in the American higher education system. Students are introduced to a variety of areas of professional endeavor, such as enrollment management, student affairs, athletics administration and others. They explore major issues and policies, including affirmative action, college access, and governance and mission of different institutional types. They also have the opportunity to meet senior-level professionals in a variety of higher education positions.
This introductory course explores the characteristics of today’s college students and reviews the literature on student development theory, which describes the developmental challenges (e.g., cognitive, psychosocial and identity) facing college students and how students change while in college. A secondary focus looks at how multiple identities influence student development. Students have opportunities to apply theory to practice.
Legal professionals guide students through legal and ethical issues of higher education administration. Topics include the framework of federal, state and local laws that apply to higher education institutions; the legal difference between public and private institutions; tort liability and negligence; constitutional rights; civil rights; discrimination and harassment; FERPA and student privacy; discipline; affirmative action; athletics and Title IX; student disability accommodations; campus crime; homeland security issues; and off-campus study programs.
The budget process in colleges and universities is addressed comprehensively, along with the impact of budget activities on all areas of institutional planning and operations. Students enhance their ability to write and speak effectively about budget- and finance-related issues.
This course examines theories about the public policy process and their applications in analyzing policy areas of major importance to higher education (e.g., student aid, tax incentives for charitable giving, scientific research and affirmative action). It provides future higher education administrators with a basic understanding of higher education policy and its impact on the institutional policies and operations of colleges and universities in the United States.
Leadership Course (1 course)
An important part of the MSHE student experience is to develop theoretical frameworks around leadership ranging from the individual to the institutional level. Students take one of the following three leadership courses (they may take additional leadership courses within the program or across Northwestern as elective courses):
This course provides students an opportunity to understand the structure and governance of colleges and universities and the characteristics of leadership in these institutions. Students explore the potential and limits of presidential leadership as well as competing and complementary forces, both internal and external.
The objective of this course is to learn how to develop leadership for students and with others, especially in the context of higher education. It is organized to allow students to answer three questions: (1) What are the fundamentals of effective leadership development? (2) What learning strategies work best for my own leadership development? (3) How can I effectively coach and develop leadership in others?
To effectively lead initiatives that support the needs of higher education organizations and their diverse students, faculty, staff, employees, customers, and stakeholders, we must have a solid understanding of how individual identities and institutional/ organizational and structural inequities impact experiences. In this course, students are expected to analyze and discuss bias, power, privilege, and marginalization on individual and systemic levels. This course focuses on understanding and practicing the critical elements of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) work through assessment, strategic planning, initiative alignment, and influencing organizational change.
Internship (1 course)
Internships allow you to connect classroom learning to real-world implications in professional practice. Work opportunities can be labeled as Internships or Graduate Assistantships, depending on the office, but no matter what they are called, internships should give you an opportunity to gain practical experience, set goals for your professional development, reflect on your desired professional setting, and prepare for job interviews. The internship course is intended for students to develop professional skills and experiences associated with their internship environments.
*Students with previous or current work experience in Higher Education may waive the internship requirement.
Master's Research Project (3 courses)
The central goal of the master’s project sequence is to develop research skills that you can incorporate into your practice throughout your career, as well as to expose you to existing knowledge in the field. The course work is intended to support you through readings, large group discussions, and analyses that inform us about practitioner research and inquiry. The courses are also designed to support your research through a smaller research group and coach, as well as the instructors and other experts in assessment, who will provide more in-depth opportunities for discussion, analysis, and feedback as you continue your own project. All students will be members of a small coaching group. In general, students use this group for the duration of the Master’s Project sequence, as well as other small groups that will be formed.
Students identify the central question that will guide their research. Often, the research question grows out of a student's own experiences in college, at work or during an internship. Students then complete a literature review to assess previous research and create a data collection plan to help answer the Master's Project question.
Students learn data collection methods, including surveys, interviews, observation and archival analysis. Students then collect data and begin to summarize and analyze that collected data.
Students learn how to systematically analyze those data. The final course of the Master's Project sequence culminates with a written research report and formal presentation of findings.
Electives (2 or 3 courses)
Students take two electives (or three, if the internship is waived). While Higher Education Administration and Policy offers elective courses each year, students may also take a variety of graduate-level courses at Northwestern University as an elective, provided they can explain the relevance of the course to their studies. Many students study topics such as athletics administration, organizational development, non-profit management, counseling, sociology, psychology and statistics. Not all elective courses are offered every year, and new special topics courses may be offered.
This introductory course surveys and assesses the evolution of American higher education from the founding of Harvard College to present patterns of virtual and distance learning. It takes into consideration historical and institutional contexts, including the role of religion, government and the private sector in shaping both elite and accessible forms of higher education opportunity.
Students explore current issues of learning and teaching in higher education, enabling them to analyze and critique applicable concepts, policies and practices. How college students learn is examined, along with strategies faculty can employ to maximize learning. Students apply models and theories of learning and teaching to real environments. Students also discuss contemporary issues related to faculty, including tension between teaching and research.
This thorough overview of the American community college covers mission and functions, students and personnel, finance, governance and administration, instructional programs and outcomes. Students examine policy issues including the educational, economic, political and social forces shaping the role of the community college in American education.
Students explore higher education systems of other countries and regions with an emphasis on how each system is confronting the rapid changes of globalization. Particular focus is on the European community, India, China and selected countries in South America and Africa.
This course addresses different crises and mental health issues on university campuses. Students examine the concept of crisis (types and stages), the relationship to legal obligations, communication, and the prevalent mental health issues on U.S. campuses. Real case studies will be discussed using a crisis response model.
Students are introduced to enrollment management as it is practiced in institutions of higher learning in the U.S., with a special emphasis on the admissions process at selective schools. While providing a broad overview, this course will engage students in a “deep-dive” of contemporary and controversial topics including access and equity, college rankings, bias and discrimination, standardized tests and “non-cognitive” variables, race and ethnicity in selective admission, financial aid and enrollment management tools.
Students examine how assessment can be used to improve higher education. The content includes a review of a variety of methodological approaches as well as the public policy context that is bringing assessment to the forefront of the nation’s educational agenda. Students develop a framework for thinking about the circumstances under which assessment and evaluation can be successfully conducted to promote educational quality.