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M.Ed. in Higher Education Degree

The M.Ed. in Higher Education is a 36-hour degree program designed to provide students with the foundation and resources necessary to understand and analyze how universities and colleges work. Graduates of our program are prepared to take on roles in a wide range of higher education settings and assume many key roles in activities such as admissions, advising, student activities, administration, and policy analysis.

Deadlines

Application for Fall 2023 opens on August 1, 2022. The preferential deadline is December 15, 2022. The final deadline to apply is May 15, 2023.

Requirements

  1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.

  2. A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)

  3. Official copies of all graduate and undergraduate transcripts where a degree has been conferred or you have received 9 or more credit hours.

    Electronic transcripts should be sent directly by the institution to:
    gradappmaterials@smu.edu

    Paper transcripts should be sent directly by the institution to:
    Graduate Application Processing
    PO Box 518
    Dallas, TX 75275-0518

  4. Essay Writing Sample
    Submit an academic paper from prior coursework that demonstrates your analytic and written communication abilities. In lieu of a prior paper, you may submit a 3-5 page paper that addresses specific issues facing higher education today.

  5. Personal Statement
    Applicants should prepare a statement of purpose, which should be between 750-1,000 words. This statement should address the factors that encouraged you to seek a degree with the SMU Higher Education Program. You may wish to address your background, personal and professional experiences that prepared you for the study of higher education, what strengths you bring to the program, and your professional goals after the completion of the M.Ed.

    Your responses should be saved and uploaded as the following
    • 12 point Times New Roman font
    • Single Spaced
    • One inch margins

  6. Three letters of recommendation from academic and/or professional references

  7. A resume/curriculum vita 

  8. If English is not your native language, you should take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) unless either: (1) your entire secondary was administered solely in English or (2) your entire undergraduate education was administered solely in English.

  9. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required for your admissions packet. Applicants who have taken the GRE general test or another standardized test (i.e. GMAT, LSAT) are welcome to submit scores. To ensure that we receive your GRE scores, please use the institution code 6660.

Application Fee: $40

Transfer Credit

Applicants may request to transfer up to six graduate credits. Requests for transfer credit are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Students should submit transfer requests as soon as they are accepted into the program.

Non-Degree Seeking

Non-degree students can take individual master’s level courses in the higher education program for professional development or to familiarize themselves with the graduate program before applying as a degree-seeking student.

Deadlines

Spring 2022 Applications will open in September! The non-degree application deadline for Spring course enrollment is November 15th.

Summer and Fall 2022 The non-degree application deadlines for course enrollment is May 15th.

Requirements

  1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.

  2. Official copies of all graduate and undergraduate transcripts where a degree has been conferred or you have received 9 or more credit hours.

    Official Transcripts must be sent directly by the institution to SMU.

    Electronic transcripts should be sent directly by the institution to:
    gradappmaterials@smu.edu

    Paper transcripts should be sent directly by the institution to:
    Graduate Application Processing
    PO Box 518
    Dallas, TX 75275-0518

  3. A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)

  4. Personal Statement
    Applicants should prepare a statement of purpose, which should be between 250-500 words. This statement should address the factors that encouraged you to pursue taking a higher education course as a non-degree seeker.

  5.  A resume/curriculum vita

Application Fee: $40