Master of Arts in Higher Education Leadership

The Master of Arts Degree in Higher Education Leadership prepares students for mid-career higher education leadership positions. This degree also prepares students interested in enrolling in an Ed.D. or Ph.D. Higher Education program.

Information Session

See our flyer (.pdf)

Please join us for a virtual info session on the following dates and times where we will share program information and application details for Fall 2025 admissions:

Thursday, 9/12/24 @ 6pm

Wednesday, 10/23/24 @ 7pm

Tuesday, 11/19/24 @ 5pm

Monday, 1/6/25 @ 4pm

Register Here: https://forms.gle/2qHzNNA8M27xdQf1A

General Program and Admissions Information

Please view this material for more materials on the Higher Education Master’s in Higher Education Leadership Fall 2025 program and admissions information

Overview and Outcomes

Specifically, the program is intended to facilitate learning by supporting students who are committed to:

1. Facilitating the development, articulation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the higher education community.
2. Advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a campus environment conducive to student learning and professional growth.
3. Ensuring management of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective campus environment.
4. Engaging with community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources.
5. Modeling a personal code of ethics and developing professional leadership capacity.
6. Understanding, responding to and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

Curriculum

Courses Requirements and Sequence

The program requires 33 units of coursework to be completed over four semesters. The courses include:

The course sequence over the program of study can be seen below.

Admissions

Application Deadlines

The Higher Education Leadership Master’s program practices rolling admissions which means we fill the cohort as we review applications throughout the admissions cycle which spans from January 31, 2025 to May 30, 2025.

The following are deadlines to submit your application during this cycle:

1. Early Consideration, 1/31/25: To be considered for early admissions we recommend that you turn in your complete application by this date.
2. Priority Consideration, 3/28/25: We will consider a second set of applications by this date, however please note that spots may be limited depending on the early consideration admission decisions.
3. Final Consideration, 5/30/25: The last and final deadline will consider applications contingent on the remaining spots we may or may not have in the cohort.

The Application Process

There are two phases to the application process: 1) Selection to the Program and 2) Admission to the University. All applicants will submit materials for selection; some applicants may be required to participate in an additional interview. Accepted applicants must confirm their place in the cohort through application to the University.

Phase 1: Selection

Only completed applications will be accepted. Departmental Applications will need to be submitted here: https://www.applyweb.com/cgi-bin/app?s=csun

• First apply to the department and upload all necessary documents: https://www.applyweb.com/cgi-bin/app?s=csun

Supporting Documents Include:

• Unofficial transcripts from all four-year universities or colleges
• Statement of purpose, not to exceed 2 double-spaced pages
• Critical response, not to exceed 1 double-spaced page
• Professional resume or CV, not to exceed 2 pages
• Two letters of recommendation, at least 1 letter should be from someone who can speak to your academic experiences.

Phase 2: Admission

If accepted to the program, applicants must apply to the University (online at Cal State Apply) in order to reserve their place.

Frequently Asked Questions