Student Affairs in Higher Education (SAHE)

SAHE 5179A. Student Affairs Administration at Minority Serving Institutions.

This course examines student affairs and higher education administration within the context of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Students will explore the historical foundations and current landscape of MSIs, including the various institutional designations and the populations they serve. Course content addresses the programs, services, and practices that support student access and success at MSIs, as well as the key challenges and opportunities these institutions face. Students will develop a nuanced understanding of MSIs and their critical role within the broader landscape of American higher education.

SAHE 5179B. Staffing and Supervision in Student Affairs.

This course explores key topics in student affairs staffing and supervision, grounding students in current theories and research that shape effective professional practice. Students will examine practical strategies for supervising and developing staff across a wide range of institutional contexts, with attention to the varying backgrounds, working styles, and professional needs that individuals bring to the workplace. The course expands both the knowledge base and skill set of aspiring higher education leaders, preparing them for administrative roles that require thoughtful supervision, ethical decision-making, and effective team leadership.

SAHE 5179C. Crisis Management in Higher Education.

This course provides a foundational introduction to crisis management within the complex environment of higher education. Students will examine the types and sources of crises facing colleges and universities, as well as institutional frameworks for planning, prevention, response, and recovery. Course content recognizes that students, faculty, and staff from varying backgrounds and life circumstances will experience and recover from crises differently, preparing future administrators to lead crisis response with both logistical competence and care for the full range of individuals they serve.

SAHE 5179D. Compassion, Resiliency, and Practitioner Well-Being.

This course examines student affairs administration through analysis of research-based frameworks related to practitioner well-being, resilience, and trauma-informed practice. The course explores scholarly literature on occupational stress, crisis response, and organizational support within higher education settings. Students analyze models of trauma-informed administration, well-being, and resilience as they are applied in student affairs contexts, particularly in relation to crisis management and institutional response.

SAHE 5179E. First-Year Student Transitions and Interventions.

This course examines the first-year college student experience with attention to the challenges, opportunities, and critical transition points that shape early persistence and success in higher education. Students will explore relevant theories and research related to student transitions, engagement, and retention, with an emphasis on translating that knowledge into intentional professional practice. Course content addresses evidence-based intervention strategies and programmatic approaches for supporting first-year students in navigating their transition to postsecondary education, with attention to professional sensitivity and adaptive strategies for working effectively with students from a wide range of backgrounds and life circumstances.

SAHE 5179F. Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Curricular and Co-Curricular Contexts.

This course prepares students to design and facilitate effective learning experiences in both curricular and co-curricular higher education contexts. Drawing on learning science, college teaching pedagogies, and current research on how undergraduate students learn, students will examine the cognitive and affective dimensions of learning and their implications for practice. Course content addresses writing measurable learning outcomes, designing authentic learning experiences, implementing evidence-based instructional strategies, and developing formative and summative assessments. Students will leave equipped to support meaningful learning across a wide range of higher education settings and with students from varying backgrounds and life circumstances.

SAHE 5179H. Advancing Practical Applications for Student Success in Higher Education.

Building on foundational knowledge of student success, belonging, and campus environments, this course takes a deeper and more applied look at the strategies, tools, and partnerships institutions use to advance student success in higher education. By examining topics such as data-informed decision-making, technology platforms, specialized programs, grant-funded initiatives, contracted services, and campus and community collaborations, students will develop a broader understanding of how institutions identify student needs, design targeted interventions, and pursue positive outcomes. Course content emphasizes translating these approaches into actionable strategies that support persistence and degree completion across a wide range of student circumstances and institutional contexts.

SAHE 5179I. Supporting Student Mental Health and Wellbeing for Academic and Personal Success.

This course examines student mental health and wellbeing as a critical dimension of academic and personal success in higher education. Students will explore the range of mental health related stressors facing college students today, with attention to evidence-based prevention strategies, outreach programming, and the infusion of wellbeing supports across student affairs practice areas. Course content also addresses the professional demands of working with students in distress, equipping practitioners with strategies for maintaining their own resilience and managing compassion fatigue and burnout. Students will develop practical skills for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of students from a wide range of backgrounds and life circumstances.

SAHE 5179J. Critical Examination of Student Development and its Future for Student Affairs.

This course examines key categories of student development theory, with particular attention to identity theory and its evolving application in student affairs and higher education. Students will critically explore how theoretical frameworks apply, and where they may need to adapt, to meet the needs of students from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and life circumstances on today's campuses. The course prepares students to design educational environments that intentionally support the growth and development of every student they encounter.

SAHE 5179K. Professional Practice and Supervision in Higher Education.

This course prepares students for professional roles in higher education by exploring practical frameworks for communication, supervision, and professional relationship-building. Students examine supervisory dynamics from multiple vantage points, including working with those they supervise and navigating relationships with their own supervisors. Through readings, reflections, and applied assignments, students develop skills in self-advocacy, implementing change, and communicating effectively with people from a wide array of backgrounds and lived experiences across staff, faculty, and administrative contexts. Course content is applicable across a range of entry-level roles in higher education.

SAHE 5179L. Finance, Economics, and Budgetary Practice in Higher Education.

This course provides an introduction to the financial, economic, and policy landscape of higher education. Students examine the economic and social factors that shape institutional finance, including revenue sources, tuition structures, and financial aid policy. The course offers a comprehensive overview of budget processes in colleges and universities and explores how budget decisions affect institutional planning and operations across functional areas. Students develop skills in analyzing financial information and apply that knowledge to the challenges faced by practitioners working with students from a wide array of backgrounds and lived experiences across varying institutional contexts.

SAHE 5311. Advising and Facilitating Student Groups and Organizations.

This course prepares student affairs professionals to effectively advise and facilitate student groups and organizations across a wide range of institutional contexts. Students will examine one-on-one and group advising, collaboration, facilitation, conflict resolution and mediation, supervision, mentoring, and teambuilding. Course content develops the practical skills needed to support every student group encountered in professional practice, with attention to the varying goals, backgrounds, and experiences that individuals bring to their participation in campus organizations.

SAHE 5322. Legal Issues and Governance in Higher Education.

This course provides students with a foundational understanding of the legal structures, governance frameworks, and regulatory environments that shape postsecondary institutions in the United States. Students will examine key areas of higher education law, institutional governance models, and the legal principles that guide policy and practice in student affairs administration. Course content bridges legal theory with applied professional practice, with attention to how legal and governance frameworks apply across a wide range of institutional constituents including students, faculty, staff, and administrators from varying backgrounds and circumstances. This course prepares students to navigate legal considerations and governance structures across a wide range of institutional contexts.

SAHE 5323. Assessment and Evaluation in Student Affairs.

This course examines the theoretical foundations of assessment, research design, and strategic planning as they apply to student affairs administration. Students will develop skills in designing, managing, and evaluating programs that effectively serve the full range of students on today's campuses, accounting for varying needs, experiences, and circumstances. Topics include information management, technology applications in higher education, and methods of needs analysis, equipping students to build assessment practices that are both rigorous and responsive to the students and communities institutions serve.

SAHE 5335. Leadership in Student Affairs.

This course examines leadership in student affairs and higher education through the study of leadership theory, organizational theory, and student leadership development. Students will explore the progression of leadership thought and apply theoretical frameworks to professional practice in higher education settings. Course content addresses leadership roles within organizations, approaches to supporting student leadership development, and frameworks for analyzing leadership practice. Attention is given to adaptive leadership practices that are responsive to the varying backgrounds, experiences, and circumstances of students and colleagues across a wide range of institutional contexts.

SAHE 5339. Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration.

This course provides a foundational overview of higher education and student affairs administration, examining the programs, services, practices, and institutional structures that shape the postsecondary experience. Students will explore the mutual influence between society and higher education, the organizational and governance frameworks that guide institutions, and the critical issues facing higher education today. Course content prepares students to understand and navigate the broad landscape of higher education administration with attention to the institutional practices and resources that support student engagement, success, and belonging across a wide range of student backgrounds and life circumstances.

SAHE 5340. College Student Development: Theory & Practice.

This course examines theories and practices related to college student development in higher education. The course includes analysis of developmental and environmental factors influencing student learning and growth across varied life stages and educational contexts. Topics include major student development theories and their application to student affairs practice. Emphasis is placed on interpretation of theoretical frameworks and design of learning opportunities informed by student development models in higher education settings.

SAHE 5348. Professional Development in Student Affairs.

This course examines professional development in student affairs and higher education administration. The course includes analysis of career planning, professional engagement, and practitioner growth within the field. Topics include professional associations, conferences, networking practices, and career pathways across institutional contexts. Emphasis is placed on evaluation of professional development strategies, participation in professional communities, and preparation of materials such as professional development plans and conference proposals relevant to student affairs practice.

SAHE 5354. Basic Helping Skills.

This course examines foundational communication, crisis assessment, and referral practices relevant to student affairs. The course includes analysis of helping frameworks, active listening techniques, and approaches to responding to student concerns in higher education settings. Topics include communication strategies, crisis response principles, and referral processes within institutional contexts. Emphasis is placed on application of ethical guidelines, evaluation of helping interactions, and interpretation of student needs across varied situations encountered in student affairs practice.

SAHE 5380. Interpersonal and Group Facilitation.

This course examines theories and practices of interpersonal communication and group facilitation in higher education settings. The course includes analysis of group development, leadership roles, communication strategies, and facilitation techniques across varied group contexts. Topics include group dynamics, peer leadership, and experiential learning approaches. Emphasis is placed on evaluation of group processes, interpretation of participant interactions, and application of facilitation strategies to support effective group functioning in institutional environments.

SAHE 5387. Research Methods in Student Affairs.

This course examines research design and measurement as applied to student affairs and higher education administration. The course includes quantitative and qualitative methods used to investigate institutional questions and inform administrative practice. Topics include evaluation of research literature, methodological approaches, and interpretation of findings within higher education contexts. Emphasis is placed on analysis of research studies and application of evidence-based approaches to decision-making in student affairs and related institutional settings.

SAHE 5388. Internship I - Student Affairs.

This course examines the application of student affairs theory in professional practice through a supervised internship experience. The course includes structured fieldwork and in-class sessions focused on analysis of functional areas and services in higher education. Topics include evaluation of professional roles, interpretation of institutional practices, and application of theoretical frameworks to student affairs contexts. Emphasis is placed on assessment of professional experiences and communication practices within internship settings.

SAHE 5389. Internship II - Student Affairs.

This course builds on foundational internship experience by integrating applied student affairs practice with intentional career development and job search preparation. Through in-class meetings and supervised internship hours, students deepen their understanding of the wide range of functional areas, programs, and services designed to support the varied needs of students across higher education institutions. Course content addresses resume and cover letter development, job search strategies, and interviewing skills, with attention to diverse career pathways. The course emphasizes the development of practical tools and professional readiness for careers in student affairs. Repeatable with departmental approval.

SAHE 5390. Student Affairs Functions and Professional Orientation.

This course provides a foundational orientation to the student affairs profession, examining its history, philosophical underpinnings, ethical frameworks, and core functions within higher education. Students explore the origins and evolution of student affairs through a range of perspectives, developing an understanding of the complexity of the profession and the varied needs of students it serves. Course content addresses the mission, goals, programs, and services of key functional areas in student affairs. The course emphasizes foundational knowledge of the profession’s principles, values, and areas of practice.

SAHE 5392. Student Affairs Capstone.

This course provides students with the opportunity to synthesize learning from coursework, internships, and graduate assistantships. Students analyze complex case studies and examine current issues and challenges facing higher education practitioners, including the evolving landscape of institutional responses to varied student needs. Course content addresses leadership and administrative decision-making, professional wellbeing, and career planning across institutional contexts and functional areas. The course includes development of a comprehensive professional statement related to students’ academic and professional experiences.

SAHE 5393. College Student Success and Campus Environments.

This course focuses on student success in higher education, examining how institutions define and pursue student outcomes. Students explore the historical foundations of student success work, the role of campus environments in shaping belonging and persistence, and the programs and services associated with degree completion. Course content addresses approaches to designing and assessing institutional initiatives and practices related to belonging and student success, with attention to the varied backgrounds, experiences, and life circumstances students bring to higher education.

SAHE 7178. Independent Study.

This course provides students with the opportunity to pursue independent research or a specialized project within a selected area of student affairs and higher education administration. Working closely with a faculty supervisor, students design and complete an individualized course of study focused on developing knowledge in a selected topic. The course supports exploration of emerging issues, specialized functional areas, and topics relevant to varied institutional contexts and student populations within higher education settings.

SAHE 7378. Independent Study.

This course provides students with the opportunity to pursue independent research or a specialized project within a selected area of student affairs and higher education administration. Working closely with a faculty supervisor, students design and complete an individualized course of study focused on a selected topic. The course supports exploration of emerging issues, specialized functional areas, and topics relevant to varied institutional contexts and student populations. Emphasis is placed on independent inquiry, use of scholarly and professional resources, and development of a structured project or research outcome.

SAHE 7382. Project-Based Applications in Higher Education and Student Affairs.

This course, taken in two consecutive semesters, provides an orientation to the graduate program and the steps required for capstone completion. Topics include the discussion of research interests, critiquing literature, and topic selection. Students engage in developing a research proposal, selecting a capstone committee, and practicing principles of ethical conduct. Instruction emphasizes professional development and the communication skills necessary for the successful dissemination of psychological science within academic and professional contexts.

SAHE 7384. Professional Development in Student Affairs.

This course will allow students to learn more about professional development, professional associations, and conferences. Students will also create a professional development plan and will develop a conference proposal that they could submit to a professional conference. Professional development plays an important role in student affairs.