The Higher Education Leadership, MA offered by the Department of Educational Leadership prepares higher education leaders through an equity-minded praxis approach to engage in transformative thinking and practice with the aim of disrupting how power, in the form of racism, classism, sexism, and related oppressions, have historically intersected to (re)produce and sustain disparate opportunities in higher education. Students are also required to participate in one day-long in person seminar per semester. 

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must submit a complete graduate application by applying through the CSU Cal State Apply system and meet all the university admission requirements. Applicants must also respond to two short essay prompts. Upon review of the applications, all applicant finalists will participate in an interview by the admissions committee to finalize admission to the program. Applicants from countries in which the native language is not English must achieve a minimum English-language proficiency test score as indicated on the Graduate Admissions Test Requirements webpage. 

Requirements for Admission to Classified Standing

To be admitted to classified standing, applicants must have earned a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale). Two letters of recommendation are required, a third letter is optional.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students must meet the university requirements for candidacy. General university requirements for advancement to candidacy for the MA degree are detailed in the Graduate Policies and Procedures  section. 

Graduation Requirements

Complete the following requirements:

1. Core courses: 
   EDLD 210
    , 
   EDLD 211
    , 
   EDLD 212
    , 
   EDLD 213
    , 
   EDLD 214
    , 
   EDLD 215
    , 
   EDLD 216
    , 
   EDLD 217A
    , 
   EDLD 217B
    , 
   EDLD 298
    . A student must maintain an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 at all times, otherwise they will be placed on academic probation and required to raise the overall GPA above the 3.0 minimum during the subsequent semester (failing to do so will result in disqualification from the program).  
2. The program requires an individual two-semester, six-unit case-study sequence, as well as a culminating capstone project. For the required culminating experience (
   EDLD 298
    ), Higher Education Leadership MA students must complete a final master’s capstone project. A project is a significant undertaking that evidences originality and independent thinking, appropriate form and organization, and a rationale. Beginning Summer ‘24, the culminating capstone project will be a group assignment.
3. At SJSU, students must pass the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR). This requirement is satisfied by the passing of
   EDLD 212
    .