Interested in becoming an admission officer or a student advisor? Ever wonder what financial aid officers or alumni coordinators do? Well, what they have in common is that they work for higher education institutions to improve the overall student experience. Many of these professionals require a higher education degree because it is imperative to understand how the system works and what is required from these positions. What Will You Learn? …
Interested in becoming an admission officer or a student advisor? Ever wonder what financial aid officers or alumni coordinators do? Well, what they have in common is that they work for higher education institutions to improve the overall student experience. Many of these professionals require a higher education degree because it is imperative to understand how the system works and what is required from these positions.
What Will You Learn?
Structure and history of higher education in the United States
Business aspects of operating a higher education institution
Education Theory
Leadership in learning
Policy issues
Data and research
Young adult development
Legal aspects of higher education
Communication skills
Interpersonal and written skills
Distance Learning
Distance learning is also a great opportunity for mid-career professionals who want to switch their career. You can use this opportunity to explore new careers without having to leave your existing job, and instead of dipping into your savings you can pay for tuition by working simultaneously. The flexibility online programs afford is unmatched in a traditional setting.
Degree Level
Online Graduate Certificate in Higher Education
(1 year)
Online Master’s Degree in Higher Education
(2 years)
Online Doctorate Degree in Higher Education
(4 – 5 years)
Each degree level will have its own set of requirements, some of which will include internships, research papers and field experience. At the master’s level you can specialize further into the field in areas of interest to you such as financial aid, administration, young adult development etc.
If you are interested in pursuing a doctoral program, you can specialize in fields such as faculty development, student affairs etc. The dissertation has to be complex and bring a new dimension to the existing discipline.
People who are interested in this field need to be very comfortable with interaction with various stakeholders. They need to be excellent at customer service, at problem solving and communicating on internal and external forums. Having IT skills is an added benefit.
Associated Costs
With an online degree the main cost is that of tuition. An online degree at any level would cost anywhere between $8000 – $16,000 per year. It is of course critical that your online college be accredited and well-established. You can even apply for such jobs at the same college that you graduate from.
The median income you can expect to earn is $62,050 although the exact range depends on location, specialization and organization. People with more years of experience and higher qualifications generally earn more. The growth rate is around seventeen percent, and if you are looking for a profession that is rewarding, stable and pays well, then this degree is definitely for you.
