Student Affairs, M.Ed.

The M.Ed. Program in Student Affairs at Clemson University is designed to produce practitioner-scholars with skills to work in any student affairs or student support functional area. This program highlights the ways that student affairs and academic affairs complement one another in recruiting, admitting, supporting, developing, retaining, and graduating students. The student affairs program curriculum is mapped to the ACPA / NASPA professional competencies.

Our work and learning together centers students and contributes to higher education in a variety of ways, in a broad range of positions, and in diverse institutional settings. Ultimately, students in our program learn how divisions of student affairs function as interconnected working units, and how divisions of student affairs complement the academic mission of institutions and enhance student learning in higher education.

In our program we hope to prepare:

• Informed practitioners who apply research and scholarship to individual contexts and broader learning environments.
• Active practitioners who engage in service and professional development at the campus, local, state, regional, and national levels.
• Introspective practitioners who make ethical and critical decisions in pursuit of just and equitable experiences and environments.
• Collaborative practitioners who create, implement, and support equitable opportunities and environments to address emerging issues in community with others.

Students in this program can expect:

• a curriculum aligned with the ACPA/NASPA Professional Competencies
• graduate assistantships and field experiences selected by the students and their advisors enhancing students’ professional interests
• professional development opportunities through graduate student organizations, professional conferences, and leadership opportunities
• a learning experienced informed by the cohort model which brings together students from varied backgrounds and identifies and informs the learning in and out of the classroom
• an immersive learning environment that develops practitioners ready to engage in student and academic affairs work, informed by courses, projects, individual and group projects, student involvement, and field experiences

Program Evaluation Data
Each year, the program conducts an exit survey that assesses recent graduates' learning outcomes and perceptions of program experiences. Consistently, over the past several years, recent graduates have noted they appreciate the following components of Clemson's program:

• Student-centered faculty who get to know students as individuals
• The ability to work with their faculty advisor to design a unique course of study that furthers their professional goals
• The rich variety of functional areas and institutional settings for practicum and internship experiences
• A strong program alumni network connecting students with prospective employers
• Collaboration between the student affairs M.Ed. program and the Clemson University Division of Student Affairs, which facilitates learning in and out of the classroom
• Recognition of the program by student affairs practitioners around the country
• The high job placement rate of the program and the assistance they receive from the faculty to effectively search for, acquire and transition into their first professional position.

Admission to the Program
The Counselor Education-Student Affairs master’s program admits students for a fall (full-time students) or spring (part-time students currently working in higher education) entrance terms. Only complete applications are considered for admission. Please note that academic admission does not guarantee acceptance into the program. You must also secure a graduate assistantship or be employed full time in a higher education setting.

Application Deadlines

• January 1, for full-time students to enroll in the fall semester
  • Final decisions are typically made by mid-February
• October 1, for part-time students already working in Higher Education to enroll in the spring semester
  • Final decisions are typically made by mid-October

Application Requirements

To be considered for the Program, applicants must:

• Have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Secure a graduate assistantship position at Clemson or full-time employment in a higher education setting
  • The graduate assistantship process is separate from academic admissions. Please visit the Graduate Assistant Recruitment and Selection (CU-GARS) website for more information.
• Submit an online Graduate School application which requires:
  • Unofficial transcripts (official transcripts will be required if you are accepted into the program)
  • Current resume 
  • Two recommendation forms 
    • Recommendation forms are emailed directly to recommenders via the online application process
    • Forms should be completed by individuals able to speak to your ability to be successful in graduate-level work
  • Four short essay responses 
    • Prompts included in application

Student Affairs Assistantships
Full-time students are required to be employed full-time or to have a graduate assistantship in order to be in the program. The program is designed this way to emphasize the theory to practice philosophy of student affairs work. Graduate assistantships are competitive and are typically obtained through the Clemson University Graduate Admissions Recruitment and Selection CUGARS process. Because the size of each cohort is determined by (a) available assistantships and (b) faculty capacity, applicants who do not receive an assistantship with Clemson University or who are not full-time employees in higher education settings will NOT have a space in the cohort.

NOTE: This program is listed on the Graduate School application as Counselor Education (Student Affairs).

The student affairs program faculty seeks to admit a diverse cohort from the applicant pool for this competitive program, thus we review applicant files comprehensively. With that in mind, the faculty look for the following when reviewing applications:

• The potential for student success in graduate school. This can be exemplified by past academic success (GPA), but enhanced by strong letters of reference from former faculty on the likelihood of students’ success in graduate learning and education.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills. Much of the program at Clemson is based on teamwork and group projects. This is intentional in order to prepare students to be successful student affairs practitioners. Students should be prepared to provide examples in their materials of how they have worked on teams, communicated effectively, and navigated conflict.
• Experience with and desire to continue learning about justice and equity. Because we seek diverse student perspectives, student experiences and familiarity with issues of justice and equity enhance the learning / teaching faculty, individual students, and cohorts can do in the program. Speaking about personally transformative experiences related to these topics helps faculty understand potential student contributions and opportunities for additional learning.
• Student affairs knowledge. While we do not expect students to come in with full understanding of the complexities or variety of functional areas within student affairs, students should bring some familiarity with the profession and current issues related to student affairs work into their learning.

Applicants will have a chance to speak to these and other topics in the application essays. We encourage you to give thought and a high level of effort to these essays as they are your chance to tell us who you are. Essay responses that are superficial, contain basic writing errors (grammar, spelling, etc.) significantly reduce the likelihood that a student will receive admission from the faculty to the program. We encourage students to have others review their writing for both content and mechanics before submitting the essay responses.

Student Affairs Master of Education (42 semester hours)

Core specialization courses (33 hours):
EDSA 8030 – Student Development Services in Higher Education
EDSA 8040 – Theories of Student Development in Higher Education
EDSA 8060 – Student Affairs Issues
EDSA 8080 – Legal and Ethical Issues in Student Affairs and Counselor Education
EDSA 8090 – Higher Education Administration
EDSA 8100 – Advising and Supporting
EDSA 8110 – Social Justice
EDSA 8190 – Contemporary College Student
EDL 7650 – Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education
EDL 8550 – Applied Research in Higher Education
EDL 9770 – Diversity Issues in Higher Education

Field Experiences (6 or 9 hours):
EDSA 8340 – Student Affairs Practicum (prerequisite 8030 or 8040 and permission of instructor)
EDSA 8440 – Student Affairs Internship (prerequisite 8340 and permission of instructor)

Elective (in lieu of second internship as outlined below)

Students must complete both a practicum and an internship experience. Students may opt for a second internship or may instead choose an elective course. The elective course must be at the graduate level and chosen in consultation with a student’s advisor.

The full-time program can be completed in two years. Most full-time employees are able to complete the program in three years. All students must complete the program in six years. Courses are primarily taught late afternoons and evenings, Monday through Thursday, at 3:30 or later. Most courses are taught at Clemson University.

Tuition and Fees
Explore information on tuition and fees using the Student Financial Services’ graduate tuition and fee calculator.

Financial Aid
For information regarding financial aid, please contact the office of Student Financial Aid.

Graduate Assistantships
Graduate Assistantship positions exist across the University in a variety of departments and centers that enhance and complement the academic experience students receive in the classroom.

Assistantships are available to full-time students (enrolled in at least nine credit hours per semester) and typically require a 30-hour per week work commitment. The work assignments vary by assistantship. Students who obtain these positions will receive an extensive tuition reduction as well as a monthly stipend.

Candidates for the Master of Education in Student Affairs program may submit applications for Graduate Assistantships starting in mid-November.Applications are due no later than January 2. The assistantship application is separate from the January 1 Graduate School application.

Once candidates are admitted to the graduate program, they will be invited to participate in the on-campus interview days during which admitted students will interview with departments seeking graduate assistants. The two-day process allows candidates to meet other candidates, faculty, staff, and current students while they learn about Clemson University and the Master of Education Student Affairs program.

At the end of the interview process, candidates rank their assistantship opportunities. These rankings will assist in identifying candidates for each position. Candidates receiving an offer will have until April 15 to make a final decision.

For more information or to apply for an assistantship, please visit the Graduate Assistant Recruitment and Selection (CU-GARS) website.

Our students bring a variety of personal, academic, and professional experiences with them to Clemson. While many come into the program directly from their undergraduate institutions, others work and then return to school full time, while still others continue to work full time as they complete their degree. Their experiences at diverse institutions as undergraduates as well as in their varied jobs and assistantships make the learning deeper and richer in the program.

Additionally, the Student Affairs program faculty encourages students to be involved outside of the classroom and therefore supports the following organizations:

Student Personnel Association (SPA)
SPA is open to all graduate students in the Student Affairs program as well as student affairs practitioners and Ph.D. students interested in student affairs.

Chi Sigma Alpha – Edward Grandpre Chapter 
Chi Sigma Alpha is an honorary society for student affairs graduate students and practitioners to which one must apply and be accepted.

Student Peer Mentor (SPM)
Student Peer Mentors are current students who engage with and sometimes host potential students who are interested in the Student Affairs M.Ed. program at Clemson University.

Review our College of Education Graduate Calendar to view upcoming events and information sessions.

For more information regarding the program or questions associated with applying to the program, please contact Ashley Vaughan at avaugha@clemson.edu.