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What are the different types of graduate degrees?

There are a number of different types of master’s and doctoral level programs within the student affairs field. An individual should assess what factors within the various programs are most important to them and seek admission to the program(s) that provide the best “fit” for them and their professional goals.

Master's Degree Programs

Types of Degrees

Programs generally offer either a M.A. (Master’s of Arts), a M.S. (Master’s of Science) or a M.ED. (Master’s of Education) Degree.  The difference in these types of degrees are generally related to the course content, the amount of research and statistics that are included in the degree and the institutional policy related to what requirements exist for which type of degree. 

Types of Programs

Some programs have a more counseling orientation and may actually be part of counseling program at an institution.  Other programs have more of an administrative focus with courses in administration, law, finance and organizational behavior in addition to student development theory and human relations.  Some programs have more of a student development focus with courses that focus on student development and student success more extensively.  There are also master’s programs that have a combined focus that emphasizes more than one of these orientations. You can determine a program's orientation by researching the program. The philosophical statement and program description, as well as the listing of courses offered, generally provide a strong clue to the program's focus or orientation. 

Credit Hours Required

Another important factor that is different among programs is the overall number of credits required to complete the degree.  Program credit requirements can range from 30 to over 48 hours of credits.  The Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS) recommends that student affairs preparation programs require 42- 48 credit hours.  

It is important to note, that some programs are on a semester calendar and some are on a quarter calendar.  The credit requirements for quarter programs will be 1/3 higher, but translate into the equivalent of the semester credit requirements and time to complete the degree.  Most programs are two years in length or the equivalent of four semesters of full-time course work. Some programs offer part-time study for students who cannot attend full-time and some programs have weekend and multi-model delivery systems.

A multi-model delivery system provides for part-time, blended delivery that includes campus based and distance course work through electronic delivery systems.  This type of program permits individuals to complete their master’s degree as a part-time student, often at a distance from the physical campus.  The course work and degree requirements are generally the same as a residential campus program but the method of course delivery is different.

Practical Experience

Many programs also include the opportunity to engage in supervised practical experience, in the form of practica, internship and assistantship experiences.  While programs without these experiences have fewer required hours, they generally do not provide the practical application components that are critical to employers and future success in the field. Student Affairs is a profession and sound preparation includes practical experience as a component of the learning process.

Doctoral Programs

There are many different types of doctoral programs that student affairs practitioners seek. There are doctoral programs that focus on student affairs administration and there are others that broaden the lens to higher education administration or educational leadership.

Types of Degrees

Doctoral programs are most commonly either PhD. (Doctor of Philosophy), or Ed.D. (Doctor of Education) programs. Over time the difference between these two degrees has become rather blurred. The difference had traditionally been a difference in the type of research that was required in the coursework and the requirement of a dissertation. However, there are many Ed.D. Programs that now require extensive research course work and a dissertation so this difference is no longer a valid universal distinction. Some institutions have also started to offer a professional doctoral degree that does not require the completion of a dissertation.

There are also differences in the delivery system for doctoral degrees. Most programs are resident campus based programs where students can attend either full-time or part-time but engage in face to face contact with faculty on the campus. Some of these programs offer flexible scheduling for night and weekend courses, but some require a residency requirement where a student has to attend at least one semester full-time.

A multi-model delivery system provides for part-time, blended delivery that includes campus based and distance course work through electronic delivery systems. This type of program permits professionals to remain employed full time and to complete their doctoral degree as a part-time student, often at a distance from the physical campus. The course work and degree requirements are the same as a residential campus program but the method of course delivery is different.

Credit Hours Required

Most doctoral programs are 45 to 60 hours beyond the master’s degree and these hours generally include 12-15 hours for the dissertation. Some programs permit transfer credits and others permit only limited or no transfer credits.