School of Education offering new higher education administration degree and certificate program

The UAB School of Education is offering a new master’s degree and graduate certificate in higher education administration.The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Education is launching a new master’s degree and graduate certificate in higher education administration for fall 2020. The program is designed for individuals looking to enter or advance their career at postsecondary institutions. 

The Master of Science degree in higher education administration offers both a thesis and non-thesis track. The non-thesis track consists of 36 credit hours including a practicum and comprehensive exam. The 39-hour thesis track requires a minimum of six hours of thesis research and successful completion of a thesis defense.

The graduate certificate is a four-course program designed to prepare current and future professionals with the knowledge base necessary to be successful in their current positions within higher education, as well as prepare them for future enrollment in a degree-seeking graduate program in higher education. 

The program, which focuses on organizational theory along with social and policy issues that critically impact student success, was designed by Mary Ann Bodine Al-Sharif, Ph.D., assistant professor in the School of Education.

“We want our students to engage in an educational program that both acknowledges and provides the opportunity for students to develop the skill sets needed to advocate for change on issues related to access and equity, to deconstruct institutional policies that promote systemic oppression, and to find ways in which to build community among an ever-increasing diverse student population,” Al-Sharif said. “We want our students to engage in ‘woke’ conversations.”Mary Ann Bodine Al-Sharif, Ph.D.

Coursework within the program will focus on culture, diversity and the history of higher education, as well as the unique challenges and variations within higher education, including differences in schools by regions of the United States, urban and rural institutions, tribal colleges and universities, historically Black colleges and universities, and other iterations of higher education institutions.

All courses for both the degree and certificate are offered completely online.