About The Program
Effective leadership in higher education is crucial for navigating complex challenges and driving innovation. Our program not only equips leaders with essential skills but also emphasizes diversity as foundational to success. By fostering collaborative environments and nurturing diverse perspectives, our program prepares you to address the diverse needs of students and stakeholders, shaping a future where leadership thrives on inclusivity, innovation and excellence in education.
Career Paths
- College or university administrator
- Admissions and recruitment coordinator
- Student services/affairs administrator
- Athletics administrator
- Residential life professional
- Educational access nonprofit professional
At a Glance
Degree Earned
Master's in Education (M.Ed.)
Credits: 30
Application Semesters and Deadlines
Fall: April 1
Program Entry / Delivery Mode
Online and in-person*
*A minimum number of students is required to administer an in-person cohort.
Estimated Completion Time
Full-time (9-15 credits): average completion in 3 semesters
Part-time (1-8 credits): average completion in 5 semesters
"As a current higher education professional, the educational leadership program assisted me in building upon the experience I have developed working in student affairs and event services. This concentration further connects current and new higher education professions and creates real experiences that usher strong educators practicing and learning at VCU."
Tyler Jarrett, M.Ed., '22
Admission requirements
| Degree: | Semester(s) of entry: | Deadline dates: | Test requirements: |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.Ed. | Fall | April 1 |
In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, the following requirements represent the minimum acceptable standards for admission:
- Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate discipline
- Two letters of recommendation addressing the student’s potential for graduate study in education
- Statement of intent
- Transcripts of all previous college work
- Resume or curriculum vitae
Please visit the School of Education website for further information.
Degree requirements
In addition to general VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, students are required to complete course work in core and elective courses.
- Credit hour requirements: Students are required to complete a minimum of 30 credit hours.
- Grade requirements: Receipt of a grade of C or below in two courses constitutes automatic dismissal from the program. Courses with a grade below C cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements.
Curriculum requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core courses | ||
| ADMS 618 ADMS 618. Leadership for Change and Improvement. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Students will reflect on the past, critically review current reality in schools or organizations and creatively predict the nature of schooling or organizational effectiveness in the future in light of the responsive role of the leader. Other constructs presented include change as an educational or organizational paradigm, the use of data to inform changes for improvement, and the leader as a change agent. In addition, students will assess their school or organization for change readiness. | Leadership for Change and Improvement | 3 |
| ADMS 622 ADMS 622. Understanding Diversity and Leading for Social Justice. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. In this course, participants will engage in conversations related to diversity in schools or organizations. Students will explore the critical role of education or organizational leadership in a rapidly changing democratic society. Participants will reflect on how culture impacts leadership beliefs and practice as well as explore strategies for establishing equitable environments that support the needs of all stakeholders. | Understanding Diversity and Leading for Social Justice | 3 |
| ADMS 630 ADMS 630. Understanding and Engaging School Communities. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Students will explore the broad social, economic, political and demographic shifts that have transformed metropolitan schools and communities over the past half century. Based on a deeper understanding of the complex forces that influence society and democracy, students will develop leadership skills that focus on building relationships and communicating effectively with internal and external schools and/or communities. | Understanding and Engaging School Communities | 3 |
| ADMS 633 ADMS 633. Multiple Dimensions of Leadership. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course provides participants with the opportunity to understand their own unique beliefs and dispositions regarding leadership as well as to understand the roles and responsibilities of leaders, including the ethical dimensions of leadership. Various leadership models and theories are presented and explored. | Multiple Dimensions of Leadership | 3 |
| EDUS 660 EDUS 660. Research Methods in Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, hybrid or face-to-face). 3 credits. Designed to provide an introductory understanding of educational research and evaluation studies. Emphasizes fundamental concepts, procedures and processes appropriate for use in basic, applied and developmental research. Includes developing skills in critical analysis of research studies. Analyzes the assumptions, uses and limitations of different research designs. Explores methodological and ethical issues of educational research. Students either conduct or design a study in their area of educational specialization. | Research Methods in Education | 3 |
| Concentration courses | ||
| ADMS 612 ADMS 612. Diversity in Higher Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course provides a foundational understanding of diversity, inclusion and social justice issues in higher education and college environments. Students will gain knowledge to enhance administrative practice and policy-making in higher education related to issues of diversity, inclusion and equity. | Diversity in Higher Education | 3 |
| ADMS 615 ADMS 615. Developmental Theories in Higher Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Comprehensive study of traditional and nontraditional college students with an emphasis on identification of development needs. | Developmental Theories in Higher Education | 3 |
| ADMS 616 ADMS 616. Higher Education Policy, Law and Finance. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 seminar hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the legal, financial and political environment within higher education. To do this, students will gain knowledge related to historical and current influences on how policy is shaped and strategies on how to navigate this process as a higher education professional. It is expected that students will emerge from this class more knowledgeable about how their decisions and actions as professionals align with legal and political environments that they will work in. Class discussions and learning materials will assist in an understanding of financial structures and policies that shape higher education at the campus, state and federal level. Students will acquire an awareness of formal and informal power structures within educational organizations and how policy is implemented at varying levels. All students will have opportunities to learn how to develop and communicate policy decisions to relevant stakeholders. | Higher Education Policy, Law and Finance | 3 |
| ADMS 619 ADMS 619. Higher Education Administration. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Higher education in social and historical contexts; organization and administration of colleges and universities. | Higher Education Administration | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
ADMS 634 ADMS 634. College Environments. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course will provide students with foundational knowledge regarding different environmental theories applicable to higher education settings. | College Environments | |
ADMS 635 ADMS 635. Critical Issues in Urban Higher Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 seminar hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Students will explore urban higher education through a social, historical and political lens. Students will develop an understanding of the ways education policy shapes the practice of education, particularly for institutions in urban environments. Further, this course examines the relationship between schools and the larger society in which they exist and examines the interplay of social systems within urban environments. Through a combination of field experiences and scholarly reflection, students will use inquiry and analysis to investigate the contributions of urban-serving and urban-located institutions. | Critical Issues in Urban Higher Education | |
ADMS 636 ADMS 636. Crisis Leadership in Higher Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 seminar hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Higher education leaders are expected to respond, provide direction, and make strategic decisions during times of crisis. Whether emergencies related to students and staff or weather-related disasters, various types of crises threaten the viability and function of higher education institutions. Colleges and universities face a growing number of challenges that require a leadership response, including: campus shootings, flooding, vandalism influenced by racism, student activism, and athletic scandals. Each of these challenges can impact single and multiple stakeholders, requiring clear communication, appropriate planning and training for entry-/mid-level administrators. This course investigates relevant research about crises, crisis management, and effective leadership within higher education and other postsecondary settings. Additionally, this course considers the importance of decision making for administrators and what influences their decisions in managing varying levels of crises in higher education. | Crisis Leadership in Higher Education | |
ADMS 637 ADMS 637. Special Mission Institutions. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 seminar hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. In this course, students will be introduced to diverse institutional types – historically black colleges and universities, tribal colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, Asian American and Native Pacific Islander-serving institutions, single-sex institutions, military colleges, work colleges, for-profit institutions and community/junior colleges. Students will gain knowledge regarding the historical, social, economic and political backgrounds of different institutions of higher education with unique missions to serve students, faculty and communities. This class encourages students to think outside of traditional institutions to consider the importance of mission, purpose and function of various higher education institutions. Further, students will be able to utilize qualitative research methods to engage conduct original research on special mission institutions. | Special Mission Institutions | |
ADMS 638 ADMS 638. Community Colleges. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. The history, philosophy and emerging missions of the community college will be studied in this course. The core content will focus on governance, administration, faculty and students, curriculum and services, funding, public affairs, and the presidency. | Community Colleges | |
ADMS 639 ADMS 639. Enrollment Management in Higher Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 seminar hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. In this course, students will be introduced to the theory and practice of enrollment management by higher education institutions. Students will engage in critiques of the effects of institutional enrollment practices on students, institutions, public policy and the public interest. Through readings and course discussion, students will be able to engage with contemporary and controversial topics that influence higher education, including, but not limited to, access and equity, college rankings, bias and discrimination, standardized testing, financial aid, selective admissions, and enrollment management tools. | Enrollment Management in Higher Education | |
ADMS 660 ADMS 660. Higher Education Internship. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 field experience hours. 3 credits. This course provides field experiences to help students prepare for leadership roles in diverse college environments or other institutions which provide adult learning opportunities. The internship consists of work experiences in a higher education institution or in an adult education setting under supervision of a practicing professional and university supervisor. Graded as Pass/Fail. This course includes site-based requirements. | Higher Education Internship | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 30.
The VCU Bulletin is the official source for academic course and program information.