MA in Higher Education Leadership
Improve Access to Education That Transforms
Establish yourself as a changemaker by earning your Master of Arts (MA) in Higher Education Leadership at San José State University. Our hybrid program is designed for working professionals, offering an accelerated graduate education that lets you advance your career without pausing your professional life. You’ll enroll in flexible online courses and join us on campus once a semester for our in-person gatherings.
Rooted in an equity-minded approach, our higher education leadership graduate program equips you to disrupt systemic barriers to higher education and to lead with a focus on social justice and institutional transformation.
In 14 months, you’ll gain the critical tools and leadership experience necessary to make a lasting impact across the higher education landscape.
Why Earn Your Master’s in Higher Education Leadership at SJSU?
As a part of the Connie L. Lurie College of Education, the MA in Higher Ed Leadership challenges you academically while strengthening your cultural competency and unique leadership skills.
In our program, you’ll benefit from:
- Hands-on training and experiential learning so you can apply equity-minded leadership theories directly to real-world challenges.
- A convenient hybrid format, which offers online classes and only one required in-person gathering per semester, so you can pursue your academic goals while maintaining your work and personal commitments.
- Dedicated faculty who are scholar-practitioners, offering expertise and personalized mentorship to help you elevate your professional future.
- Inclusive student groups that actively work to create a tight-knit community of aspiring educators and lifelong professional networks.
- A streamlined pathway to earning your Ed.D. Educational Leadership degree if you choose to continue advancing your education within the SJSU ecosystem.
Want to learn more about the SJSU graduate student experience? Discover why students from around the world choose us for graduate study.
What You’ll Learn
The Master of Arts in Higher Education Leadership provides the critical lens and equity-minded expertise needed to drive impactful change in post-secondary education. Our 30-unit curriculum explores the historical foundations of U.S. academia and the practical, legal and financial strategies essential to a rich cross-section of administrative roles.
Through a blend of traditional seminars and case studies, you learn how to:
- Lead with a specialized focus on increasing academic access and dismantling barriers for diverse student communities.
- Apply social justice frameworks to reform institutional policies, pedagogies and campus cultures through direct leadership practice.
- Navigate the legal and ethical complexities of higher education finance and the governance models that guide institutional decision-making.
- Use institutional data to identify gaps and improve outcomes for underrepresented student populations.
- Address contemporary challenges in student affairs and administration by examining the socio-cultural and economic foundations of the field.
Higher Ed Leadership Degree Requirements
Culminating Experience
In the final term of your higher ed leadership program, you bridge the gap between theory and action by conducting a living case study project during your capstone course.
Working in groups of two or three, you’ll collaborate with classmates to produce an original research project that contributes new insights to a specific topic within the field of higher education. Or, you can develop a strategic solution or "problem of practice" project designed to address a real-world challenge within a higher education institution.
To ensure your work meets professional and academic standards, all capstone topics must be approved by the Higher Education Leadership Master’s Coordinator or your instructor of record.
Course Schedule
Summer 1 (6 Units)
- EDLD 210 - Socio-Cultural Foundations of U.S. Higher Education
- EDLD 211 - Higher Education Leadership
Fall | (9 units)
- EDLD 212 - Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice in Higher Education
- EDLD 213 - Policy and Ethics of Higher Education Governance and Finance
- EDLD 214 - Critical Data Analysis in Higher Education
Spring | (9 Units)
- EDLD 215 - Contemporary Issues in Higher Education
- EDLD 216 - Law, Policy, and Ethics in Higher Education
- EDLD 217A - Equity-Minded Leadership in Higher Education: Practices, Policies, and Pedagogies
Summer 2 (6 units)
- EDLD 217B - Equity-Minded Leadership in Higher Education as Praxis
- EDLD 298 - Higher Education Leadership Master’s Capstone/Culminating Experience Course
MA-to-EdD Pathway
If you plan to continue your studies after your master’s degree, you can seamlessly transition into the Doctor of Educational Leadership program during your final summer of master’s course work.
Through this streamlined structure, you can complete your doctorate in just three additional years, saving you time and keeping you immersed in your research and professional development. Along the way, you join a cohort of leaders dedicated to institutional change and graduate ready to take on executive roles in the field.
What Careers Can You Get With a Master’s in Higher Ed Leadership?
Colleges and universities need leaders with a comprehensive understanding of how higher education systems — and all their complexities — work to deliver high-quality education that makes a difference in students' lives and communities.
SJSU’s MA in Higher Ed Leadership program provides the specialized training and professional development opportunities that prepare you to take on administrative challenges and drive innovation in higher education from the inside out. From managing student affairs and financial aid to reforming institutional policy, you’ll cultivate strategic thinking and a commitment to equity to help make college more accessible and effective for all.
With your master’s degree in higher ed leadership, you can work across departments and in roles such as:
- Academic Dean
- Affinity Group Leaders
- Chief Academic Officer
- Dean of Admissions
- Director of Academic Advising
- Director of Student Success
- Diversity and Inclusion Officer
- Enrollment Manager
- Higher Education Consultant
Where SJSU’s Higher Ed Leadership Grads Work
Graduates of our higher ed leadership program have gone on to work at distinguished colleges and universities, including:
- Chabot College
- Evergreen College
- San José State University
- Stanford University
- West Valley-Mission Community College District
Higher Ed Leadership Program Admissions
Ready to explore new possibilities for your future? Applying to San José State University is a two-step process. You must meet the university’s graduate admission requirements and the specific requirements of the higher ed leadership program.
If you need additional admission guidance, the College of Graduate Studies is available to guide you through the application process. You can benefit from:
Have questions about graduate admissions? Send us an email at grad-admissions@sjsu.edu for support from the SJSU team.
To receive updates about upcoming information sessions for the Summer 2027 admission cycle, please complete this form.
Explore Graduate Admissions at SJSU
Admissions Eligibility
Along with meeting all of the SJSU graduate admissions requirements, you must also meet the following requirements:
- A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution
- Minimum GPA of 3.0, based on a 4.0 scale
- Two letters of recommendation, with the option of a third letter of recommendation
- A pre-admissions interview is required of all candidates
Additionally, all candidates must attend a pre-admissions interview.
How to Apply to the MA in Higher Ed Leadership Program
Step 1: Notify Our Department
Your first step in your journey to SJSU is to contact Dr. María Ledesma, Higher Education Leadership Program Coordinator, at edleadership@sjsu.edu to express your interest.
Step 2: Begin Your Cal State Application
Create a CalState Apply profile and follow the steps to begin your application. When setting up your application, ensure you select the correct program name: Educational Leadership, Higher Education Leadership, MA.
Step 3: Prepare Your Documents
After creating your Cal State Apply profile, be sure to prepare and upload all required documents before the deadline.
The required documents include:
- Resume: Create a PDF or Word version of your most recent resume that highlights your professional and leadership experience.
- Statement of Purpose: In no more than 600 words, please explain what influenced your decision to apply for admission to SJSU’s higher education leadership MA Program. Describe past and/or current experiences connected to higher education and explain how the higher ed master’s program will help prepare you for your future personal and professional goals.
- Situational Essay: This 750-word essay should reflect on the value of adopting an equity-minded approach in higher education. Consider questions like:
- What lessons can higher education leaders, practitioners, policy makers and others gain through an equity-minded framework?
- How can equity-mindedness be used to transform higher education?
Step 4: Request Letters of Recommendation
By the application deadline, submit two letters of recommendation; a third is optional.
Recommendation letters may be submitted directly from your recommender to the higher education leadership MA Program.
- Academic Reference: At least one letter must be from someone who can attest to your academic work, such as a professor or other faculty member.
- Professional/Leadership Reference: The other letter(s) may be from a previous supervisor, colleague or someone with knowledge of your potential leadership. This might include a recent/former supervisor, faculty, advisor or mentor.
All materials from the same recommender must be uploaded as a single PDF on the Cal State Apply portal. The Cal State Apply system will send a notification to your selected recommenders, prompting them to upload their recommendations.
Step 5: Submit Your Application
Once you finish filling out the Cal State application, you need to pay the $70 application fee to complete your Cal State application. Afterward, check your application status online at one.sjsu.edu.
Step 6: Submit Your Transcripts to Graduate Admissions
Request official transcripts from each college/university where you studied. Electronic submission is preferred (etranscript@sjsu.edu if your institution requires email).
Be sure to monitor your to-do list on your MySJSU portal for any outstanding documents. Contact grad-admissions@sjsu.edu if you have questions.
The total application processing time is between five and six weeks after all necessary documents have been received by the Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations Office, so we recommend that you submit your application early in the processing cycle.
Step 7: Application Review
Applicants whose files are complete will be invited to an interview to finalize the application process.
Applicants will receive an email from the Department of Educational Leadership regarding their status by mid-May.
Financial Aid
San José State University helps you invest in your future. Our Financial Aid and Scholarship Office offers the practical support and resources you need, from finding scholarships and grants to submitting your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®).
The College of Graduate Studies has also dedicated a Funding Opportunities page for additional funding resources.
Shape the Future of Higher Ed. Apply to SJSU.
Your path to becoming an equity-minded higher ed administrator begins with SJSU’s hybrid Master of Arts in Higher Education Leadership. Our hands-on program deepens your expertise and equips you with practical strategies to drive long-term change in colleges and universities.
Excited to join our growing community of educators? Apply to San José State University today, or submit the educational leadership program interest form if you want to learn more.
