The Master of Arts (M.A.) in College Student Development and Administration and Master of Business Administration Dual Master’s is a 60 credit-hour program designed for students who have completed a baccalaureate degree and are interested in pursuing or advancing a career in student affairs or enrollment management, or other higher education administrative roles as well as other business and non-profit experiences. Real-world and practical application is central to this program.
Courses are offered in the evenings and online to accommodate students holding full-time jobs while completing the program. This dual degree program combines courses in student development theory, assessment, social justice, leadership and ethics, marketing, management theory, economics, and accounting. Students complete their coursework with a flexible set of electives that complement both degrees.
Programmatic Admissions Requirements
Master of Arts, College Student Development and Administration:
For programmatic admissions requirements of dual degrees with MBA, see below.
Entrants must have completed a bachelor’s degree with either a 2.75 cumulative GPA in all undergraduate coursework OR meet the requirements for conditional admission.
CSDA students must complete one essay question: What do you hope to do with a Master’s in College Student Development and Administration?
Writing Sample: 5-7 pages of a previously written research paper OR submit a 5-7 page research paper discussing a current trend in higher education.
Reference letter from a faculty member answering the following question: How is this student prepared for the rigor of graduate school, specifically addressing oral and written communication skills? (optional)
Deadline for fall applicants seeking to participate in assistantship interview process: February 15
Deadline for fall applicants not interested in assistantship interviews: July 31
Deadline for spring applicants November 15
Master of Business Administration
For programmatic admissions requirements of dual degrees with MBA, see below.
A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher OR for students with less than a 2.75 GPA, meet the requirements for conditional admission.
Additionally, all students must also submit the following:
Two letters of recommendation.
A résumé.
A letter of intent that describes the how the student envisions using the M.B.A. degree to enhance their personal and career goals.
M.B.A. Foundations Program
Because some foundational experience in accounting, statistics, and economics is crucial to success in the Shepherd M.B.A. program, students admitted to the M.B.A. must meet three content area prerequisites: Accounting (I and II), Statistics, and Economics. Foundational courses at the undergraduate level must have been taken within the last seven years with a grade of “B” or higher.
Applicants who lack this undergraduate coursework can fulfill the foundational requirements in one of three ways:
Taking the appropriate graduate foundations coursework at the graduate level (MBA-FDA, MBA-FDE, MBA-FDS. Courses are offered online and face-to-face. These are admissions requirements and do not count toward the overall M.B.A. degree attainment).
Passing the appropriate CLEP test(s), scoring at or above the 80th percentile.
Submitting a portfolio of work-related experience (where appropriate) and requesting an evaluation of academic coursework by the M.B.A. coordinator. Applicants may begin the M.B.A. program while completing their prerequisite courses.
Foundational courses must be completed within the first year of enrollment in the M.B.A. program.
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