Higher Education and Student Affairs
Developing Emerging Practitioners in Postsecondary Education
The Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) prepares emerging leaders to become transformational practitioners of higher education and student affairs. The mission of the program is to develop influential leaders that understand the comprehensive nature of higher education and can apply alternative solutions to contemporary issues within the field. The HESA program targets those who desire a career in this exciting field as well as individuals with an established career in higher education looking for advancement.
Advance your career
The M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs degree is ideal for secondary school professionals and college personnel. You can finish your degree in two years with full-time and part-time tracks with 36 credit hours.
- Full-time and part-time tracks
- Online and in-person options
- No GRE required
- Projected job growth
- Careers in higher education and student affairs
- Study abroad opportunities with the Discover Korea program
- Internships across the United States
- Graduate assistantship opportunities
- Dedicated faculty
- Affordable tuition
Get in touch with our faculty and learn more about graduate admissions at Murray State and take the next step toward your dream job in higher education.
Where can a degree in PSE lead you?
Our students have a 100% placement rate in a variety of areas, with an expected growth in the job market.
Students and alumni of the Murray State HESA program have held internships and employment in the following locations. Click on the state listings below for more details. You can help us add more navy states to this map! Contact us to get started.
State Listings
Baylor University (Waco, TX)
Employment: Study Abroad
Texas A&M University at Galveston (Galveston, TX)
Employment: Housing & Residence Life
Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX)
Internship: Housing & Residence Life
University of Missouri (Columbia, MO)
Employment: Study Abroad
University of Oklahoma (Norman, OK)
Employment: Housing and Residence Life
University of North Texas (Denton, TX)
Employment: Disability Services
Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)
Internship: First Year Experience
Butler University (Indianapolis, IN)
Employment: Housing & Residential Life
Cincinnati State Community and Technical College (Cincinnati, OH)
Employment: Career Counseling
Ivy Tech Community College - Lafayette (Lafayette, IN)
Employment: Admissions
Miami University (Oxford, OH)
Employment: Career Services
Northern Illinois University (DeKalb, IL)
Employment: Housing & Residence Life
Southern Illinois University (Carbondale, IL)
Employment: Housing & Residence Life
University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
Internship: Student Leadership
University of Evansville (Evansville, IN)
Internship: Study Abroad
University of Wisconsin Whitewater (Whitewater, WI)
Employment: Housing & Residence Life
Lehigh University (Bethlehem, PA)
Internship: Greek Life
Notre Dame of Maryland University (Baltimore, MD)
Internship: Housing & Residential Life
Radford University (Radford, VA)
Internship: Housing & Residence Life
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
Internship: Student Life & Engagement
Union College (Schenectady, NY)
Employment: Housing & Residence Life
University of Massachusetts Amherst (Amherst, MA)
Employment: Housing & Residence Life
University of Vermont (Burlington, VT)
Employment: Housing & Residence Life
Virginia Tech University (Blacksburg, VA)
Employment: Student Activities
Austin Peay State University (Clarksville, TN)
Internships: Career Counseling, Greek Life
Employment: Service Learning & Community Engagement
Bethel University (McKenzie, TN)
Internship: Study Abroad
Big Sandy Community and Technical College (Prestonburg, KY)
Employment: Academic Advising
Bluegrass Community and Technical College (Lexington, KY)
Employment: Student Support Services
Brescia University (Owensboro, KY)
Employment: Academic Support, Recruitment
Coastal Carolina University (Conway, SC)
Employment: Housing & Residence Life
College of Charleston (Charleston, SC)
Employment: Housing & Residence Life
Cooperative Center for Study Abroad (Bowling Green, KY)
Internship: Study Abroad
Dyersburg State Community College (Dyersburg, TN)
Employment: Recruitment
Florida Gulf Coast University (Fort Myers, FL)
Internship: New Student Orientation
Hopkinsville Community & Technical College (Hopkinsville, KY)
Internship & Employment: Student Activities
Kentucky Wesleyan College (Owensboro, KY)
Internship: Student Activities
Louisiana State University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, LA)
Employment: Student Conduct
Murray State University (Murray, KY)
Internships: Housing & Residential Life, Judicial Affairs, Registrar's Office, Intramurals, Retention Services, Student Support Services, the Women's Center, Alumni Affairs, Study Abroad
Employment: Career Services, Educational Talent Search, Retention Services, Student Disability Services, Student Support Services, Upward Bound
South College (Knoxville, TN)
Employment: Academic Advising
University of Alabama - Huntsville (Huntsville, AL)
Employment: Housing & Residence Life
University of Mississippi (University, MS)
Employment: Greek Life
University of Tennessee at Martin (Martin, TN)
Internships: Greek Life, New Student Orientations, Multicultural Affairs
Employment: Housing & Residence Life, Multicultural Affairs
West Kentucky Community & Technical College (Paducah, KY)
Internships: Academic Advising, Admissions, Recruitment
Employment: Admissions, Veterans Affairs
Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green, KY)
Employment: Academic Advising
California Lutheran University (Thousand Oaks, CA)
Internship: Student Life & Engagement
Eastern Washington University (Cheney, WA)
Internship: Housing & Residence Life
Idaho State University (Moscow, ID)
Employment: Admissions
Montana State University (Bozeman, MT)
Employment: Housing and Residence Life
University of Alaska - Fairbanks (Fairbanks, AK)
Employment: Recruitment
University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)
Employment: Academic Advising
Hear what our students and alumni have to say about the program
What advice do you have for future PSE students? "The best advice I have for anyone in this program is to become a 'yes' person. What I mean by this is that you should take advantage of the opportunities the department offers. In the academic program, I was able to work on a research project with a faculty member, attend a SACSA conference, and present at an ACPA convention, which has led me to become even more involved as an ACPA Ambassador Coordinator this year."
How has the PSE program helped prepare you for the field? "The program helped me prepare for the field by giving insight in budgeting, assessment, and theories to practice. I am applying them without thinking and can carry educated discussion about them now."
Why were you interested in the postsecondary education profession? "I wanted to help students reach success and develop student leaders. I received a lot of help in my time in college, and I wanted to pay it forward. I really enjoyed the college environment and the growth that occurs in this time of students' lives."
Why did you select the PSE program? "After meeting with Dr. Littlepage and Dr. Bourke, I knew this was the program for me. To have faculty and staff who care about the success of the students and to be part of a program that is flexible and still in its infancy is what cemented my decision to enroll. I wanted a program that I could grow with, and this was it."
How has the PSE program helped prepare you for the field? "I have not had an assignment that was not useful. All of the assignments in the program are geared toward real application. Along with the internship experience, I have also been able to work hands-on in processes that will be used often in the field."
What advice do you have for future PSE students? "The best advice I can give for prospective or newly admitted students to the PSE program is to come into the program with an open mind! You might think you鈥檙e best suited for a certain functional unit of higher education, but this program will open your eyes to the many possibilities. Don鈥檛 limit yourself."
What is your favorite aspect of the PSE program? "My favorite aspects of this program are that I get to build connections as if I had known each individual for a lifetime, and I know that the information I have learned in my classes will help me to be a successful professional."