Student Affairs/Higher Education Programs in California

[mak007]

Hello, everyone! Sorry for the lengthy post ahead, but I want to explain my situation.

I am interested in applying to Higher Education/Student Affairs/College Personnel grad programs in Northern California, specifically, and I need some feedback or advice. This is not ideal, but it is my situation. My fiance will be completing his PhD at Stanford for the next five years or so (he starts this fall) and I will be looking for work (and graduate programs, obviously) while we are there.

A little about me:

My B.S. is from the University of Wisconsin in Secondary Education-English. I am fully licensed to teach in Wisconsin and will be applying for my teaching license in California soon, so I can at least sub until I find a more full-time position. I have a high GPA, and I have several years of Residence Life and student work experience in the student affairs division. I've worked for desk/conference services, housing (as a resident assistant), and as an academic program coordinator for housing (providing resources and programming to help support residents' learning and living experiences). I also was a fellow with my university's writing center and tutored and taught English all four years during my undergrad.

A unique student experience I had was participating in a FIG (first-year interest group) my first semester of my freshman year, where I was in a small cohort of students and we studied the same three courses together (with additional courses, of course, outside of the FIG). My School of Education experience was also cohort based, which was wonderful. I had a very student-centered university experience, and I am thankful for it. I loved working for my university, and I enjoyed working with college students and faculty. I love the personal attention and relationships I can build with students and staff, and I haven't felt satisfied in the same way with my teaching, so I am considering pursuing a graduate degree in higher education.

Currently I have been working in Kyoto, Japan for the past year on the JET Program, as I've always wanted to travel abroad and teach English abroad. Therefore, I've had to do a lot of research from afar. I have never visited the Bay Area (my fiance did all of his tours this spring, while I've been here), but I have been to California several times. I am excited for the move, but I am concerned about my education options.

What I do know is this: HESA programs are in short supply in the Bay Area. I have seen programs advertised at San Francisco State University, the University of San Francisco, and San Jose State University. I am looking for programs that emphasize practice and field work, not research, though I certainly want a breadth of courses. I am not 100% sure yet what my particular focus/interest is, but I am not particularly interested in housing (as in, residence hall director). I am more interested in admissions, advising, student services, and first-year experiences. I am also getting married, and I need to be able to live with my spouse while I study.

I know programs are abundant in Southern California, but after spending a year away from my fiance, I am unwilling to put so much distance between us again. If you have any insight at all into programs offered in the Northern California region, please share it with me--even if it is negative. Graduate school is a big investment, but I see it as essential to moving forward with my career interests. Thanks so much for your feedback.

Edited May 24, 2012 by mak007

[hitomimay]

I'm so glad to hear you two making steps to be closer together! My fiance is in Boston doing his PhD, while I'll be starting mine in LA, so we're facing a few more years long-distance before we can tie the knot.

Anyway, I'm originally from Northern California, and two education programs you can find there would be Stanford and UC Berkeley. Both programs rank in the top ten for education, so a Masters or a PhD from there is without a doubt: solid.

[michigan girl]

These are decent higher education master's programs in CA: Stanford, UC-Berkeley, UCLA, and USC.

[mak007]

Thanks for your posts! I really appreciate the suggestions.

Could you clarify which program you are talking about at Berkeley? It seems that there is no true higher education program (student affairs focus) at Berkeley, unless I am mistaken. I am not looking to become a principal nor do research on policy studies, but I would be happy to apply there, if there is one!

Although there is a 9-month higher ed program at Stanford, too, I don't think I have the right preparation for it nor do I think it really has the depth (at 9 months only) to give me a range of courses in issues in higher education--beyond simply administration. It seems heavy in theory and simply encourages an internship experience. Although it would come from Stanford, I don't think it would give me any sort of edge in a job search once they'd review my transcript's lack of depth. To me, it looks like a high dollar leadership certificate under the guise of a master's (the program page says it's only 11-18 credits), because it lacks the student personnel component that I think makes you a stronger candidate for student affairs jobs. Stanford's program sounds like a great lead-in for someone who wants to earn a PhD in higher education administration (because now you'll have research and a project to show for it) or who needs a higher degree to lead a non-profit and only wants to spend a short time studying, but not someone who needs a true, full master's degree with a required field work component to get their foot in the door to be hired as an admissions counselor, housing coordinator, or first-year advisor/mentor. For example, the program doesn't offer dedicated courses on adult learners, substance abuse, housing environments, working with financial aid, etc. issues in college students. I am looking for a better balance of that, I guess, but it seems doubtful that I'm going to be finding it given the restrictions of my location. That's something I will have to figure out in the coming years.

If anything, I will be right there to actually talk to someone about the progam, so I wouldn't rule it 100% out. ;-)

[michigan girl]

mak007, I would say UCLA has the best (and probably cheapest) top-ranked higher education master's program in California. USC also offers a good program.

I know that long-distance relationships are hard, but sometimes you have to do what is best to further your own career. Graduate school (master's level) is a short-term commitment afterall.

[mak007]

michigan girl, I would second your opinion about UCLA and USC. Their programs look the most comprehensive. The program I've seen offered at San Francisco State is a counseling program with more of a student affairs focus, and that seems to be the best of the Northern California offerings. It would mean I'd have to take a bunch of pre-req psychology courses, though, which isn't the end of the world since the program itself isn't as heavily pscyhology/cognitive as other counseling programs tend to be. I've just been out of the psych world a bit.

I specifically have to look in Northern California, though. I'm not willing to put my education on hold for five or six years until after my fiance finishes his degree, and It was my fiance's decision to pursue a PhD long before I more recently became aware of my interest in higher ed. I'm not willing to spend my first two years of marriage living 8 hours apart and paying for my own separate housing on top of tuition and my undergrad student loan debt (which is manageable, but won't be going away anytime soon). There's a very good chance I will also not be considered "in-state" for tuition purposes, though it doesn't seem to make a huge difference because all of the programs are a good chunk of change anyway (the three I've looked at more seriously are all private, anyway).

I know long distance relationships are "to each their own," and I might feel differently if I weren't living in Japan right now, but now I know how hard it is. I've leaned on my fiance pretty heavily with my student teaching and work lifestyle, and I absolutely need to provide that same support for him now that his lifestyle is going to drastically change... or, at least, become 100x more intense and personally stressful. He is very supportive of me, and he has even gone so far as to say that we could be apart for a little while if I needed it, but I personally can't do it again. I won't be applying for admissions for at least another year, though, so it gives me time to consider more specifically what I'm interested in and if higher ed is really the right road to it.

If I may ask, where are you looking and what sort of higher ed program are you interested in? Thanks once again!! :-)

[KristiHipp]

I hope you don't mind me answering this after so long, but Have you looked at University of the Pacific? It's more central California than Northern, but it's a pretty good program from what I understand. I have a good friend/former colleague who just finished his Master's there and I know he really enjoyed himself. I also believe USF is starting a brand-new Student Affairs program this year.

I grew up in California and spent the last 4 years at Sonoma State, so I know people with a broad range of experiences in both SoCal and NorCal. While I'll be leaving CA for my Master's (I'm starting this fall at Indiana State for my MS in Student Affairs & Higher Ed), if you have any questions about CA in general, don't be shy!

NASPA also has a great directory where you can search by school size, location, program focus, and lots of other options. I mentioned it in another thread, but it really was helpful to me in narrowing my search. You can find the search at http://www.naspa.org/career/gradprograms/search.cfm

I hope that helps!