5 Occupations with a Master’s in Higher Education
- High School Principal
- Leadership Program Administrator
- Student Engagement Outreach Specialist
- Student Services Dean
- Admissions Administrator
There are many excellent career choices for those with a Master’s in Higher Education. Earning a degree in higher education is always beneficial, but earning a Master’s in Higher Education offers even more opportunities in the field. Graduates of this degree have the knowledge and skill required to play an important role in preparing and developing programs that can help students reach their highest potential. Here are five possible careers with a Master’s in Higher Education.
1. High School Principal
As the supervisors and leaders of high schools, high school principals are the ones in charge of managing and assisting teachers and other staff members. They oversee the school budget, the staff’s professional development, student disciplinary matters, and communicate with the public as a representative of the school. High school principals must have strong leadership skills and a passion for promoting high education. They work year-round and may be expected to also work in the evenings. The principal is the one in charge of both the teachers and the student body.
2. Leadership Program Administrator
A leadership program administrator is another of the many possible careers in higher education. They support the goals of students aspiring to become academic leaders. They also work with student service volunteers and resident assistants in helping them reach their goals. Their experience in higher education management and college student management allows them to handle leadership training, program administration, and staff development in student support programs and residence halls. Leadership program administrators must also have strong communication and interpersonal skills to be able to work effectively with students, parents and faculty.
3. Student Engagement Outreach Specialist
Student engagement outreach specialists collect and analyze data dealing with learning outcome statistics and enrollment to determine the success rates and trends of students, teaching and educational programs. They also use this data to write up internal reports, grant proposals and performance reviews. Student engagement outreach specialists support and host community events that help current and future students. They collaborate with academic departments, civic organizations and student clubs while also meeting with school management to discuss student debt, financial oversight, program management and student learning assessments.
4. Student Services Dean
The student services dean coordinates college programs that are consistent with the school’s strategic and mission objectives. To be successful as a student services dean, the individual must have excellent conflict resolution, multitasking and time management skills as well as the ability to make good decisions in complicated situations; handle diverse populations and work independently. Other duties include developing and maintaining policy feedback, staff guidance, campus recruiting, student counseling and higher education administration. Student services deans also provide training to staff and oversee student appeals, judicial affairs and new student orientations.
5. Admissions Administrator
Admission administrators in colleges and universities are in charge of implementing the daily student intake programs and customer relationship management. They oversee the work of admissions counselors and enrollment representatives and strive to move through the enrollment process as smoothly as possible while enhancing an individual relationship with each applicant. Admission administrators may also host public events on behalf of the school and handle community outreach functions. They may also be the main contact between the college and local trade schools, high schools and community colleges. Another goal of the admission administrator is to improve applicant engagement, retention levels and relationship quality.
Related Resource: Top 35 Most Affordable Accelerated Master’s in Higher Education Online
Postsecondary institutions have a high demand for higher education administrators according to U.S. News & World Report. The Master’s in Higher Education is very popular not only because it prepares students to fill an important need in the education system but also because it’s available as an online program that can be completed in only one to three years.
