OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi School of Education is seeking charter students for a new online professional master’s degree program in higher education/student personnel.
Designed for higher education professionals interested in advancing their careers in administration at a college or university while retaining their current jobs, the program is designed to foster a strong theoretical understanding of the underpinnings of college and university functions, said John Holleman, program coordinator. Included are such services as financial aid, career counseling, admissions, enrollment services and development, and more.
In just four regular semesters and two summer sessions, students can complete the program by taking two classes per semester. The program covers the same material as the on-campus program and is taught by the same full-time faculty.
“If a prospective student is looking for an interesting and engaging master’s degree program but can’t rearrange his work and personal obligations to return to school full time, the online-delivered Professional M.A. in Higher Education can help capture the vision for his or her career,” Holleman said.
“While Ole Miss has over a century-and-a-half of providing outstanding education, we also utilize contemporary, cutting-edge technologies employed in the transmission of our online classes, including Internet learning systems and audio-video conferencing.”
The program has garnered endorsements from education Dean David Rock and other higher education faculty.
“This program caters to the needs of working professionals in a fast-moving university environment by utilizing 21st century technology to provide access to a top-quality graduate program from an exceptional university,” Rock said. “We hope this online opportunity will not only reach university personnel from the state of Mississippi and the region, but also across the globe. Our faculty are student-centered and focused on providing the highest quality education at one standard price, regardless of the residency of the student.”
More than 4,000 colleges and universities operate in the United States; the majority of them are small and located in rural areas. “The ability for those working at these institutions to leave a job for a full-time program or commute weekly is not always feasible,” said Timothy Letzring, chair and associate professor of higher education.
“This new professional M.A. program will provide these higher education professionals the opportunity to develop their professional skills. And this program will utilize the foundation of a very successful residential higher education-student personnel master’s program at a flagship university.”
An important aspect of the online master’s degree program is that it will allow those living and working on rural or more isolated campuses to develop professional networks beyond their immediate campus communities.
“I have worked in several different types of colleges and universities and understand the value of networking and connecting with others in professional practice,” said Amy Wells Dolan, associate education dean and associate professor of higher education. “In this way, they can tap into the knowledge of faculty and colleagues to promote reflection and innovation.”
For additional information, go to http://highered.olemiss.edu/online or contact Holleman at holleman@olemiss.edu.
