Higher Education and Student Affairs
The Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) program at The Ohio State University enjoys a long and prestigious tradition of preparing leaders throughout the nation and the world. The program, which has provided exemplary leadership in education for over half a century, is consistently ranked among the top programs in the country. The program offers both M.A. and Ph.D. degrees, and prepares individuals for leadership as administrators, faculty and policy-makers in post-secondary education and diverse cultural contexts.
The HESA program takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of higher education policy and leadership grounded in theory and research from human development, organizational behavior, diversity studies and international perspectives. HESA faculty members engage in active programs of research, and are committed to having an impact on higher education scholarship, policy and practice.
U.S. News and World Report ranks Ohio State's HESA program as one of the top graduate programs in the nation. Ohio State attracts some of America's best students in the area of student affairs to our masters and doctoral programs each year. The Student Personnel Assistantship program provides financial support through professional assistantships for both M.A. and Ph.D. students. First year master's students have placements in all areas of student affairs and university administration, including housing, student activities, student wellness, minority affairs, admissions, honors and scholars, academic advising, and career services.
HESA consistently recruits talented individuals from diverse geographic, social, institutional, and ethnic backgrounds. The M.A. Class of 2009, for example, contains 27 students and represents 19 undergraduate institutions in 11 states. Students of color comprise 22% of the class; 6 members of the class are men and 21 are women. Approximately 37% of these students have at least one year of full-time professional experience.