HALE MA Handbook: Goals of the Program
The Master of Arts program in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education (HALE MA) program is a professional development degree that provides a broad understanding of postsecondary education from social, historical, philosophical, psychological, developmental, and international perspectives. It also develops understanding of central issues in:
1) Organization and Leadership;
2) Teaching and Learning; and
3) Contexts of Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education
as they reflect the relationship between theory and practice. We expect that graduates will be prepared for a variety of roles in postsecondary education and for cultivation of inclusive educational environments.
The HALE MA program seeks to strengthen postsecondary educational opportunities by preparing individuals who foster organizational development and change within an increasingly complex and global society, who nurture within individuals, groups, organizations, and society skill in and commitment to lifelong learning, and who honor diversity and difference among people, groups, and societies.
The HALE MA program provides opportunity for professional development for individuals who are currently working in or wish to move into professional roles within various settings of higher and adult education, including administration, continuing professional development, or teaching. Graduates who complete the HALE MA program are typically employed in positions within higher and adult education organizations related to institutional advancement and administration; faculty and organizational development; program planning, evaluation, and coordination; continuing professional education; or teaching.
The majority of our students work full-time and use this opportunity to advance or to change careers. The objectives of this program derive from the mission statement of the Department of Educational Administration at Michigan State University: “The improvement of leadership and management in organizations that have teaching and learning as their core function.”
HALE MA HANDBOOK: OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES
OF THE HALE MA PROGRAM
The HALE MA program provides a broad understanding of educational systems from social, historical, cross-national, and normative perspectives, an understanding of central issues in postsecondary teaching and learning, and a theoretical understanding of administration and leadership connected to practice. There are opportunities to develop and use skills needed in practice through practica and field experiences. We expect that graduates are prepared to work in and to cultivate educational environments that are receptive to diversity. The specific objectives of the MA program are to:
- Provide students with an understanding of central issues in postsecondary organization and leadership, teaching and learning, and administration;
- Convey inquiry skills and to provide opportunities to use them to understand important problems in the context of postsecondary practice;
- Connect theoretical understandings to the practice of administration, leadership, and teaching through coursework and related experiences;
- Build students’ appreciation for the broad social consequences and involvements of their educational and leadership duties and understand the ethical nature of their roles; and
- Develop students’ capacity to engage in disciplined reflection on their experience, studies and practices.
HALE MA HANDBOOK: PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Michigan State University is committed to high academic standards and expects all graduate students to excel in their particular majors.
Program requirements:
- 30 Credits of Coursework
- Continuous Enrollment
- HALE MA Final Project/Graduation Requirement
- Time Limit for Degree Completion
- Final Certification for Graduation
- Graduate School Standards
- Transfer Credit Policy
A. Course Work
The HALE MA program is a combination of experiences designed by the student in conjunction with a faculty advisor. It includes a set of core and elective courses, as well as several intellectual hallmarks that include practicum experiences. Aspects of the program of study are detailed in this section. Students in the HALE MA program enroll in a minimum of 30 credit hours. In addition to the following program requirements, candidates must satisfy all college and university graduation requirements.
Curricular Structure: The HALE MA program requires successful completion of 30 credit hours as follows, in addition to college and university requirements:
Core Courses (6 credit hours):
EAD 840 Inquiry in Postsecondary Education (3)
EAD 868 Pro-seminar in Higher and Adult Education (3)
Program Electives (24 credit hours):
EAD 802 Building a Learning Organization (3)
EAD 805 Administration in Higher Education (3)
EAD 822 Approaches to Educational Research or its equivalent (3)
EAD 860 Concept of a Learning Society (3)
EAD 861 Adult Learning (3)
EAD 863 Training and Professional Development (3)
EAD 864 Adult and Career Development (3)
EAD 866 Teaching in Postsecondary Education (3)
EAD 870 Foundations of Postsecondary Education (3)
EAD 871 Collegiate Contexts for Teaching and Learning (3)
EAD 876 Budgeting and Finance in Higher Education (3)
EAD 877 Program Planning and Evaluation in Postsecondary Contexts (3)
EAD 890 Independent Study (with Advisor Approval) (1-3)
EAD 894 Field Experience (with Advisor Approval) (1-3)
Other graduate level courses may be taken with approval from your advisor.
B. Continuous Enrollment
A student must be enrolled for at least 1 credit each semester while completing the degree (MSU Academic Programs Handbook).
Note on minimum and maximum enrollments and full time student status
All students using University services (faculty consultation included) for graduate work must be registered each semester. Minimum registration consists of one course of 1 credit. Graduate students may carry up to 12 credits each semester. The maximum number of credits, however, is determined by the department or school. A student load above 12 credits requires approval by the student's dean. In order to be considered full time for academic purposes, students must carry the minimum number of credits per semester as defined: MA level is 6 credits
C. HALE MA Final Project/Graduation Requirement
Required for students admitted for fall 2011 and after and available for continuing students admitted prior to fall 2011. HALE MA students complete the degree with a project representing their work in the program.
Final Projects will be reviewed by the HALE MA Review committee (P/F grading). The committee will consist of the student’s advisor with two other faculty members. If the Review Committee judges the student’s work to be unacceptable, in order to graduate the student must re-submit a revised project by the first day of Finals Week.
Submission Requirements
Complete projects are due:
Spring Semester Graduates: Friday of the first full week in April
Fall Semester Graduates: Friday of the first full week of November
D. Time Limit for Degree Completion
Policies regarding time limit can be found in MSU Academic Programs Handbook, Graduate Education, MA programs. In brief:
The time limit for the completion of the requirements for the MA degree is five calendar years from the date of enrollment in the first course included for degree certification.
E. Final Certification for Graduation
The student must apply for graduation with the MSU Registrar’s Office, on line (preferred) or in person at room 150 Administration Building. Application should be made during the first week of the semester one wishes to graduate. This will produce a Final Certification form (see forms section) that is to be completed and signed by the academic advisor and submitted to the HALE Administrative Assistant.
F. Graduate School Standards
A 3.00 cumulative grade point average for all courses counting toward the master's degree is the minimum University and program standard. If a student’s grade point average falls below this minimum in any given term, a letter of warning is issued by the Graduate School (Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities). The student will be expected to work with his/hir/her academic advisor on strategies to insure appropriate progress towards degree and reconstituting minimum standards of academic progress. A student who fails meet the standards set by the University, college, and department or school will not be permitted to continue to enroll in the degree program.
G. Transfer Credit Policy
Policies regarding transfer credit can be found in the MSU Academic Programs Handbook, Graduate Education, MA Programs. With approval of the College and the student’s academic advisor, as many as 9 semester credits of graduate course work may be transferred into the HALE MA degree program from other accredited institutions (including MSU graduate courses and lifelong education credits) or international institutions of similar quality, if they are appropriate to a student's program and provided they were completed within the time limits approved for the earning of the degree desired at Michigan State University.
Only courses in which at least a 3.0 grade or its equivalent was received will be considered for transfer. A Credit Evaluation form (see forms section) must be completed, signed by the advisor, and submitted to the HALE Administrative Assistant along with an official copy of the transcript. Transcripts that have “issued to student” stamped on them cannot be used. Lifelong Education students who contemplate subsequent admission to degree programs must seek advice from the admitting department or school and college as to the applicability of courses/credits taken while in Lifelong Education status. There is no guarantee that these credits will be acceptable. Applicability is subject to programmatic approval.
