Student Development in Higher Education (SDHE), M.S. Counseling

Since the middle of the 20th century the Student Development in Higher Education has rapidly evolved as a unique field of professional practice in U.S. higher education. The field attracts those who are interested post secondary education career opportunities, both in- and outside the classroom. The profession is focused on student-centered learning, drawing upon a growing body of research based in theories of human development and principles of community. This program seeks to develop reflective, scholar-practitioners with an understanding of:

• The multiple needs of college students
• The interaction of the learners with the college environment
• Learning styles
• Diversity and multicultural issues
• Program development
• The use of developmental and counseling theory in assisting students
• The role of the student development educator in collaborative relationships with faculty and others to support the holistic development of students
• Assessment and evaluation

Graduates of this program enter the profession able to apply theory to practice and to integrate research using the tenets of counseling, student development, administration, leadership, and multicultural issues in education. Our graduates assume positions in two- and four-year colleges and related institutions. Typical offices of employment include: leadership development, financial aid, career counseling, student activities, residential life, educational opportunity, mentoring, academic advising, orientation, and learning communities.

The SDHE curriculum is aligned with the mission of the CSULB College of Education and is tied to specific learning outcomes. Through content courses, fieldwork, and capstone experiences, SDHE students gain knowledge, skills, and dispositions that equip them to serve as administrators and counselors in higher education settings. Graduates of the SDHE Program, will be able to:

• Draw upon a deepened understanding of themselves, diverse others, and institutional structures to develop educational programs that promote educational access and success for all students, especially those from historically underrepresented populations.
  
• Apply fundamental counseling skills, theoretical orientations, and treatment plan steps to student development cases and practicum/ fieldwork experiences.
  
• Draw upon an analysis and evaluation of the historical and philosophical foundations of the student affairs profession as well as major student development theories (psychosocial, cognitive, moral, life span, typological, and college impact) to develop educational programs that promote student development and learning.
  
• Apply basic leadership and organization theories along with core management skills (planning, environmental scanning, legal compliance, risk management, use of technology, budgeting, and human resource management to student affairs practice as reflected in case studies and in practicum and fieldwork experiences.
  
• Demonstrate their understanding of student affairs scholarship in the analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of current research as well as in the design and implementation of formative evaluations and research projects.

SDHE Outcomes

Last update: 12/18/09