University of Southern Californian PASA Program Overview
http://rossier.usc.edu/academic/masters/pasa/pasa-program-overview.html
The PASA program prepares new professionals for work in a variety of higher education settings, from student affairs to student services, athletics administration and academic advising. Courses in the program address higher education administration in a variety of settings, including public and private universities, two-year and four-year, research universities and liberal arts colleges, specialty colleges, and many others.
The program of study for PASA requires 41 units, which is comprised of both core and elective courses. Students can enroll in the program part-time (approximately 2 classes per semester) or full-time (3 classes per semester). Students studying full-time can complete the program in two years.
Program Components
Component Courses Purpose
Core Courses 7 courses
(21 units)
Ground students in the theory and practice of student affairs work
Concentration Electives 4 courses
(12 units)
Acquire depth in an area of career interest
Off-Campus Fieldwork 2 courses
(4 units)
Gain supervised experience in a variety of settings
Seminar or Thesis 2 courses
(4 units)
Integrate learning from other program components
Core Courses
Click Here for course descriptions
Concentration Electives
Click Here for concentration information and course descriptions
Off-Campus Fieldwork
Off-Campus Fieldwork provides students with an opportunity to gain supervised experiences in a variety of offices and settings. Four units of fieldwork are required in the program, and students are allowed to enroll in a Fieldwork course after their second semester in the program.
Master's Seminar or Thesis
PASA students completing their course of study can choose to complete a thesis or to enroll in the seminar courses.
Seminar students enroll in two semesters of coursework focused on the future of student affairs and of higher education. The purpose of the seminar course is to provide a summative, reflective and also forward-looking experience for PASA students that synthesizes students' learning and experiences in the program while also preparing them to enter the professional work of postsecondary administration.
Thesis students who choose the thesis option will work closely with a faculty committee and conduct original research. Thesis students will complete the project by writing up and defending their research.
Sample Course Schedules
Full-time
Term Year 1 Year 2
Fall Semester EDHP 500: Foundations of Higher, Adult, and Professional Education
EDHP 563: Student Affairs Work in College
EDHP 687: Student Development in Higher Education
EDHP 551 Applied Educational Ethnography (if you plan to choose the Master's Seminar option)
EDHP 593A/594A: Master's Seminar OR Master's Thesis
EDHP 587 Field Work in Higher, Adult, and Professional Education
Concentration Elective
Spring Semester EDHP 552: Politics of Difference
EDHP 657: Management of Student Services in Higher Education
Concentration Elective
Applied Educational Ethnography (recommended if you plan to choose the Master's Thesis option)
EDHP 587: Field Work in Higher, Adult, and Professional Education
EDHP 593B/594B: Master's Seminar OR Master's Thesis
2 Concentration Electives
Summer Term Statistical Inference
Field Work in Higher, Adult, and Professional Education