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Student Affairs & Educational Justice

MA in Education

The MA in Education with a concentration in Student Affairs and Educational Justice (SAEJ) prepares emerging and current student affairs practitioners to successfully lead and transform higher educational environments to promote teaching and development in and outside of the classroom.

Student service professionals and the offices they run have the capacity to positively impact the educational experiences of college students, especially those from traditionally underrepresented groups. Through policy, practice, and research, student affairs practitioners foster environments that are inclusive, respect diversity, and promote learning and success.

Program Highlights
  • Designed for individuals and working professionals who want to make a difference in higher education student affairs.
  • Provides you with the knowledge and skills to create socially just higher education environments that have at their core the welfare and development of students.
  • You will participate in a clinical practicum that allows you to apply what you’ve learned in a real-world student affairs setting.

Program At-a-glance

  • 32 units

    required units

  • MA in Education

    degree awarded

  • Online

    modality

  • Spring, Summer, Fall

    program start

  • 11 months | full time*

    estimated completion time

    varies by units taken per term | part time

    estimated completion time

Faculty

  • Portrait of Deborah Faye Carter

    Deborah Faye Carter

    Associate Professor of Higher Education

    Research Interests

    Higher education; transition to college; college student outcomes; access to college; race in education; mentoring, equity, and diverse learning environments in STEM

  • Portrait of Delacy Ganley

    DeLacy Ganley

    Dean, School of Educational Studies
    Professor of Education

    Research Interests

    Culturally relevant education; resiliency and achievement of marginalized populations; intersection of families, community, and school; language acquisition; social capital theory; systems theory

  • Gwen Garrison

    Gwen Garrison

    Clinical Professor of Education
    Director of Educational Evaluation and Data Analysis

    Research Interests

    Organizational effectiveness; diversity & inclusion; research & evaluation process; data systems; data management; data visualization and storytelling

  • Portrait of Dina Maramba

    Dina C. Maramba

    Professor of Education

    Research Interests

    Equity and diversity issues in higher education; theory and practice in student affairs; college student development; access and retention; first-generation college students; Asian American and Pacific Islander populations; minority serving institutions

  • Portrait of Linda Perkins

    Linda Perkins

    University Professor
    Director, Applied Gender Studies

    Research Interests

    Women and African-American higher education, history and contemporary issues on women in higher education, especially Black women, global gender issues.

  • Guan Saw

    Guan K. Saw

    Associate Professor of Education

    Research Interests

    Educational inequality; STEM education and workforce; rural education; college access and success; social capital; mentorship; teacher victimization; health disparities; research methodology

  • Eligio Martinez

    Eligio Martinez

    Senior Research Fellow

    Research Interests

    P-20 education pipeline; college access and retention; community colleges; boys and men of color; middle school education; Chicana/o and Latina/o Students

  • Daryl G. Smith

    Daryl G. Smith

    Senior Research Fellow
    Professor Emerita

    Research Interests

    Organizational implications of diversity, Assessment and evaluation, Leadership and change, Governance, Diversity in STEM fields, Faculty diversity

  • flame logo graphic

    Jack H. Schuster

    Senior Research Fellow
    Professor Emeritus

Application Guidelines

University Requirements
Application Fee

$80 (fee is non-refundable)

Official Transcripts

Undergraduate/graduate

Applicants must submit a sealed, official transcript from every undergraduate and graduate institution that has granted the applicant a degree. Electronic transcripts sent to admissions@cgu.edu are also accepted. For undergraduate coursework, applicants are required to submit proof of a completed bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Unofficial copies of transcripts are accepted for review purposes, but official copies will be required upon admission.

Applicants currently earning a degree that will be completed prior to attending CGU are required to submit a transcript showing work in progress for evaluation purposes. Once the degree has been granted, a final official transcript documenting the degree conferred must be submitted to CGU.

International applicants are advised to review the International Transcript Guidelines for additional information on submitting international transcripts.

English Proficiency Exam

Required (international applicants only)

A valid score on one of the following examinations TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson PTE, Duolingo English Test is required of all non-native English-speaking applicants. The examination is not required for the following applicants:

  • Citizens or permanent residents of countries where English is the sole official language of instruction, e.g., Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada (except Quebec), England, Ghana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad, Tobago, Uganda, and Wales (see the CGU Bulletin for a complete list of accepted countries).
  • Applicants who hold an undergraduate or advanced degree, or will have earned such a degree prior to enrolling at CGU, from an institution in the US or in countries where English is the sole official language of instruction (see above).
  • Applicants who have successfully completed an academic English pre-master’s or intensive graduate bridge program from a nationally recognized, regionally accredited four-year college or university in the United States in the last two years, with submitted evidence of successful completion, and subject to curriculum approval.
  • CGU allows for an English proficiency waiver if the applicant has received, or will receive prior to enrollment at CGU, an undergraduate or advanced degree from an institution where English is one of the primary languages of instruction for the majority of courses in the student’s program. To receive the waiver, documentation must be provided by the applicant to show that English is the language of instruction at their university/college.

CGU’s school code for the TOEFL exam is 4053.

International applicants are encouraged to visit our International Applicants page for more information, including score requirements.

Resume

Applicants must submit an up-to-date copy of their resume.

Program Requirements
Statement of Purpose

Please submit a five-page, double-spaced personal statement that answers the following questions:

1. Who are you?
2. What is your research interest?
3. Why are you pursuing this graduate degree?
4. What is your professional and academic background?
5. Why CGU?
6. Why the School of Educational Studies?

Letter of Recommendation

3 letters required

When filling out the online application, please enter references acquainted with your potential for success who will submit a written recommendation on your behalf. In most academic departments, references from faculty members who can speak to your academic ability are preferred; applicants with substantial work experience may request professional references. Please do not enter family members as references.

You will be required to input information for your recommenders (whether they are submitting online or not) in the “Recommendations” section of the online application. Please follow the directions in this section carefully before clicking on “Recommendation Provider List” to input the names and contact information for each recommender. You will have an opportunity to indicate if the reference writer will be submitting online. These reference writers will receive an email from CGU with instructions on submitting an online recommendation.

Recommenders who are indicated as offline will not receive an email from CGU with instructions to submit. These reference writers can submit via traditional mail and should use the supplemental New Student Recommendation Form. Recommenders can also email their letter of recommendation to the Office of Admissions at admissions@cgu.edu.

Download the Recommendation Form

Standardized Test Scores

GRE (optional)

For applicants applying to begin in a 2024 term, standardized test scores are not required for this program. Applicants who have taken the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test are invited to submit scores but are not required to do so.

Applicants who feel that their Grade Point Averages do not adequately represent their ability to succeed in a graduate program may find it helpful to submit GRE scores for consideration.

CGU’s school code:
ETS (GRE and TOEFL) 4053

Key Dates & Deadlines

CGU operates on a priority deadline cycle. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit complete applications by the priority dates in order to assure maximum consideration for both admission and fellowships.

Once the priority deadlines have passed, the University will continue to review applications for qualified candidates on a competitive, space-available basis. The final deadlines listed are the last date the University can accept an application in order to allow sufficient time to complete the admissions, financial aid, and other enrollment processes.

Spring 2025
Priority Deadline – November 1, 2024
Final Deadline (International) – November 15, 2024
Final Deadline (Domestic) – December 1, 2024
Classes begin – January 21, 2025

Summer 2025
Priority Deadline – February 1, 2025
Final Deadline (International) – March 1, 2025
Final Deadline (Domestic) – April 1, 2025
Classes begin – May 19, 2025

Fall 2025
Priority Deadline – February 1, 2025
Final Deadline (International) – July 5, 2025
Final Deadline (Domestic) – August 1, 2025
Classes begin – August 25, 2025

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Cost & Aid

Tuition and Fees

ESTIMATED TUITION (CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, NON-RESIDENTS, INTERNATIONAL)
Program 32 units
Tuition per unit* $2,020

*Based on 2024-2025 tuition rates.

 

STUDENT FEES (PER SEMESTER)
$245 Student Fee
$150 Technology Fee
International Student Services Fee*: $661 fall semester, $776 spring semester
**Applies to all international students (F-1 visa only) who are registered in coursework, doctoral study, or continuous registration. The fee is assessed each fall and spring semester for annual ISO accident and sickness plans and administrative fees. Subject to change.

For estimates of room & board, books, etc., please download CGU’s Cost of Attendance 2024-2025.

review financial aid

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