Curriculum

The master's degree program in Student Affairs Administration at UW-La Crosse provides students with a thorough foundation in the theories and practices of higher education. Based on the Program Competencies, the On-Campus and Online curriculum have both similarities and differences. The SAA On-Campus program is geared towards students who have little or no professional experience in higher education or who would prefer a traditional on-campus learning experience. It provides students the opportunity to apply their knowledge to their internship and graduate assistantship experiences. The Online curriculum is geared towards individuals currently working in higher education and provides a learning environment that encourages students to share their experiences about the realities of student affairs issues within universities, community and technical colleges, and other post-secondary institutions. The students' sharing of knowledge and experience as it relates to the course content and the overall program is a definite strength of the SAA Online program.

Below is the On-Campus and Online curriculum. You can find the course descriptions and more information in the Graduate Catalog.

On-Campus Curriculum (38-40 credits)

Fall 1
                        SAA 702 Student Development Theory
                        SAA 705 History of Higher Education
                        SAA 761 Applied Research
                        *SAA 720 Special Topics (optional)

Spring 2
                        SAA 704 Interpersonal Leadership
                        SAA 708 Diversity in Higher Education
                        SAA 715 Student Development Theory II
                        *SAA 799 Thesis or SAA 720 Special Topics

Fall 3
                        SAA 740 Organization Theory & Behavior
                        SAA 710 Administration in Higher Education
                        SAA 781 Internship
                        SAA 799 or SAA 720

Spring 4
                        SAA 730 Legal Issues in Student Affairs
                        SAA 790 Capstone
                        SAA 781 Internship
                        SAA 799 or SAA 720

*During their first year, students must decide if they plan to take the comprehensive exam (Comps) option or write a thesis. These involve the following:

Comps option à Comps consists of two major exams that are taken during the final semester in the program. In addition, students are required to complete two SAA 720-Special Topics courses for one credit each. A minimum of one 720 course will be offered per semester and students may enroll during any semester. SAA 720 topics offered will include:

Advising
Budget & Finance in Higher Education
Career Development Theory
Counseling Skills & Mental Health
Historically Black Colleges & Universities
International Issues
Student Affairs & Technology
Tribal Colleges

Thesis option à under current program requirements, you must earn 4 thesis credits. Enrollment in SAA 799 (1 credit) during the spring semester of your first year will help get you started. You would then complete the remaining 3 credits during your second year. How many credits you earn per semester is up to you but you must be enrolled for a minimum of 9 credits per semester to be a full-time student. Enrollment in SAA 720 courses is optional.

Total credits: Thesis à 40 Comps à 38

Internship waiver: Per SAA policy, you may seek approval to have one of your internship requirements (SAA 781) waived due to experience you gain from your graduate assistantship or for the equivalent of one year of full-time professional work experience in a student affairs-related setting. If you seek this option, you must make sure to enroll in nine credits to maintain your full-time status. Note that you must maintain full-time student status to keep your graduate assistantship and for possible financial aid reasons.

Practicum option: SAA 775 Practicum is available as a 1 or 2 credit option to gain more practical experience in the field of student affairs. You are required to complete 70 hours per credit. Please note that this is an option within the program and can’t be used to replace SAA 781 Internship, SAA 720, or other program requirements.

Online Curriculum (39 credits)

Summer 1
SAA 701 Student Affairs & Technology
SAA 704 Interpersonal Leadership

Fall 1
SAA 702 Student Development Theory
SAA 708 Diversity in Higher Education

Spring 1
SAA 705 History of Higher Education
SAA 740 Organizational Theory & Behavior

Summer 2
SAA 710 Administration in Higher Education
SAA 730 Legal Issues in Student Affairs

Fall 2
SAA 761 Applied Research
SAA 780 Applied Project I

Spring 2
                        SAA 780 Applied Project II
                        SAA 790 Capstone*
                        SAA 781 Internship**

*Requires attendance at a national conference to present Applied Projects, meet classmates, and participate in conference activities. This is an SAA Online program requirement.

**Students may request a "waiver" for SAA 781 if they have worked in a student affairs position in a higher education setting for a minimum of one year (or equivalent). Students who must complete the Internship (210 hours) may do so anytime after completing the first three semesters of coursework. Students are responsible for securing the internship and should contact the SAA Program Director for more information about this process.

Each course is worth 3 credits and the total program is 39 credits. Each course lasts 7 weeks and students are enrolled in one course at a time with 3-4 weeks off between each semester.

Students that opt for the three-year plan (part-time) would take the 1st year course sequence over the course of the first two years and then complete their 2nd year sequence in their final (third) year of the program. In addition, they would need to take the 4 summer courses within the first three summers or take the fourth summer course at the end of their program. If students opt to go four summers (one course per summer), they would then graduate in August rather than in May of their final year.