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Student Affairs Administration & Leadership

Application process

Application process


Summer Term

  • Applications open: August 1
  • Applications close: May 15

Fall Term

  • Applications open: August 1
  • Applications close: July 31

Spring Term

  • Applications open: April 1
  • Applications close: December 1

It may take a number of weeks to complete a graduate program application. Specifically, you need to allow sufficient time for transcripts and recommendations to be received. Please plan accordingly.

Notification of acceptance

Continuous notification.

Student Affairs Administration and Leadership (SAAL) doctorate in education (Ed.D.)

Admission Requirements

Ideal candidates for this program are student affairs professionals who have excellent social and professional support networks, are highly motivated, familiar with online learning, and can commit to an academically challenging program. Familiarity with course management systems (particularly Canvas) is helpful. A strong academic record at the master's degree level is expected.

Admission to the Ed.D. in Student Affairs Administration and Leadership is competitive and requires:
 
1. A master's degree in student affairs, higher education, or related field.
2. A minimum of three years' professional experience in a post-secondary educational institution.
3. Current employment in a student affairs related professional position in a post-secondary educational institution or related setting with the expectation of continuing that employment while in the Ed.D. program.
4. Complete application (see below).

Notes:

  1. Candidates may be asked to submit additional application materials and/or participate in an interview process. 
  2. To determine if you are eligible to be an online student in Wisconsin, see NC-SARA.
Application process

How to apply

Contact the graduate program director

We encourage you to make contact with our program director to introduce yourself and ask any questions you might have about the program. This contact also helps to alert us to your interest in the program. Complete the form below to get the process started!

Becki Elkins  Profile of Becki Elkins  Office hours

Becki Elkins's office hours

Tuesday
By appointment only
Thursday
By appointment only
Saturday
By appointment only

Remote office hours offered: All office hours are held virtually, by appointment. Please just email me to arrange a time. I'm always happy to meet with students!

Specialty areas:

Higher education organization and governance; higher education history; student affairs law and policy; assessment of student learning and program efficiency; social class identity; and college students in recovery.

Submit a UW System application
  • Follow the link to the UW System application. Register as a new user, unless you already have an account.
  • The email you enter on this application will be used to send you important information related to completing your graduate school application. You should use an email address that you monitor on a regular basis. 
  • There is a $56 UW System application fee, which you can pay online at the time of application. Alternatively, you can send a check (payable to UWL) to the address below.  *Application fee assistance is available to McNair Scholars. 

Graduate Admissions Office
1725 State Street
La Crosse, WI 54601

  • Please make sure that you select the Doctoral program and not the online Master's program.
  • Note that you will be asked to submit a "personal statement" in the UW System application. At that point, you may simply write "See personal statement essay submitted in the Program Applicant Dashboard." Then, you can upload your statement once you have access to the SAAL Program application dashboard.

Watch your email

Following UW System Application submission, you will receive two emails.

The first email is an invitation to your WINGS Student Center and includes information about your NETID/WINGS Username.  Access your WINGS Student Center to check the status of your application fee and transcripts.

The second email provides login information for your Applicant Dashboard. This email will be sent within 3 business days of submission of your UW system application; you may need to check your junk/spam email folders.  You will use your Applicant Dashboard to submit the supplemental application materials described below (including reference requests) for this program. If you have problems with the Applicant Dashboard, please contact gradstudies@uwlax.edu.

WINGS (example) 

Applicant Dashboard (example)
WINGS example App Dashboard example

UW System App completion hints

Complete the following sections as indicated:

  • "ARE YOU APPLYING AS A DEGREE SEEKING STUDENT?".....Choose Yes

  • CHOOSE: Looking to Earn a Graduate Degree

  • "CHOOSE YOUR MAJOR/PROGRAM"
    • select - "Student Affairs Administration & Leadership-Doctorate-Professional Practice*"

  • "WHEN WOULD YOU LIKE TO START SCHOOL?" 
    • select your start term
      • Application materials should be submitted 2 weeks prior to the start of classes.

  • HOLISTIC BACKGROUND
    • "EMPLOYMENT" (WORK EXPERIENCE)
      • check the “I have no work experience to report” checkbox, then click "SAVE AND CONTINUE"
    • "ESSAY"
      • copy and paste the following sentence into a text box "Personal statement will be submitted via my Applicant Dashboard", click "SAVE", then click "SAVE AND CONTINUE" 
Submit transcripts

Request that ALL previously attended institutions of higher education send official transcripts to the UWL Admissions Office. This includes college level courses taken while in high school. If you enrolled in fewer than 10 undergraduate semester credits at an institution, you do not have to send an official transcript unless the courses completed are prerequisites for the graduate program. Additional transcripts may be required at the university or graduate program's discretion. All graduate transcripts must be submitted. UWL accepts transcripts mailed directly from the issuing institution(s) or through an electronic secure document sending service. Transcripts should be sent to:

UWL Admissions Office
1725 State Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
admissions@uwlax.edu

  • Applicants can check transcript status via their WINGS account.
  • Applicants who are current UWL undergraduate students/alumni do not need to request formal transcripts for UWL coursework. Admissions can access your UWL transcript.
  • It may take a week or more for transcripts to be received/uploaded to your application file. Please plan accordingly in order to meet application deadlines. 
Log in to Applicant Dashboard to submit supplemental application materials

All supplemental application materials and information listed below will be submitted via your Applicant Dashboard. You will receive an email invitation to login to your Applicant Dashboard within 3 business days of UW System Application submission. Contact gradstudies@uwlax.edu with questions.

Recommendation letters

3 professional and/or academic letters of recommendation are required. 

You will submit your recommendation request(s) using the Applicant Dashboard by providing the name and email address for each reference. The system will automatically send the reference an email, including a link through which their recommendation should be uploaded to your application file. Your reference(s) should receive the emailed link within one business day of your request.

It is your responsibility to notify your reference(s) of the emailed request (they may need to check spam/junk folders) and provide information regarding deadlines for completion of the recommendation. 

You will be able to monitor the status of your recommendation requests, resend requests, and change reference information on Applicant Dashboard. Please contact gradstudies@uwlax.edu with questions.

Personal statement

This program requires submission of an essay made up of two parts.  Each part should be a maximum of three pages and written in APA style (double-spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman). Include a title page that identifies your name, current position/institution and date.

  • Part I - Personal statement: The SAA Ed.D. program is committed to offering all cohort members a challenging and diverse learning environment in which they are exposed to peers who represent a broad spectrum of viewpoints, professional backgrounds, life experiences, and career goals. In this context, please tell us what professional, academic, and personal perspectives you would bring to the program.

  • Part II - Critically reflective practice essay: Describe a recent (within the last five years) issue or concern you encountered in a student affairs context in a higher education setting. You might share information about the issues that surfaced, the challenges you experienced in your role, and the lessons you learned. How might you respond differently today? How do you hope the SAA Ed.D. program could prepare you to respond more effectively?
Resume

This program requires submission of a professional resume or curriculum vitae.

Selection process

Completed applications are reviewed early in the spring semester. The selection process follows this general outline:

  • Completed applications will be reviewed by UWL SAA faculty in January. Eligible applicants are invited to interview virtually with faculty in late January / early February.
  • Offers of admission will be made no later than March 1st.
  • Applicants who are waitlisted and those who are denied admission also will be notified of their status in late February.
  • Admitted students will be asked to accept or decline offers by March 15th.
  • If space allows, waitlisted students may receive offers of admission. These offers will be made in late March.
  • The entering cohort will be finalized by mid-April.

Online orientation for the program will begin in April. Classes will begin in accordance with the Summer Session I start date, updated on the Dates & Deadlines page yearly. Specific dates will be communicated during the application process.

Please direct any questions about this process to saa@uwlax.edu or, the Ed.D. Program Director, Dr. Becki Elkins at belkins@uwlax.edu.

Additional requirements for international applicants

In addition to the application requirements listed above, international applications will need to submit the following items:

  • Transcript information: As noted above, official, certified or attested transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended must be submitted. Additionally, documents issued in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
  • Proof of English language proficiency: Non-native English speakers must submit evidence of one the following language proficiency requirements for admission:
    • TOEFL score (within last 2 years) of at least 79 iBT or 550 pBT - Institution Code: 1914
    • IELTS score (within last 2 years) of at least 6.0
    • Duolingo English Test (DET) score of at least 110
    • 60 PTE score
    • A bachelor’s or higher degree from UWL or another approved institution where English is the sole language of instruction.
      • Degree must be earned within two years of expected enrollment in this UWL graduate program.
      • Applicant must have attended the institution for a minimum of two years.
  • Proof of funding: Submit a bank statement and completed Affidavit of Support form.
    • Applicants who require F-2 visas for dependents (spouse and/or children) must submit additional proof of funding and passport copies for each dependent.

  • Passport information: Submit a photocopy of the photo page of your passport. 

Please contact International Admissions at  intladmissions@uwlax.edu if you have questions.  Each of the items listed in this section "Additional requirements for international applicants" can be sent directly to the UWL Admissions Office.

UWL Admissions Office
1725 State Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
USA

* Special note regarding F-1/J-1 Visas: UW-La Crosse (UWL) is unable to issue immigration documents for an F-1/J-1 visa to international students in this online program [8 CFR 214.2(f)(6)(i)(G)]. International students must either complete the program outside the U.S. or have a valid visa that permits online study in the U.S. If you have further questions please contact UWL's International Education & Engagement (IEE) at international@uwlax.edu.

Conversation with the awardee...

What are the organizations?

ACPA—College Student Educators International  formerly known as the American College Personnel Association, is a professional association for individuals working in student affairs and higher education, including faculty, staff, and students. ACPA focuses on promoting high-quality educational programs, research, and leadership development, particularly with a focus on racial justice and decolonization.

National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) is the preeminent voice for chief diversity officers. It leads the national and international conversation on diversity, equity, and inclusion in postsecondary education. Ultimately, it investigates, influences, and innovates to transform higher education so inclusive excellence thrives at the core of each institution worldwide.

What is the award for / about?

The "Higher Education Thought Leader Award," represents the ACPA Chapters and International Divisions. Kareem served as President Elect and President for the Minnesota Chapter (2022 - 2024). A “thought leader” is recognized as a foremost authority in a specific area of higher education, contributing innovative ideas, creating and sharing knowledge, and helping solve complex challenges.

The 2nd award is the "Outstanding Dissertation Award," from NADOHE. The Outstanding Dissertation Award recognizes completed dissertations, either quantitative or qualitative, that have contributed substantially to the literature and to the field of diversity and inclusion in higher education. These dissertations serve as exemplary models of research that not only inform, but also elevate the discourse.

Any insights from the nominations? (e.g., who nominated you, etc.)

I self-nominated for the ACPA award. However, for the Outstanding Dissertation Award, I was nominated by Dr. Adele Lozano, Dr. Jörg Vianden, and the current President of the Minnesota Chapter of ACPA, Dr. Steven Parker.

How is your work today informed by what you learned through your doctoral degree?

Through my doctoral studies, I learned the importance of being an effective and innovative leader—someone who can build strategic alliances, foster collaborations, and create partnerships that drive meaningful success. These skills have become central to my work as an administrator, helping to inform my leadership approach, advance institutional goals, and support belonging and success for students and the campus community. Last but not least, working with various group members within my UWL SAAL cohort on a variety of projects, helped to better prepare me for both the positive and negative aspects of leading a team in student affairs work.