A unique graduate degree program beginning this fall at Lincoln University will prepare future leaders for the university and its counterparts. The Master of Higher Education with a concentration in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) will enroll its first cohort in Fall 2016.
Offered through the university’s Department of Education, graduates of the program will gain skills and knowledge in higher education leadership as a practice, with a more specific understanding of the nuances and issues of HBCU leadership. The program is designed with the full-time employed student in mind. Diverse professional backgrounds and career goals will help prepare students for their future as they work together in and out of class. These interactions will help students appreciate and understand the multiple perspectives that may be needed in higher education decision-making.
“The challenges that HBCUs face require administrators to not only adapt to change, but also understand the historical mission, the culture, human capital, politics, and resource that beset these institutions in the 21st century,” says Dr. Said Sewell, Lincoln University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Our main goal is to prepare individuals for leadership in shaping the future of HBCUs through generating and applying knowledge, advancing the role of HBCUs in supporting the public good, and improving institutional practice,” continues Sewell.
Dr. Avila Hendricks, Lincoln University Department of Education Program Director sees the program as a necessary asset for developing future leaders of HBCUs. “The Master of Higher Education degree program will draw its core faculty from Lincoln University’s best instructors, and its affiliate adjunct faculty from some of the top universities and premier higher education agencies in the country. This program will create an extraordinary platform for professional development and innovation at HBCUs.”
Graduates of the program will be qualified to participate in a wide range of HBCU settings, including: student affairs, academic affairs, and development. They will assume a wide variety of roles and work on key activities such as admissions, advising, residential, fundraising, and administration. Coursework will be offered in an accelerated cohort model, with the typical completion time of three semesters, over a year and a half. The university has available graduate assistantships for qualified non-Missouri resident students.
Graduate students and elite practitioners who aspire to higher intellectual levels, or who would enjoy studying and working with leading educational specialists in order to improve their job performance and professional qualifications to apply now. For more information, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies at gradschool@lincolnu.edu or by calling 573-681-5247.
