The Master of Arts in Higher Education program enrolls in August. Please submit all required application materials by the priority deadline, Monday January 10, 2023. We encourage applicants to apply as early as possible. Applications completed after the deadline will be considered based on space availability.

  • Evidence of an earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
  • Official transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate studies completed or taken, and sent to Elon’s Office of Graduate Admissions from the institution; transcripts may be emailed to gradadm@elon.edu or mailed to:
    Elon University
    Office of Graduate Admissions
    2750 Campus Box
    Elon, NC 27244
  • Recommended GPA of 3.0 or higher for undergraduate work
  • Essay Prompts – Plan to answer each of the following three prompts. Each response should be 500 words or less, and your total essay should not exceed 1500 words. Your essay responses will be reviewed for clarity of expression, structure, grammar, and insight.

1. Why do you want to earn your M.A. in Higher Education at Elon?  Avoid simply listing or describing features of the program or university, but rather explain why you believe this specific program will best prepare you for success as a higher education professional.

2. The admissions committee will review your resume, your transcripts and your letters of recommendation, all of which tell them important things about you and your qualifications. But there is more to you than these documents. Please share with the admissions committee how your life experiences (including those meaningful activities listed on your resume and/or experiences and events not included elsewhere in your application) have prepared you to make a meaningful contribution to Elon and the M.A. of Higher Education program.

3. What is one issue or challenge facing higher education that you hope to address as a professional? First, introduce the issue, then describe the particular position you have adopted on the issue and what impact might it have on how you approach your graduate studies in higher education?

  • Two letters of recommendation – one from a faculty member who can speak to the quality of your academic skills and writing, and one from a supervisor or mentor associated with a recent work or leadership role
  • Resume
  • A completed application with a $50 nonrefundable fee.

International Students

Because several months may be required to receive and process forms from international applicants, applications and complete documentation should be submitted as early as possible.

  • All application requirements listed above
  • Course-by-course transcript evaluations from one of the following approved agencies: WES, IEE, or ECE.
  • Demonstration of English language proficiency through one of the following methods (minimum):
    • Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 79 (internet-based tests) or 213 (computer-based examinations)
    • Official International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic exam score of 6.5 (overall band)
    • Official Duolingo of English Test score of 110
    • Completion of undergraduate degree in English
    • Certification that English is the applicant’s native language

    Transfer Credits

    A student enrolled in the M.A. in Higher Education program may be permitted to transfer 3 semester hours of appropriate graduate credit from a graduate program in a fully accredited institution. For transfer credits, grades earned at another graduate school must be at least a “B,” and the credit must not be more than six calendar years old at the time of degree completion at Elon. Only a course that has not been used to fulfill degree requirements can be proposed for transfer credit. No graduate credit will be allowed for excess credits completed in an undergraduate classification in any institution. No graduate credit will be allowed for correspondence courses, field-based work, or non-accredited institutions. Students seeking to transfer credits to the M.A. in Higher Education program should consult the MHE Graduate Director for guidance on the transfer credit approval process. Requests to transfer credits must be made prior to the first semester of enrollment. Students will not receive a refund for the course requirement fulfilled with transfer credits.