Higher Education Fellowship Program

The application deadline for the 2012-2013 Higher Education Fellowship has closed.

Information on the 2013-2014 Higher Education Fellowship will be posted in December 2012.             

Application Components

1. Completed application. Apply online today or click here to download an application.
2. Official, sealed transcripts from all colleges/universities attended.
3. Current resume.
4. Three (3) letters of reference that speak to your capacity for leadership, professionalism, and ability to succeed in this fellowship program.
5. Essay (500 words maximum) that describes your current part-time or full-time work experiences to date, in terms of areas of responsibility and major accomplishments.
6. Essay (500 words maximum) that describes five major skills you hope to gain from participation in a fellowship site in the higher education program, and how they will contribute to your future goals in higher education.

The 2012-2013 application process:

1. Interested applicants submit an application, and all application components, to the Graduate Program office by March 1, 2012.
2. After review, applicants will be notified of their acceptance in the Higher Education master’s program and candidates will be invited to interview with potential placement sites on March 15, 2012.

Fellowship site information will be distributed to all accepted students in advance of the March 15th interview day. 

About the Program

The Master’s in Higher Education (M.Ed.) prepares students to be administrative leaders in colleges and universities, working with students and in a variety of roles supporting the advancement of higher education. The curriculum focuses on learning and development of college students, college access, equity and diversity, and organizational development. Students will gain a broad understanding of current trends, leadership challenges, and opportunities to advance social justice in higher education.

• The Higher Education Fellowship is a highly competitive, full-tuition fellowship that links graduate study with a nine-month internship in a postsecondary institution.
• Students take graduate courses in the summers and evenings through the academic year while serving as part-time professionals in varied capacities in their respective placement sites.
• All Fellows have experienced and highly effective site-based mentors, college supervisors, and faculty advisors to support their learning and to strengthen their impact in their positions.

Fellows graduate in one year with a master’s in education (M.Ed.) in Higher Education. The program is open to all majors.

2011-2012 Partner Sites

• Merrimack College
• Northern Essex Community College
• Massachusetts Campus Compact
• Central Catholic High School
• Little Sprouts

Program Structure and Sequence

The core of our program emphasizes social justice and the multifaceted role that colleges and universities can and should play in a democratic, pluralistic, and complex society. Fellows:

• take a set of core courses
• concentrate in a particular area of specialization
• complete a research project as the culminating capstone experience

All components are interlinked and interwoven to support purposeful and reflective practice, engaged scholarship, and impactful work.

Fellows complete the program in four (4) terms: Summer 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, and Summer 2012.  Internships begin in the fall and wrap up at the end of the spring semester.

For more information:

School of Education, Graduate Programs
Phone: (978) 837-5436
Email: highered@merrimack.edu