• M.Ed.
  • Program Overview
  • Mission & Objectives
  • Admissions
  • Program Curriculum
  • General Information
  • Assistantships
  • Program Faculty
  • Student Handbook
  • University & Department Policies
  • Contact Information
  • Cohort 2014
  • Cohort 2015

General Information

Advisement and Registration

Each student is assigned a faculty advisor from the CSAA faculty (see faculty page).

The advisor-student relationship is not limited to advisement and registration activities. Ideally, students will seek consultation frequently with their advisor about program plans, personal and developmental issues, and career planning. All faculty are available for consultation with students, and attention is given to providing an appropriate amount of individual challenge and support as students progress through the program. It is students’ responsibility to request assistance from their advisor when they have questions, desire guidance, or are experiencing problems. All faculty members are available by appointment.

Annual Program Review

Program faculty meet regularly and share information about student issues and progress. Problems that arise are addressed as necessary. In the fall of the 2nd year, students meet with advisors to receive feedback from the previous academic year and from assistantship, practicum, and internship supervisors; goals for the year are then set in consultation with the advisor.  Policies and procedures for evaluation and dismissal of students are provided in the CSAA-M student handbook.

Expenses

Students should be aware that during graduate study they will incur additional expenses beyond tuition, fees, and living expenses. Such expenses include textbook and course material purchases; parking; travel to service-learning, practicum, or internship sites; professional organization memberships; copying/printing of course materials and resources needed for class assignments; conference attendance costs; and required liability insurance for practicum/internship experiences. First year students in the CSAA-M program are required to attend a professional conference.

Facilities

Aderhold Hall

The CSAA program is in the College of Education and located on the 4th floor of Aderhold Hall. The majority of courses in the program are offered in Aderhold Hall, and faculty offices are located there.

Division of Student Affairs

The CSAA-M program has a long and beneficial relationship with the UGA Division of Student Affairs. They provide assistantships, adjunct faculty, and practicum and internship sites, as well as significant support through their on-going work with our students and professional role modeling. Student Affairs interacts with students through organized services and programs to create a campus responsive to individual student needs. Its mission is to enhance students’ academic, physical, and social well-being at the University.  Program faculty members and Division professional staff members collaborate frequently and closely to provide and improve learning and professional experiences for students in the program.

Comprehensive Exams

CSAA masters students are required to pass a comprehensive exam which is administered in January of the second year of study. The comprehensive exam is designed to give students an opportunity to organize and synthesize their learning while in the program. The exam consists of two long essay questions and three short essay questions.  The comprehensive exam process is discussed in an overview session early in the first semester of the second year of study and in preparation sessions offered by the faculty.

Library

The University of Georgia Main Library is located on North Campus. It is the largest library in the State of Georgia and offers students extensive resources for completing their academic studies. The library provides over 200 computer databases for literature searches as well as an inter-library loan process, microfilm material, a copy center, and library carrels for study.  The library offers extensive on-line resources, including many full-text articles, through their website:  www.libs.uga.edu.

Practica & Internship Experiences

The practica and internship courses provide an opportunity for students to gain first-hand experience under supervision and guidance of qualified and dedicated professionals in the field of higher education. This, in addition to assistantships, creates the experiential component that is a crucial complement to the academic curriculum. Both practicum and internship carry academic credit and involve assignments in addition to the work at the site.  Together, they include approximately 500 hours of supervised experiences, creating a substantial foundation for professional practice.

Professional Organizations

The purpose of this academic program is to prepare professionals for work in college or university student affairs or student services. Learning in this program is achieved not only through the classroom, but through actual practice in and exposure to the profession of student affairs as well. One of the key elements of the profession is involvement in professional organizations. All students are expected to be actively involved in at least one professional organization during their course of study.

Graduate students, faculty, and staff members alike will encourage you to become an active member of professional organizations. There are innumerable organizations available. Talk to professionals in your area of interest and ask them about the organizations to which they belong and their recommendations for new professionals. Membership in professional organizations will invariably enhance your development as a student affairs professional.

The following are several of the organizations that you should consider:

• ACPA: College Student Educators International is a national professional organization that supports and fosters college student learning through the generation and dissemination of knowledge, which informs policies, practices, and programs for student affairs professionals and the higher education community. www.myacpa.org

• NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education is a national professional organization which seeks to provide professional development and advocacy for student affairs educators and administrators who share the responsibility for a campus-wide focus on the student experience. www.naspa.org

• Southern Association for College Student Affairs (SACSA) is a regional organization that focuses on current practices and research that have implications and applicability for practitioners. www.sacsa.org 
• Georgia College Personnel Association (GCPA) provides leadership in student affairs work within the framework of the goals of higher education. GCPA holds an annual conference and also offers other programs. Students are encouraged to join this organization and submit program proposals for the annual conference to acquire an understanding of state-wide professional organizations and to gain experience in making professional presentations. www.mygcpa.com

• University of Georgia Student Personnel Association (UGASPA) is a student-led organization which serves as a social and educational group for students, staff, and faculty. Social and educational events will be promoted, sponsored, and coordinated by UGASPA throughout the year. All students in CSAA are automatically members of UGASPA; there is no membership fee. Some events may carry a participation fee, but many UGASPA activities are free.
  • Membership and active involvement in UGASPA carries with it the following benefits:
  • Opportunity to acquire leadership and other professionally valuable experiences directly applicable to future careers
  • Opportunity to help build and enrich the student-faculty community within the program
  • Demonstration of a commitment to the field and professional colleagues
  • Opportunity to develop meaningful social and personal relationships with fellow students, especially those who do not share classes, and faculty
  • Opportunity to network with student affairs practitioners.

Responsibilities of Students and Faculty

The faculty members in the CSAA-M program have high expectations of ourselves and of our students. In order to be as clear as possible, the following list is provided as guidance:

Students are expected to…

• Be dedicated to learning and willing to put forth the effort necessary to excel. Students are expected to take advantage of as many professional learning experiences as they can. Further, students are expected to become active members of professional associations by joining, attending conferences, submitting program proposals, and volunteering for special projects.
• Be self-motivating and seek assistance when it is needed. To ask for help from classmates and faculty is not a sign of weakness but of intelligence.
• Attend all classes and be on time. Lateness is a sign of disrespect for the instructor and fellow students. It also disrupts the learning environment.
• Have read all assigned materials before the appointed class and to come to class prepared with questions and topics for discussion.
• Submit work by specified deadlines.
• Be cooperative and support others in their efforts to learn; unhealthy excessive competition among students is not valued and is destructive of morale and learning.
• Contribute to the learning community by going beyond class attendance and completion of class requirements. Students and faculty both have an obligation to contribute to the learning community.
• Be an active participant in the classroom by refraining from inappropriate use of technology (checking e-mail, text messaging, posting on Facebook, etc.).
• Adhere to high standards of academic integrity and professional ethics. The ACPA Statement of Ethical Principles and Standards, NASPA Standards of Professional Practice, and “A Culture of Honesty” – the University of Georgia’s policy and procedures on academic honesty – apply to all students in the program.
• Act professionally at all times and dress appropriately in class and elsewhere. Each student is a representative of students and faculty associated with the programs. When involved in professional activities with student affairs staff, students should adopt the mode of dress of the practicing professionals.
• Interact professionally and collegially with CSAA doctoral students, whether they are serving as teaching interns, book group mentors, workplace colleagues, UGASPA participants, or in other capacities; the opportunity to interact with and learn from the doctoral students is a benefit of the CSAA program.
• Be loyal to the program and those associated with it. If a student has a problem or criticism of the program, other students, or faculty, it should be dealt with within the program and directly with the persons involved.
• Refrain from gossiping about students and/or faculty associated with the program. Gossiping is unprofessional conduct and demeans all involved. Students are expected to confront persons with whom they have issues directly, in private, and with civility.

Students can expect faculty to…

• Work hard and reflect credit on the programs.
• Be available to students. The best way to be certain you’ll find faculty is to make an appointment. DO NOT apologize for seeking assistance or consultation. Email is generally the easiest way to contact faculty.
• Be prepared for class.
• Set high standards for academic performance, professional behavior, and personal development and to provide support.
• Care about students as persons and as developing student affairs professionals. Faculty want students to succeed as students and as student affairs professionals while building constructive, healthy lives.
• Convey a professional image.
• Be involved in regional and national professional organizations, giving the programs and students national visibility
• Conduct research and publish the findings.
• Support students in initial job searches after graduation and throughout their careers.
• Provide feedback on professional behavior concerns, ethical issues, and appropriate demeanor as well as on academic progress.