M.Ed. in Higher Education
Create Supportive Solutions Through a Master’s in Higher Education
You’re shaping a better future for your students. Invest in brighter possibilities for you too. Regent’s Master of Education – Higher Education program provides advanced training for higher education professionals invested in the social development of students and how that influences their academic and future success. Explore legal and business aspects of higher education in areas such as career counseling, residence life, orientation, admissions, financial aid, and dean’s office as you prepare for career advancement.
INCREASE YOUR EARNING POTENTIAL
Capitalize on a higher salary and better benefits.
CREATE ENGAGING ENVIRONMENTS
Help students develop and grow in a dynamic community.
EXPAND YOUR CAREER PATH
Enjoy leadership opportunities in a variety of employment areas.
ALIGN YOURSELF WITH EXCELLENCE THROUGH AN M.ED. Higher Education PROGRAM
Experience Regent ranked among top national universities by U.S. News & World Report for four years (2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023). Its programs have also been recognized among the top 10 online graduate education programs in Virginia for 11 years in a row (2013-2023). Regent graduates are empowered to make a difference in lives, which has led to more than 900 alumni being recognized as Teachers of the Year in Hampton Roads since 2004.
Presented from a Christian worldview, the M.Ed. in Higher Education program is supported by award-winning faculty in Virginia Beach.
Please complete the Request Information form on this page to learn more about this program.
On completing the Master of Education – Higher Education degree, you can:
- Understand the developmental needs of students and create supportive solutions.
- Help create successful student service programs that enhance the learning experience.
- Apply strategic planning techniques that improve the social development of students.
Career Opportunities
- Academic Advisor
- Admissions/Financial Aid Specialist
- Orientation/First Year Experience Administrator
- Residence Life/Student Housing Specialist
- Student Activities/Development Leader
| EADM 515 | Research Design | 3 | Focuses on the role of the school leader or educator as a consumer (basic, applied, and orientational), a user (evaluation), and a producer (action) of educational research. As consumers, candidates learn how to identify, read, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, explain, and apply quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research. As users, candidates utilize descriptive statistics and data-driven decision making in problem-based learning applications. As producers, candidates follow the structure of a research proposal to develop competency with the literature, methods, designs, and data analysis techniques germane to the field. |
| EDCO 501 | Strategic Planning & Program Evaluation | 3 | Examines strategic planning and the role of program evaluation in the planning-implementation-evaluation cycle to include the curriculum planning process. Topics include various theoretical and philosophical perspectives, alternative evaluation designs and related methodologies including collaborative action research and issues related to design, measurement and utilization. The goal is to help educators become active collaborators in the evaluation process and to give them the tools to judge the value of an evaluation. Whether the task is designing an internal evaluation of a local program, contracting for an external evaluation at the district level, or critically reviewing an evaluation report as a basis for making an administrative decision, this course offers important leadership preparation. Each student will prepare an evaluability assessment related to a self-selected educational program in his/her area of concentration. Prerequisite: a graduate level research course. |
| EDU 600 | Graduate Foundations for Education | 2 | Provides the knowledge, resources, and essential skills needed for success at the graduate level. Topics include academic writing, online learning, information literacy, and advising and support services for Education. |
| EFND 523 | History & Contemporary Issues of American Higher Education | 3 | Overview of American higher education from the colonial period to the present. Form a foundational understanding of higher education and the origins of contemporary practices and problems within the academy. Investigate diverse institutions such as land grant colleges, historically black colleges and universities, research institutions, liberal arts colleges, religious colleges and universities and access to higher education. Examine and discuss early innovators of higher education and their policies. |
| EHEA 501 | The College & the Student | 3 | An examination of issues relevant to college students. Topics may include intellectual growth, moral development, values, career choice, psychosocial changes, and the role of extracurricular activities. Cross-listed with EHEA 801. |
| EHEA 502 | Higher Education Finance: Strategy, Costs & Value | 3 | Focuses on the knowledge and skills required to effectively deal with financial changes and trends for institutions of higher education. Students will further their skills in analysis and evaluation of issues from various perspectives – administrative, consumer and societal (government and organizations in the private sector that influence the source and use of funds). Financial management of higher education (administrative perspective) focuses on effectiveness and efficiency issues associated with the use of funds. The consumer perspective (access and choice issues in financing students) focuses on the source of institutional funds; both state and federal policies and programs and budgeting will inform the learner from that perspective. Cross-listed with EHEA 802. |
| EHEA 503 | The Law & Governance of Higher Education | 3 | Provides historical and contemporary legal issues that have and will continue to shape colleges and universities today. Discusses legal issues regarding the college and trustees, administrators and staff. Investigates the legal basis of higher education in the United States to include constitutional provisions and federal statutes that influence higher education policy. Prepares emergent administrators for preventative law measures in an increasing litigious environment. Cross-listed with GOV 628 and EHEA 803. |
| EHEA 504 | Student Services Administration | 3 | An examination of the historical underpinnings of student affairs, the numerous departments under student affairs, the administrative interaction between student affairs and other university departments, and administrative theory relevant to the student affairs administrator. |
| EHEA 595 | Professional Field Experience | 3 | On-site training provides students with the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge and develop an understanding of the relationship between theory and practice, as well as, to develop and refine professional and personal competencies and attitudes important to effective student affairs professionals. To be completed in an approved educational setting under the supervision of the internship coordinator and a qualified site supervisor with a required minimum of 100 hours of work and participation in an online internship seminar. Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor. |
| EHEA 602 | Role & Mission of the Christian College & University | 3 | Centers on the need for the continuance of Christian colleges and universities in a post-Christian culture. Particular emphasis will be placed on the strategies, objectives and goals that can best insure the future continuance of the spiritual mission and Orthodox beliefs of Christian colleges and Universities. Cross-listed with EHEA 702. |
| EHEA 603 | Essential Student Affairs Counseling & Support Skills | 3 | Foundational knowledge, perspectives, and skills essential to student affairs in a higher education setting. Theoretical practical, and ethical considerations of helping techniques will be examined and applied. Fundamental aspects of confidential counseling, academic advising, and career development are explored. |
2024-25 Semester Check-In Deadlines
All students are expected to check-in for the semester two weeks before the session start date. Students should apply, be accepted, enroll in their first courses, and confirm a plan to pay for their courses prior to this date.
| Session | Semester Check-In | Session Start Date |
|---|---|---|
| Session A | Friday, August 9 | Monday, August 19 |
| Session M | Friday, September 6 | Monday, September 16 |
| Session B | Friday, October 11 | Monday, October 21 |
| Session C | Wednesday, January 8 | Monday, January 13 |
| Session T | Friday, January 31 | Monday, February 10 |
| Session D | Friday, March 7 | Monday, March 17 |
| Session E | Friday, May 2 | Monday, May 12 |
| Session F | Friday, June 13 | Monday, June 23 |
Admissions Requirements
Step 1: Apply to Regent University
Submit your application using the Regent University Online Application.
Note: If you are unable to complete our application due to a disability, please contact our Admissions Office at 757.352.4990 or admissions@regent.edu and an admissions representative will provide reasonable accommodations to assist you in completing the application.
Step 2: Submit Your Unofficial Transcripts
Submit your unofficial transcripts to regent.edu/items.
Upon submitting your application, you will receive an email requesting authorization for Regent University to obtain your official transcripts from your U.S. degree-granting institution. International transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES, AACRAO or NAFSA approved agency.
Step 3: Submit Your Government-Issued ID
To ensure academic integrity, Regent University requires a copy of a government-issued ID. Please submit a scanned copy or photograph of it to regent.edu/items.
Please feel free to contact the Office of Admissions at 757.352.4990 or admissions@regent.edu should you have any further questions about the application process.
Note: All items submitted as part of the application process become the property of Regent University and cannot be returned.
PART-TIME STUDENTS
| Degree | Tuition Cost Per Credit Hour | Average Credit Hours Per Semester | Average Tuition Per Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Education (M.Ed.) | $585 | 6 | $3,510 |
| Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) | $820 | 6 | $4,920 |
| Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) | $820 | 3 | $2,460 |
| Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | $820 | 3 | $2,460 |
Full-Time Students
| Degree | Tuition Cost Per Credit Hour | Average Credit Hours Per Semester | Average Tuition Per Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Education (M.Ed.) | $585 | 9 | $5,265 |
| Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) | $820 | 9 | $7,380 |
| Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) | $820 | 6 | $4,920 |
| Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | $820 | 6 | $4,920 |
Student Fees Per Semester
| University Services Fee (On-Campus Students) | $900 (Fall & Spring) $750 (Summer) |
|---|---|
| University Services Fee (Online Students) | $750 |
PART-TIME STUDENTS
| Degree | Tuition Cost Per Credit Hour | Average Credit Hours Per Semester | Average Tuition Per Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Education (M.Ed.) | $565 | 6 | $3,390 |
| Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) | $800 | 6 | $4,800 |
| Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) | $800 | 3 | $2,400 |
| Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | $800 | 3 | $2,400 |
Full-Time Students
| Degree | Tuition Cost Per Credit Hour | Average Credit Hours Per Semester | Average Tuition Per Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Education (M.Ed.) | $565 | 9 | $5,085 |
| Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) | $800 | 9 | $7,200 |
| Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) | $800 | 6 | $4,800 |
| Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | $800 | 6 | $4,800 |
Student Fees Per Semester
| University Services Fee (On-Campus Students) | $850 (Fall & Spring) $700 (Summer) |
|---|---|
| University Services Fee (Online Students) | $700 |
*Rates are subject to change at any time.
Faculty
Dr. Barbee is the concentration chair for Higher Education and is committed to your success.
Dr. Dawn Barbee is currently an associate professor, full-time faculty member, and program director for the M.A. in Higher Education and Ph.D. and Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration and Leadership programs in the School of Education.
Dr. Barbee’s educational background includes an Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership and Management from Regent University, an M.A. in Biblical Studies from Regent University and a bachelor’s in economics and music from the University of Mary Washington.
With over 15 years of experience in teaching and administration in university settings, Dr. Barbee is a strong higher education professional. Her teaching experience encompasses the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels in the areas of biblical studies, ministry, leadership, and higher education. While at Palm Beach Atlantic University, Dr. Barbee held the position of Assistant Professor of Leadership and served as the Director of the Center for Global Leadership, where she oversaw the development and implementation of academic programs such as PBA Lead, an undergraduate leadership development program. She also served as Campus Registrar at the University of Valley Forge Virginia Campus. Outside academe, Dr. Barbee worked on staff as the Associate Director of Adult Spiritual Formation at a large church and served as a corporate chaplain.
Dr. Barbee’s dissertation explored the spiritual discernment practices of the governing boards of Christian higher education institutions. Her research interests include Christian higher education leadership; the spiritual formation of students in Christian colleges and universities; the integration of faith, learning, and living in curriculum and co-curriculum design; the role of soul care in higher education administration; Christian leadership formation; individual and group Christian decision-making; and the spiritual health of teams and leaders.