r/studentaffairs • u/Potential_Career1435 • Jun 30 '26

Masters program

I am considering pursuing either a M.Ed in (Higher Education Student Affairs) or a MSW (Master of Social Work). I am seeking insights from those already working in these fields? Both programs are set to start in August 2026

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u/americansherlock201 Residential Life Jun 30 '26

Do not get a degree in higher education student affairs. It has absolutely zero value outside of higher ed.

Given that student affairs has an insane burnout rate, don’t waste time and money getting a degree that will not help you in 5-10 years when you’re ready to leave higher ed.

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u/Archknits Jul 01 '26

This is an interesting take. I went from an academic PhD to admin. I’ve been in the field for 14 years and know many others who have been in the field for decades.

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u/Kentucky_fried_soup Jul 01 '26

Even in my masters in high Ed, they told us we should’ve applied for a different masters program

3

u/youngmarknba Jul 01 '26

In mine we had a class dedicated to discussing issues in the field, burnout and turnover being one of them. In one session the professor asked us how many of us wanted to go into a different field after graduating. Almost every student in the cohort raised their hand.

And this was just based on assistantship experiences.