Graduate diploma in post-secondary education (student affairs and services)
Note: This program does not qualify students for Newfoundland and Labrador Teaching Certification.
Program Information
The Graduate Diploma in Post-Secondary Education (Student Affairs and Services) will provide concentrated study in theory and practice pertaining to student development, services, programs and initiatives that support student success in post-secondary education. The Graduate Diploma is intended for student affairs and services practitioners, administrators, and educators within post-secondary education.
Students will engage in an in-depth study of the theoretical models of student development, historical and contemporary influences on the profession, philosophies, values and ethics of professional practice, administration and organizational structures, assessment, evaluation and research, and technological and media innovations.
All courses are available fully online and will include post-secondary professionals across Canada for an informative and stimulating experience. Students will commence their studies in the Fall semester and complete the program on a part-time basis over four semesters. This program serves as a pathway into the Master of Education (Post-Secondary Education).
Graduates of this program will be well-positioned, with a specialized student affairs and services credential, to seek advancement within their careers and/or move into senior level positions.
| Online Program |
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| All courses included in the program are delivered by distance education. On-campus attendance is not required. |
The Post-Secondary (PS) Education Program in the Faculty of Education, Memorial University plays a critically important role in teacher/instructor education, both in terms of initial certification and upgrading of credentials in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Most instructors certified to teach in Newfoundand and Labrador's colleges have received their educational credentials through the PS program at Memorial. The provincial context for post-secondary education is vitally important to the program and the Faculty of Education examines and adjusts its programs and services to work with post-secondary stakeholders to ensure programs are sensitive to the changing needs of this sector of education.
Post-secondary education students come from diverse occupational fields and are situated at different points in their careers. The Faculty of Education's post-secondary diploma and degree programs are carefully designed to be accessible to a diverse community of learners and the Faculty continually strives to keep programs current and relevant by structuring course design and delivery in ways that create the conditions for all students to be successful, regardless of prior learning.
Application Deadline
The deadline for application to the Graduate Diploma in Post-Secondary Education (Student Affairs and Services) program is February 1 and the program start date is September (Fall semester). Please refer to application submission deadlines.
Admission/Application Information
Please visit the links provided in the table below to learn more about the Graduate Diploma in Post-Secondary Education (Student Affairs and Services) admission/application regulations and requirements.
| Graduate Diploma in Post-Secondary Education Programs (Student Affairs and Services) |
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| School of Graduate Studies Admission Regulations |
| Faculty of Education Admission Requirements |
| Post-Secondary Education Admission Requirements |
Program Requirements
Please visit the link provided in the table below to learn more about the Graduate Diploma in Post-Secondary Education (Student Affairs and Services) program requirements.
| Graduate Diploma in Post-Secondary Education (Student Affairs and Services) |
|---|
| Program Requirements |
Students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Post-Secondary Education (Student Affairs and Services) program may also request a transfer to the Master of Education (Post-Secondary Education) program prior to graduation.
- A candidate with part-time status may register for a maximum of 3 credit hours in any semester or session, excluding summer session, when 6 credit hours are permitted.
- Candidates may register for additional courses in a semester or session with the permission of the Office of the Associate Dean, Graduate Programs and Research, Faculty of Education.
Program Cost
Please refer to Graduate Tuition and Fees for general information and the School of Graduate Studies Minimum Expense form for detailed tuition, special fee, and other program cost information.
Interested?
Students are required to apply online to have information formally assessed. Applications and official supporting documents are to be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies by the application deadline. Complete detailed application packages are expected by the deadline date. Applications may be submitted online by following the process outlined at School of Graduate Studies-Application Package.
| # | Course Title | Course Description |
|---|---|---|
| ED 6810 | Assessment and Evaluation in Student Services | This course is designed to provide an overview of the purposes and paradigms of assessment and evaluation used in student affairs and services. The integral roles and responsibilities of assessment and evaluation in service, program, and initiative designs, teaching and learning contexts, and division and unit analyses across campus. While the content has specific relevance to North American colleges and universities many of the issues discussed will have significance to student affairs and services programs and missions around the world. |
| ED 6831 | Organization and Administration of Student Services for the Adult Learner | This course is designed to examine the foundations of student services in Canada and the United States; special characteristics of the adult learner; the needs of the adult learner; the variety of programs undertaken by the adult learner from Adult Basic Education to university level; the range of institutions offering these programs and the response by institutions to adult learners through the support services offered to them. |
| ED 6841 | Student Development Theory, Services and Programs in Post-Secondary Education | This course is designed to provide an overview of student development theory, services, and programs in post-secondary education. Perspectives from which to view the field and function as a student personnel professional will be provided, discussed, and debated. There has been considerable growth in the status of student affairs and services in post-secondary education in North America, as service and program provision are integral to student success. The integration of empirical knowledge and theoretical propositions within this context is imperative for the analysis of current practice and future developments. This course is designed to provide an overview of student development theory, services, and programs in post-secondary education. Perspectives from which to view the field and function as a student personnel professional will be provided, discussed, and debated. There has been considerable growth in the status of student affairs and services in post-secondary education in North America, as service and program provision are integral to student success. The integration of empirical knowledge and theoretical propositions within this context is imperative for the analysis of current practice and future developments. |
| ED 6940 | Administration of Student Services in Post-Secondary Education | The course is designed to familiarize students with the administration of student affairs and services portfolios in colleges and universities in a Canadian context. Emphasis will be placed on the complex and highly visible position of the chief student affairs officer (CSAO) and the team of student affairs and services professionals in providing campus leadership which fosters the academic and social development of students. |
| # | Course Title | Course Description |
|---|---|---|
| ED 6801 | Foundations of Post-Secondary Programmes | This course is designed to contribute a synopsis and analysis of the nature, characteristics, and development of post-secondary education (both public and private) with an emphasis on the nonuniversity system. The philosophical, sociological and economic perspectives of such education will be considered together with implications for programming and human resource development in general. National and international comparisons will be included. |
| ED 6811 | Theoretical Foundations in Adult/Post-Secondary Teaching and Learning | This course is designed to connect traditional and emerging theories of adult and post-secondary learning. Through participation, students will engage with multiple theories and perspectives about adult and post-secondary learning and deepen the dialogue between different perspectives on the complexity of adults’ lives and their learning. The course focuses on inclusion, relationships, and an ethics of care. Traditional and emerging theories will be discussed as well as critiques of these perspectives. |