Master of Science

College Student Personnel

The Master of Science in College Student Personnel is a two-year, practitioner-oriented program, philosophically based in college student development and university administration. It is designed to prepare thoughtful, compassionate, first-line student and university service administrators armed with the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to begin or enhance a career in the variety of settings in which such services are needed.

The goals of the College Student Personnel (CSP) program include:

  1. Demonstrating mastery and application of foundational and professional studies in College Student Personnel.
  2. Demonstrating professional behavior in carrying out student services work.

This program may be completed online.

 Unconditional Admission

Students are eligible to apply for unconditional admission to the Master of Science degree program in College Student Personnel if they meet the following requirements:

  1. Applicants must meet the admission requirements for the Graduate College.
  2. Applicants must submit a current resume/vitae highlighting any co-curricular experiences and/or student affairs experience.
  3. Applicants must submit two (2) letters of reference from previous/current faculty or supervisors who can attest to the candidate's ability to succeed in an academic setting.
  4. Applicants must meet a minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.70 or a 3.0 GPA in the last 30 hours.
  5. Applicants must submit a reflective writing sample, consisting of 3 short-answer reflection items, which include:
    1. Define student affairs and how you see yourself contributing to the field;
    2. Explain how your undergraduate grade point average reflects or does not reflect your ability to succeed at the graduate level; and
    3. What can faculty and classmates expect from you in the classroom and/or virtual classroom? Please share the delivery method (online; face-to-face; or both) you plan to use to complete the degree and if you will be a distance student.
  6. Approval from the Program Director.

In addition, applicants must submit admission materials no later than two weeks prior to the start of the semester as a priority admission date. Applicants submitting after the priority deadline will be considered if space is still available in CSP graduate classes.

Conditional Admission

Applicants who fail to meet the minimum requirements for admission have the opportunity for conditional admission if applicant meets the minimum graduate admission standards and upon a successful appeal to the program director. Students admitted under a conditional status must earn a cumulative 3.0 GPA on the first twelve (12) graduate hours in the program.

Advising Certificate Admission

Students not currently in the CSP program will need to submit an application to the Graduate College (advising certificate); pay the application fee; submit a resume; and give a short statement about why you want to pursue the advising certificate and how you plan to use it to meet their personal or professional goals.

Academic Advisors

The director of the program will assign a faculty advisor to each student admitted to the degree program. The advisor will assist the student in the design of a curriculum of study that leads to the fulfillment of degree requirements. Subsequently, the academic advisor, the Department Graduate Committee, and the Graduate College will monitor the student's progress as they progress through the program. It remains, however, the student's responsibility to understand and to satisfy all degree requirements.

Degree Requirements

  1. The completion of a minimum of 36 semester hours of graduate work including the following courses:
    Required Core Courses (30 Hours)

    Foundation Course (3 hours)

    CSP 6023 Introduction to College Student Personnel Work

    Professional Studies (21 hours)

    CSP 6033 Student Development Theory
    CSP 6043 College Students & Subcultures
    CSP 6053 Legal Issues for Professionals in College Student Personnel
    CSP 6073 Counseling Theories and Helping Skills
    CSP 6113 Research Design and Analysis
    CSP 6123 Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education
    CSP 6143 Administration in College Student Personnel

    Supervised Practice (6 hours)

    CSP 6083 Practicum 1 in College Student Personnel
    CSP 6063 College Student Personnel Capstone Seminar

    Elective Courses (6 Hours Required)

    CSP 6093 Practicum 2 in College Student Personnel (Required for students without student affairs related work experience)
    CSP 6133 Ethical Leadership in Higher Education
    CSP 6153 Advising Student Groups
    CSP 6163 Academic Advising
    CSP 6173 Career Counseling
    CSP 6203 American Higher Education in Transition
    CSP 6213 Diversity & Inclusion in Student Affairs
    CSP 6881-3 Special Problem (Workshop) in College Student Personnel

    Advising Certificate (15 Hours Required)

    CSP 6073 Counseling Theories & Helping Skills
    CSP 6083 or 6093 Practicum - Will need to be focused in an advising area
    CSP 6153 Advising Student Groups
    CSP 6163 Academic Advising
    CSP 6173 Career Advising

  2. A cumulative grade point average of a 3.00 or better must be achieved in all graduate work attempted at Arkansas Tech University for the Graduate Degree and the Advising Certificate, with a maximum of six (6) hours of "C" grades for the Master's Degree and a maximum of three (3) hours of "C" grades for the Advising Certificate. A student receiving more than six (6) hours of "C" or grades lower than "C" should refer to the section of the catalog on Academic Probation and Dismissal.
  3. A minimum of 27 semester hours of graduate course work completed at Arkansas Tech University.
  4. Successful completion of the comprehensive examination. Comprehensive examination policies are available from the program director.
  5. Completion of all degree requirements within six (6) years from the time of unconditional or conditional admission into the program.

Candidacy

Graduate students admitted unconditionally must apply for candidacy to the selected degree program upon completion of twelve (12) graduate credit hours. Students admitted conditionally cannot apply for candidacy until all conditions assigned at the time of admission to graduate study have been removed.

Upon the completion of twelve (12) graduate hours, a hold will be placed on the students' record until a candidacy form has been approved by the Graduate Dean. Failure to apply for candidacy will result in the hold remaining on the students' record, and an inability to register for subsequent coursework. 

Students who have filed a candidacy form but do not enroll or receive graduate credit for one (1) academic year must submit a new candidacy form upon being readmitted into the same graduate program.  If admitted into a different academic program, students are not required to submit a new candidacy form until twelve (12) graduate credits have been accumulated within the new program.

Application for Graduation

In addition to satisfying all degree requirements, a candidate for a degree must file an Application for Graduation online or at the Registrar's Office.  Students must apply for graduation upon completion of twelve (12) graduate credit hours.

Special Conditions of Graduate Credit

Graduate Credit Taken Prior to Admission to Arkansas Tech University

A maximum of nine (9) semester hours of graduate credit with a grade point average of "B" or better may be transferred from an accredited graduate school if deemed appropriate to the graduate program by the head of the student's major department and the Graduate College Dean. Students must send a written request to the head of their major department to petition an acceptance of the transfer credit prior to requesting admission to candidacy to the graduate program. Graduate credit earned six (6) years prior to the completion date of all degree requirements may not be applied toward the degree without the approval of the appropriate program director and the Graduate College Dean. Credits earned by correspondence courses or for remedial purposes will not apply toward the graduate degree. No undergraduate course may be repeated for graduate credit.

Graduate Credit Taken After Admission to Arkansas Tech University

If after admission to graduate study, a student wishes to take a course at another institution to count toward degree requirements at Arkansas Tech University, the student must (in advance of enrollment) obtain written approval from the program director and the Graduate College Dean.