The study of higher education analyzes complex issues in college and university education via an interdisciplinary foundation of sociology, psychology, organization behavior, economics, and history.
Courses center on the theories, concepts, and research pertinent to course topics.
This body of knowledge is then applied to practical situations that reflect the specific issues and concerns in higher education. Careful examination of the course descriptions should be helpful in identifying the range of topics explored in this interdisciplinary field. The graduate program in higher education at Syracuse is one of the oldest in the country. The program began in 1931 as the Student Dean Program with the mission to train women to be deans of women at colleges and universities, or to be high school and college counselors and placement officers. Under Dr. Hilton's leadership, the program became known in the field as the program for women in higher education.