University of Central Arkansas

As an applicant for admission, you must present evidence of your ability to participate successfully in a graduate-level academic endeavor. To be considered, you must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning and have achieved a minimum cumulative undergraduate Grade Point Average of 2.7 or a 3.0 in the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate study. In addition, all applicants must submit the following for admission to the Graduate School:

• A completed application for admission for graduate study at the University of Central Arkansas.
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities you have attended.
• A copy of your score from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
• A $25.00 non-refundable application fee.

Please note: You are encouraged to take the GRE prior to applying for admission. However, if your undergraduate Grade Point Average is 2.7 or higher, you will receive full admission and be allowed to begin your coursework, but you must take the GRE and receive an acceptable score the next time it is offered in Arkansas. If your undergraduate Grade Point Average is below a 2.7, provisional acceptance may be granted on a case by case basis, but does not guarantee admission to the CSPA program at UCA.

All graduate applications should be in by April 15th.

The materials above materials should be sent to:

Graduate School
Torreyson Library – Room 328
201 Donaghey Avenue
Conway, AR 72035-0001

Not only must applicants meet the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School at the University of Central Arkansas, but additionally to be admitted to the CSPA program, students must:

• Submit a completed application for admission to the CSPA Program Coordinator.
• Submit three letters of reference from professionals who are familiar with the applicant's professional and academic performance.
• Submit a two-page paper addressing a topic related to issues in student affairs.
• Participate in a scheduled interview with the CSPA Program Coordinator.

The materials above, including your assistantship application and résumé should be sent to:

Dr. Charlotte Cone, Ph.D.
College Student Personnel Services and Administration
Department of Leadership Studies
Mashburn 230
201 Donaghey Avenue
Conway, AR 72035

The College Student Personnel Services and Administration program at the University of Central Arkansas is interdisciplinary to prepare student services administrators for diverse areas of responsibility, and covers finance, budgeting, marketing, public relations, strategic planning, technology application, leadership/team-building, and legal/ethical issues. The program integrates theory with practice by combining academic preparation with field-based experiences and internships. The program also gives students access to graduate-level instruction from faculty in multiple disciplines, an important component not often found in other student personnel models, allowing students to broaden their understanding of the total campus community and exposing them to a wide variety of institutional processes and theoretical models.

The academic program requires the completion of 42 semester hours of graduate credit. Written comprehensive examinations are required. The curriculum consists of three components: Foundational Studies, Professional Studies, and Supervised Practice.

1. Foundational Studies includes the study of the foundations of higher education and student affairs.
2. Professional Studies includes five related areas:
   1. Student Development Theory
   2. Student Characteristics and Effects of College on Students
   3. Individual and Group Interventions
   4. Organization and Administration of Student Personnel Services in Higher Education
   5. Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
3. Supervised Practice consists of two semester-long experiences, a practicum and internship, in at least two distinct settings.

CSPA 6310 AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION

The historical development of American higher education against the background of political, social, economic, cultural and intellectual issues will be examined from its founding to the present for contemporary application.

CSPA 6311 LEADERSHIP AND DECISION-MAKING

This course will provide the opportunity for participants to develop a firm working concept of leadership and its role in community development. Upon completion of the course the participant should be able to identify and discuss the role of leadership in the community development process and to apply leadership principles to community development processes.

CSPA 6315 APPLIED RESEARCH METHODS

Application of scientific method to research including nature of research problems, theory of research, experimental design, techniques in data gathering, and the interpretation of results. Research reporting, bibliographic techniques and basic statistical methods are included.

CSPA 6116-6316 RESEARCH PROJECTS (1-3)

Students will use research methods skills acquired in GSML 6315 by conducting individual research projects. Students will draw on their skills to write a review of literature, sample a target population, construct a research measure, administer the measure, construct the necessary database, and input an analyze data. Prerequisite: GSML 6315.

CSPA 6318 BUDGETING

The course is designed to provide a broad overview of budgeting and finance in order to improve student's understanding of how budgeting affects decisions. Public managers, regardless of level of bureaucracy, must deal with a variety of budgetary and revenue information when making daily decisions. Much of that information indicates how effectively they will be able to manage and how others will perceive the way they manage. This course will introduce the nature and character of public sector/non-profit organization budgeting, how managers can more effectively use such information, and the limitations associated with such information.

CSPA 6320 ETHICS AND LAW IN HIGHER EDUCATION

The purpose of this course is to introduce the learner to the basic and current legal and ethical concepts that face American higher education today. Topics to be discussed will be the basis from which higher education law comes, current (case, state and regulatory) law, as well as risk management and liability issues for higher education.

CSPA 6330 GRANT WRITING

This course addresses the development of grants and contracts and presents an overview of identifying funding sources. One key to development is the availability of resources, human and non-human. Grant writing can provide those resources by matching local resources with resources available from the public, private, and non-profit sectors of society. This course will provide the student with a general understanding of the process, as well as detailed information about grants in the community development field.

CSPA 6360 CULTURAL DIFFERENTIATION AND OUTREACH

This course will focus on similarities and differences of humanity with the intention of discovering the “true value” of the individual.

CSPA 6370, 6371 INTERNSHIP AND PRACTICUM

These courses provide the student with the opportunity to apply knowledge about student development offices in institutions of higher education. Student will work as part of a functioning office or service and will be considered part of the team integral to the accomplishment of that entity’s mission. Experiences are cooperatively planned and guided by university personnel. Note: This course may be taken twice for credit.

CSPA 6391 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES IN STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES IN HIGHER EDUCATION

This course provides an overview of the conceptual and operational aspects that impact the student personnel programs of higher education institutions in the United States. It is intended to offer students who may be pursuing careers in student affairs information about the structures and issues that they may encounter within a variety of institutional settings.

CSPA 6392 THE COLLEGE STUDENT

Analysis of college student characteristics and the student culture; nontraditional student subgroups; student attitudes, values, and beliefs; concepts and models which promote student learning, and assessment of student growth.

MBA 5340 PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT

This course will provide students with the fundamental knowledge and skills needed for effectively managing organizations. The course will emphasize understanding basic management terminology, surveying contemporary issues, and applying leadership theory.

PSYC 6354 THEORIES OF PSYCHOTHERAPY AND COUNSELING

Provides an overview of the major theoretical approaches to psychotherapy, including a critical evaluation of each theory. Prerequisite: Permission of department chair.

COUN 6350 COUNSELING PROCESS AND SKILLS

To develop in the counselor-in-training fundamental listening and empathic skills necessary for all counseling formulations and interventions, and to encourage self-exploration and self-growth within the major theoretical approaches. Prerequisite: PSYC 6354.

As a way to increase your understanding of the field and to assist you in meeting the financial obligations of the program, a number of graduate assistantships are available at UCA. Graduate Assistantships offer a stipend paid directly to you and, in some cases, tuition waivers may be available. Most positions require 20 hours per week, although this amount may vary. Assistantships are available in a variety of offices in student and academic affairs. You must be admitted to the graduate program to be considered for an interview for an assistantship. Therefore, you are encouraged to apply early for admission. If you would like additional information on assistantships, please contact Dr. Charlotte Cone.