Program History
Ball State has long had a tradition of educating student affairs administrators.
Merrill “Jack” Beyerl, former vice president for student affairs and director of the counseling center, began the program in 1965 so that professional staff would understand how to extend learning beyond the classroom and provide exceptional service in campus offices. Since that time, more than 800 graduates have served private and public colleges and universities in many student affairs positions.
The master’s degree program is a collaborative effort between the
Department of Educational Studies in the
Teachers College and the
Division of Student Affairs. Nearly all students have graduate assistant positions where they can put the theory they are learning to practice in real-world situations.