Higher Education & Organizational Change Division

The HEOC Division is committed to advancing the scholarship, research, and practice of higher education and organizational transformation in the United States and abroad.

HEOC represents the School’s commitment to excellence, equity, and social justice within higher education and to a steadfast belief in the transformatory nature of higher education as an institution of social change. In the M.A. and Ph.D. programs, students gain an understanding of the historical, political, social, and philosophical elements that have shaped and continue to affect higher education. They also work with the resources and ongoing research of the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI).

The purview of the HEOC Division encompasses:

• Research and scholarship aimed at furthering a critical understanding of higher education and its role in society.
• Developing in practitioners of higher education the skills necessary for visionary leadership, community building, and responsible citizenship.
• Providing service to our local, state, national, and international communities aimed at the improvement of higher education and, in general, the furthering of education for all people.

HEOC aims to provide students with:

• An understanding of the historical, political, social,
and philosophical elements which have shaped 
and continue to affect American higher education.
• An understanding of the broad scope, diversity,
and functions of postsecondary education and its component parts.
• An understanding of the theories, issues, and practices that define postsecondary education and its research.
• The ability to develop and apply theory, research, and methods to professional practice.
• A sense of colleagueship with peers and faculty as well as with other scholars and professionals in the field.

The HEOC Division of the UCLA School of Education & Information Studies is committed to advancing the scholarship, research, and practice of higher education and organizational transformation in the United States and abroad. 

The structure and content of the Division reflects the faculty’s commitment to research and a scholarly approach to the study and practice of higher education. Because research and scholarly inquiry are the acknowledged foundation for the study and practice of higher education, they are emphasized throughout the coursework, seminars, research projects, and other HEOC activities. 

The faculty have identified a body of knowledge which is central to the study of higher education and organizational change and forms the basis of the Division’s core courses in which all students participate.

HEOC courses and seminars are often interdisciplinary in approach and responsive to current issues and changes in the policies, practices, and impact of higher education. Students are encouraged to develop, as much as possible, an individualized program of study which reflects their personal and professional interests and goals and which satisfies the degree requirements of the Division, the School of Education & Information Studies, and UCLA.

Students are an integral part of all aspects of HEOC academic planning and there are student members on all HEOC standing and ad hoc committees. Student representatives attend all faculty meetings and help in maintaining a supportive and nurturing intellectual and social environment. Three student representatives are elected in the spring quarter, and the fourth representative is elected by the entering cohort in the fall quarter to ensure representation of new students’ interests. An additional student represents the M.Ed. in Student Affairs (MSA) program.

HEOC is committed to diversity, and the students and faculty form a diverse group with respect to their social, cultural, economic, and academic backgrounds; their wide range of professional experiences in postsecondary education; and their interests and approaches to defining and researching the issues pertaining to postsecondary education. This diversity is also evident in the Division’s students and faculty, as well as in the Division’s courses, seminars, and faculty and student research projects.

In the Student Affairs program, students experience the challenges and opportunities of a world-class research university while meeting the important need of preparing student affairs professionals for positions in public and private colleges and universities as well as community colleges.

The program is designed for students whose primary career interest is in student affairs in institutions of higher education. The Student Affairs program is a one-year cohort-based M.Ed. (scholar-practitioner focused) housed within the HEOC graduate division. The program is offered as a collaboration between UCLA Ed&IS and the UCLA Division of Student Affairs. Visit the Program page.