Welcome to the Directory of Graduate Programs Preparing Student Affairs Professionals,developed by the Professional Preparation Commission of the American College Personnel Association. The members of the Professional Preparation Commission hope the Directory aids you in making an informed choice about your graduate study. 

Connect to the Graduate Preparation Directory

about the directory...

This publication is a project of the Professional Preparation Commission of the American College Personnel Association. Ten previous Directories have been produced by this Commission in 1968, 1971, 1973, 1977, 1980, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1994, 1999, and 2003. In addition to a paper version, the 1994, 1999, and 2003 Directories were also available on-line and updated on a continuing basis. A new online platform for the Directory launched in 2015.

Considering a career in student affairs

Selecting a student affairs graduate program

Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS) Standards for Preparation Programs

Professional Preparation Commission Standards

Master's programs meeting the minimum requirements of the Professional Preparation Commission are so noted on program description pages. The Professional Preparation Commission believes that the following four criteria are important minimal standards for graduate preparation programs. Minimum criteria are considered met if the program can affirmatively answer the following four questions:

  1. Does the program have at least one full-time faculty member to provide leadership for the program?
  2. Does the program have at least four content courses about student services/affairs/development and the college student/environment?
  3. Is the program's curriculum at least a two-year (or equivalent) curriculum?
  4. Does the program require at least one student personnel practicum/field experience for students?

A negative answer to any of the four questions resulted in the program not receiving the Professional Preparation Commission designation.

Information about standards, certification, and licensure in this Directory is provided by representatives of the graduate programs themselves. Inquires about confirmation of qualification and details about review should be directed to the program directors and the evaluating agencies.

GETTING YOUR PROGRAM LISTED - Enter your information NOW!

Here is how you can list your programs online:

  • Visit the new directory site at http://gradprograms.myacpa.org and create your user information. You will use this information to make any future edits during your subscription. Note: Your ACPA memberhsip login information will not work with the grad program site. You do not need to be a member of ACPA to list your program(s).
  • Enter information for each program type housed at your institution (M.S., Ph.D., Certificate, etc.). This step is necessary for the search mechanism to work for prospective students based on how they will search for program information.
  • A step-by-step guide is availalbe as a resource to help you enter information on the new platform

Inclusion in the Directory is by subscription. Graduate programs pay a subscription fee and provide information for the users of the Directory. Contacts for individual graduate programs are encouraged to update information frequently so as to provide users with the most accurate information available. 

  • You will be asked how you wish to pay for your listing at the conlcusion of entering the information.  PLEASE CLICK BY CHECK.  This will notify the International Office where they will publish your listing.  You will be invoiced for the subscription (see below) at a later date. Please do not send any funds until you receive an invoice. This means that you can go ahead and enter the informatin immediately and we will send you an invoice in few weeks.

The subscription fee for institutions is $100 for a two-year subscription. This cost includes unlimited degree listings for the institution. We are also excited to share that 100% of the funds support graduate student and faculty research. Over the last five years the Commission for Professional Preparation has awarded approximately $14,500 to graduate students and faculty in recognition of their writing and research.

For more infomration or help with the directory please contact:

Sean Robinson
Professor
Morgan State University
443.885.4751
sean.robinson@morgan.edu