Factors that Influence Student Selection of Educational Leadership Master’s Programs at Regional Universities

Authors

Pam Winn
Lesley F. Leach
Susan Erwin
Liza Benedict

Abstract

Graduate enrollment numbers in Educational Leadership programs have dwindled at many public higher education institutions. At the same time, for-profit institutions and institutions with private marketing partnerships have experienced increasingly greater enrollments. Many public institutions are reevaluating their marketing and recruiting strategies as they struggle to compete for students. Central to any marketing strategy is knowledge of the needs and wants of consumers; in the case of higher education, the consumers are students. This study sought to determine the needs and wants of Master’s-level Educational Leadership students by investigating the factors that influenced students’ selections of programs as well as the recruiting strategies that students perceive as most effective via survey research methods. Results indicate that Master’s-level students (n = 47) selected particular Educational Leadership programs primarily based on the course delivery methods (with hybrid courses most preferred) and the convenience that the programs offer. Participants perceived online advertising as well as face-to-face contact with university or program representatives as top recruiting strategies. University leaders would be wise to consider marketing efforts that highlight Educational Leadership programs’ blended learning opportunities and convenience through a combination of online advertisements and face-to-face recruiting events for Master’s-level students in Educational Leadership.

Recommended Citation

Winn, Pam; Leach, Lesley F.; Erwin, Susan; and Benedict, Liza (2014) "Factors that Influence Student Selection of Educational Leadership Master’s Programs at Regional Universities," Administrative Issues Journal: Vol. 4: Iss. 1, Article 10.
Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/aij/vol4/iss1/10