Semester: Fall
Year offered: 2026
This course is designed for graduate students with a basic understanding of the area of Higher Education Administration. The course examines basic concepts and principles of finance in higher education in the United States. Students are expected to: Develop an understanding of 1) the issues and fiscal problems of higher education, 2) the roles and responsibilities of financial officers in higher education, and 3) possible future trends in the financing of higher education. Prerequisites: Doctoral status.
After completing this course the successful student will:
- Understand the macro- and micro-economic forces influencing the US higher education system and its stakeholders (governments, institutions, citizens, students, etc.).
- Articulate the causes of rising college costs, including state and federal educational policies.
- Analyze budgeting and finance’s role in perpetuating inequity across US higher education systems and its stakeholders.
- Propose a personal philosophy of higher education finance that includes approaches to tuition rates/discounting, budgeting, fundraising, faculty and student life, and other financial aspects of postsecondary education.
- Develop the skills needed to be an effective participant in the budget process, including cost analysis, revenue and expenditure estimation, and preparation of budget justifications.
- Diagnose an organizations financial strengths and weaknesses.
- Articulate the embedded nature of finance throughout the operations of the university.
- Assess best practices for budgeting and financial management in higher education.