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Royal Roads University

Colwood, Canada , British Columbia ,Canada

Graduate Diploma in Higher Education Administration and Leadership


The Graduate Diploma in Higher Education Administration and Leadership at Royal Roads University is an 18-credit program, completed through our blended learning model of online study with a two-week on-campus residency. For students interested in developing their global perspective, there is an opportunity to specialize in International Education.

This program is ideal for practitioners and current or aspiring leaders interested in developing a critically reflective understanding of today’s trends, challenges, research and skill development pertinent to the higher education leadership and administration.

This diploma program offers learners the opportunity to add a concentration in higher education administration and leadership to their existing professional and academic credentials.  Students who successfully complete the diploma program can subsequently apply to complete the additional 15 credits for the Masters of Arts in Higher Education Administration and Leadership. 

Outcomes
Once you’ve completed the Graduate Diploma in Higher Education Administration and Leadership, you will have demonstrated competency across a variety of essential leadership requirements. Your awareness and understanding of core educational improvement concepts and research requirements will enable you to address current concerns, challenges, and opportunities relevant to institutional growth and facilitating student achievement.

Working with a cohort of colleagues from across Canada and the globe you will have the opportunity and resources to further develop your skills to communicate effectively and professionally.  You will be exposed to different theories and approaches that inform leadership and you will reflect on your own leadership abilities.

If you opt to complete the Systems Leadership stream you will complete the program having learned to use a systems thinking approach effectively to lead a team and to affect change within an institution.  If you opt to complete the International Education stream you will have had the opportunity to develop your knowledge of working within an international context and how to successfully apply key  business skills for the effective development and sustainability of international education initiatives.

Campus Information

Hatley Park National Historic Site

located in Colwood, British Columbia

Intakes

  • June

Application Processing Time in Days: 25

Application Process

More Information Required
10 Days
Possible Interview Call From Institution
10 Days
Provisional/Unconditional Offer
5 Days
Visa Process
30 Days

Minimum English Language Requirements

English Level Description IELTS (1.0 -9.0) TOEFL IBT (0-120) TOEFL CBT (0-300) PTE (10-90)
Expert 9 120 297-300 86-90
Very Good 8.5 115-119 280-293 83-86
Very Good 8 110-114 270-280 79-83
Good 7.5 102-109 253-267 73-79
Good 7 94-101 240-253 65-73
Competent 6.5 79-93 213-233 58-65
Competent 6 60-78 170-210 50-58
Modest 5.5 46-59 133-210 43-50
Modest 5 35-45 107-133 36-43
Limited 4 32-34 97-103 30-36
Extremely Limited < 4 < 31 < 93 < 30

Job Opportunity Potential

If you are wondering what to do with your career, how to excel in an interview or you are looking for resume development advice, the Career Services office supports students with non-academic, career-related questions.

Contact us to schedule an appointment with a Career Services Advisor. 

Self-access Tools

  • CareerRoadsis RRU’s online employer database and job board.  All students are encouraged to develop their profile and begin searching future employers, volunteer opportunities and job postings. 
  • RRU Student Business Card Template (PDF) provides students with professional business cards that can be easily printed on a personal printer or professionally printed at any office supply store.
  • Personal Assets Inventory is a self-reflective workbook that explores personal skills, experiences and preferences.  The outcomes provide users with a starting point in their career planning and provide a platform to better understand personal skills and work place preferences.
  • The annual Career Development Conference is hosted every February, and welcomes students to learn from employers at the many panels, sessions and key note speaker sessions

PSW Opportunity

How long is a post-graduation work permit valid?

How long your PGWP is valid for depends on the length of your study program.

If your program was less than 8 months

You aren’t eligible for a PGWP.

If your program was more than 8 months but less than 2 years

We may give you a PGWP that’s valid for up to the same length as your study program.

For example, if you completed a 9-month program, we may give you a work permit for up to 9 months.

If your program was 2 years or more

We may give you a PGWP that’s valid for 3 years.

If you completed more than 1 program

You may be able to get a PGWP that combines the length of each program.

Each of the programs you completed must be

  • PGWP-eligible and
  • at least 8 months in length

Psw same as course duration For all courses above 8 months (Lets say course duration is 2 year psw is 2yrs so total 4 yrs of visa)

Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria

Standard Admission
Four year (or comparable) undergraduate degree from a recognized post-secondary institution.
Minimum of three years of relevant, paid work experience within recognized higher education institutions (i.e., public or accredited colleges, universities, poly-techniques, or institutions providing formal tertiary programs), including some leadership* experience.
Emerging leaders who have fewer than three years of leadership* experience, yet have been in recent leadership or people management role(s) for two years or more, demonstrate exceptional leadership potential through their professional and life experiences, are preparing for further leadership roles, and otherwise meet the standard admissions criteria, are encouraged to apply.

Flexible Admission
To be considered for Flexible Admission, applicants would normally require a minimum of 7 years of work experience in higher education institutions (i.e., public or accredited colleges, universities, poly-techniques, or institutions providing formal tertiary programs), including a minimum of 3 years of leadership* experience.
*Leadership experience could include one or more of the following:

Roles in which you consult, negotiate with, or manage diverse interest groups through relationship, in a complex environment
Roles in which you lead others toward shared goals and outcomes
Roles in which you influence, organize, and coordinate groups of people
Leadership roles in volunteer organizations
Formal organizational leadership roles in which you directly supervise staff or complete performance-oriented work with individuals, groups, or teams
Overcoming a challenging life experience (for self or others), which involved navigating complex systems and resulted in positive community change beyond the individual

English is the primary language of instruction and communication at Royal Roads University. As part of the application process, all applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in English speaking, listening, reading and writing by one of the following means:

Submission of official English language proficiency scores
Graduation from college or university at which English was the primary language of instruction in an English-speaking country
Completion of a pathway program through the Global Learning and Language Centre (GLLC) at Royal Roads
Additional information on these options is included below.

Option 1 - Submission of an official English language proficiency score report which meets one of the following minimum standards:
Official results should be sent directly from the testing organization & should be less than 2 years old. RRU may consider other language proficiency tests on a case-by-case basis.

COVID-19 RESPONSE (UPDATED APRIL 24, 2020)
Due to the recent temporary suspension of in-person testing conducted at various IELTS and TOEFL centres, Royal Roads University will accept the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and Duolingo English Test (DET) as evidence of language proficiency until further notice. We can also accept the IELTS Indicator test to assess your application; however, conditionally admitted students will be required to submit an official English Language test score (as listed below) to fulfill their condition before the start of their program. The IELTS Indicator test is available in most countries until test centres are able to resume in-person testing.

We strongly recommend that you submit an official IELTS, TOEFL or PTE-A test if you reside outside of any affected areas. We will be monitoring activities for IELTS, TOEFL and PTE-A centres and adjusting our requirements as necessary. For more information, visit RRU's COVID-19 page.

FOR ALL YEAR 3 (DEGREE COMPLETION) AND MOST* GRADUATE LEVEL ENTRY:
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic 6.5 overall with a minimum 6.5 in writing and speaking and 6.0 in listening and reading
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT 88 overall with a minimum 24 in writing and 20 in listening, reading and speaking
Pearson Test of English – Academic (PTE-A): 60 overall with a minimum 60 in writing and speaking and 58 minimum in listening and reading
Duolingo English Test (DET) Score of 115
*FOR THE MASTER OF ARTS IN PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, DOCTOR OF SOCIAL SCIENCE, AND DOCTOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMS:
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic 7.0 overall with a minimum 6.5 in writing, speaking, listening and reading
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT 100 overall with a minimum 26 in writing and 23 in listening, reading and speaking
Pearson Test of English – Academic (PTE-A): 68 overall with a minimum 60 in writing, speaking, listening and reading