The Master of Science in Higher Education Leadership at Eastern Illinois University has been recognized as a First Choice program which ensures the highest standards of scholarly excellence are met as evidenced through sustained achievement of criteria developed and adopted by the Graduate School. The program utilizes a cohort model with a low faculty-to-student ratio. The department currently offers an M.S. in Higher Education Leadership with concentrations in either College Student Affairs (CSA) or Leadership in Higher Education and Community College (HECC - online). The programs incorporate the standards developed by the American College Student Affairs (ACPA) and National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) as its benchmark for assessment. The purpose of our training, which includes supervised practical experience in a variety of settings, is to equip students to become qualified, ethical and culturally competent leaders in Higher Education.