M.Ed./Professional Studies: Leadership in Education
Overview
The master of education (M.Ed.)/professional studies program in leadership in education, offered jointly by the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development (OLPD) and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction (C&I) in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), builds leadership skills and facilitates analysis of K-12 school culture, policies, and practice.
This program develops educational leaders who can serve in schools that foster continuous learning and improvement. Program participants are prepared to advance team, school-wide and district-wide reform initiatives for coherent educational systems and programs. This program addresses formal and informal leadership methods, emphasizing the roles and contributions of teachers as leaders of instructional improvement, including ways that teachers and principals work together to promote collaborative school cultures.
This 30-semester credit program emphasizes the essential components of leadership, including collaboration, group dynamics, continuous professional learning, school policy, school culture, design and facilitation of improvement initiatives, innovations in teaching and assessment practice, creation of coherent learning experiences, cross-cultural education, and technology.
Students are encouraged to begin the program with other educators from the same school or district. Most students complete the degree in two to three years while continuing to teach full time. Some degree coursework is offered at convenient, off-campus sites in the Twin Cities area.
Admission
The college reviews applications on an ongoing basis. Application reviews begin by the following dates. Students are encouraged to submit application materials to Student Services by the following dates:
- November 1 for spring semester admission
- March 1 for summer session admission
- July 1 for fall semester admission
Admission requirements to this program include the following criteria:
- A bachelor’s degree with a 3.00 overall grade point average (GPA) from an accredited institution
- At least two years of classroom teaching experience
All applicants must submit the following items:
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended or are currently attending, except the University of Minnesota. Transcripts must be received from the issuing school in a sealed and stamped envelope, and mailed to CEHD Student Services, 360 Education Sciences Bldg, 56 East River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455.
- Any student with a U.S. bachelor's degree or a comparable foreign degree from an accredited college or university may apply to CEHD. Official transcripts of all previous post-secondary academic study must be submitted. If you completed coursework at a university outside of the United States, your transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation center. Request a “course-by-course” evaluation. This process can take four-six weeks, so please plan in advance.A suggested provider of this service is Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). You can, however, use any provider that is an accredited member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
All applicants must upload or submit the following items with their online applications:
- Résumé
- Personal Statement describing your career goals and rationale for interest in the M.Ed. program (one page)
- Letters of recommendation from two persons familiar with your performance who can attest to your capacity for teacher leadership (one letter from an administrator and one letter from a teaching colleague preferred)
- Application fee of $55.00 [Effective July 1, 2012 the fee changes to $75] charged when your online application is submitted. Fees must be paid with a credit card.
Nonnative English speakers and/or international students
All nonnative English speakers must submit an official score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). (Exceptions may be granted for applicants who will have completed 16 semester or 24 quarter credits within the past 24 months in residence as a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States before entering the University of Minnesota.)
Minimum TOEFL score requirements:
- Internet-based test: 79-80
- Computer-based test: 213
- Paper-based test: 550
Applicants may also be required to demonstrate spoken English proficiency in an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and/or oral interview with faculty or staff. Contact Student Services for more information.
International applicants who will require an I-20 for a student visa must submit a Financial Certification Statement, which will be mailed to you upon admission to the program.
Apply Online
- Apply Online
- Save your PIN number and password so that you can work on the application over time.
- Follow application instructions carefully, because once your application is submitted, you will no longer have access to add/change application information or upload required supplemental material.
- As your application is being reviewed, you can log back into your account to view your current application status.
- Your admission decision will also be displayed in your application account.
Applicants are typically notified of admission decisions four to six weeks after application deadlines.
Transfer Credits
A maximum of nine graduate semester transfer credits may be applied to the M.Ed. program. Credits may include any combination of the following coursework:
- Up to six graduate semester credits from fully accredited institutions other than the University of Minnesota
- Credits completed at the University of Minnesota before admission to the M.Ed. program
Transfer courses must be completed at the graduate level and approved by a faculty adviser and the college; a review of course syllabi is required. Contact the program’s faculty adviser for more information.
Curriculum
The 30-semester credit teacher leadership program focuses on three areas: leadership, contemporary educational issues, and professional teaching practice. The following coursework (16 credits) is required:
- CI 5155—Contemporary Approaches to Curriculum: Instruction and Assessment (3 cr)
- CI 5177—Practical Research (3 cr)
- CI 5178 or OLPD 5361 [Formerly EDPA 5361]—Project in Teacher Leadership (3 cr)
- OLPD 5364 [Formerly EDPA 5364]—Context and Practice of Educational Leadership (3 cr)
- OLPD 5374 [Formerly EDPA 5374]—Leadership for Professional Development (4 cr)
The faculty advise, guide, and mentor throughout the program, but the student’s individual vision provides focus for the leadership project (CI 5178 or OLPD 5361) and the remaining 14 credits of elective courses. Students often choose elective credits aligned with certificates in staff development, school technology, reading, and school administration. The University of Minnesota offers hundreds of courses from which students can select their electives. Some examples of electives include:
- Teaching and learning in a multicultural, pluralistic democracy
- Planning interdisciplinary and thematic learning
- Assessing student learning to differentiate instruction
- Cross-cultural perspectives on leadership
- Literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies
- Professional development
- School technology
- Women in leadership
Program Coordinator
Dr. C. Cryss Brunner
Email: brunner@umn.edu
Revised May 2012