M.Ed. Educational Leadership: Moving Beyond the Classroom

Educational Leadership is the practice of guiding and recruiting the talents of teachers, students, and parents toward a common set of guidelines or principles. The University of Cincinnati’s Online Master’s in Educational Leadership program is designed to prepare you for educational leadership roles in education administration or a leadership role within the classroom.

The UC Online M.Ed. in Educational Leadership is ideal for licensed educators looking to further develop their knowledge and skills to enhance learning.

3 Areas of Concentration

There are 3 areas of concentration within the Master of Education in Educational Leadership program, and each concentration is designed to be manageable for working educators like you.

1. Special Education Leadership. When you earn your Educational Leadership degree online with a concentration in Special Education Leadership, you will focus on the legal and ethical roles and responsibilities of a professional within the field of special education.
2. Principal Leadership. A Principal Leadership concentration will give you the tools to be a successful principal within a school or school district.
3. Non-Licensure.Study Educational Leadership with or without an educational/professional background through our non-licensure track.

Growing Careers in Educational Leadership

The career path for someone with his or her Master of Education in Educational Leadership offers more variety than ever before. Consider these options:

• Principal. Principals are more than just “head teachers”. They also can be tasked with managing a school budget, provide strategic direction, develop curriculum, monitor student body achievements and milestones, hire and maintain staff, and create policies and procedures.
• Lead Teacher. A lead teacher acts as the head of their department. Responsibilities include implementing improvements within the department such as lesson plans or instructional methods. He or she also oversees meetings for the particular department and keeps abreast of changes in the educational field.
• Athletic Director. An athletic director oversees all of the athletics (sports programs) for a school. He or she directs and guides the sports program by budgeting and allocating funds for coaches’ salaries, equipment, and facility needs. They also help to create the teams’ schedules and practices, confer with leagues and conferences, and more.
• Curriculum Director. A curriculum director has a large, big-picture job outside of one school: they manage the curriculum for an entire district. That means their job is to help teachers within the district to adhere to the mandated educational standards.
• Special Education Director. A special education director is an administrative position that oversees the decision-making of a special needs program for a school or district, with the goal of creating positive outcomes for those with special needs. The director might also oversee the programs, services, budget, and staff of the special education department.
• School Administrator. A school administrator can work at any level in the educational system. They can hire and supervise staff, take care of budget needs, direct curriculum and programming, and make educational decisions.
• College Provost. A college provost is the head officer of academics for a college or university. They oversee the school’s budget and academic programs. The provost will work with the university’s president to set academic priorities and to find funding for them.

What Are the Requirements for an MEd In Educational Leadership?

To be considered for an educational administrator degree, you’ll need the following:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• A minimum GPA of 3.0 at the undergraduate level or graduate level. (Calculations are based on a 4.0 scale.)
• Three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from an immediate supervisor that can address the applicant’s formal teaching evaluations.
• A goal statement indicating career goals and area of concentration of interest.
• A current, valid professional teaching license. (Note: Early Childhood Leadership concentration may not require a teaching license.)
• A minimum of two years of full-time teaching experience with a sanctioned school/district. This excludes time spent as a substitute teacher or time spent as a student teacher.

Why Choose UC’s Online Program in MEd in Educational Leadership?

We think the choice is easy. When you pursue your MEd in Educational Leadership at UC, you’ll be learning from a school:

• With a program that’s fully accredited by the Ohio Department of Education and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and meets the standards of the University Council for Education Administration.
• Where alumni can expect to increase their earning potential.
• Where graduates are eligible for a variety of leadership roles and career-advancing opportunities and are also eligible to take the Ohio Assessment for Educators licensure exam.
• With noted academic excellence and three different start dates to accommodate your schedule.

Take the first step in advancing your career in education: apply today!