Educational Leadership, MEd
Design your own leadership journey through a flexible degree program that lets you chart a personal path instead of following a traditional administrative track. Shape the kind of leader you want to become on your own terms.
Quick facts
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
Educational Leadership master's description
The Master of Education program in educational leadership creates edupreneurs and community leaders, bold thinkers who are passionate about creating new possibilities in education, including founding alternative learning spaces and leading nonprofit initiatives, community coalitions or social impact organizations. Whether already rooted in a school or working in an education-adjacent space, students gain the vision, tools and support to lead transformative work with clarity and purpose.
This program prepares leaders to work at the intersection of education, innovation and community impact. It's not about following a prescribed path --- it's about designing one's own.
Students are prepared to:
- apply systems thinking to design and lead meaningful change
- champion inclusive leadership practices that foster deep community engagement
- launch and scale innovative educational initiatives through social entrepreneurship
- leverage technology and intellectual property to develop and expand transformative ideas
- navigate and influence education policy and lead effectively within nonprofit organizations
- secure and manage resources through strategic grant writing, fundraising and development efforts
Why study educational leadership at ASU?
At the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, you join a dynamic community of changemakers who connect people and ideas to make education more impactful. This program builds the knowledge, skills and networks you need to create meaningful change.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
30 credit hours including the required applied project course (EDA 593)
Required Core (9 credit hours) Edupreneur and Community Requirements (15 credit hours) Leadership Electives (3 credit hours) Culminating Experience (3 credit hours)
EDA 501 Educational Leadership Foundations (3)
EDA 502 Transformative Leadership (3)
EDA 503 Leadership for Evidence-informed Decisions (3)
EDA 548 Engaging Students, Family and Community (3)
EDA 560 Ideation, Technology and Intellectual Property (3)
EDA 562 Grants, Policies and Administration (3)
EDA 564 Publication Engagement and Community Externship (3)
EDA 566 Education and Social Entrepreneurship (3)
EDA 598 Coaching and Consultation (2)
EDA 598 Happiness in Leadership (1)
EDA 598 Leadership by Design (3)
EDA 598 Leadership Think Tank (2)
EDA 598 Leadership via Self-awareness and Self-care (2)
EDA 598 Leading and Facilitating Teams (1)
EDA 598 Qualified Evaluator (1)
EDA 593 Applied Project (3)
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Integrate inclusive practices when building school cultures.
- Develop practices that center community to foster agency and advocacy.
- Model strategies for collaborative leadership.
Integrate inclusive practices when building school cultures.Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution and have at least two years of relevant professional experience. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information Applicants must have at least two years of relevant professional experience, either as serving as a teacher of record in a pre-K-12 program or working in education, nonprofit and other education-adjacent roles. The letter of recommendation should be from an individual who can speak to the applicant's potential for success in a graduate program. The personal statement should describe the applicant's interests and reason for seeking this degree. GRE scores are not required for admission.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 04/06 | Final* |
*A final deadline means that all applications and application materials must be received by Admission Services by the deadline date. Applications that are incomplete may not be considered after the final deadline. Applications that are submitted past the final deadline may not be considered.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Careers this educational leadership master's degree prepares you for
Graduates are bold thinkers who are passionate about creating new possibilities in education. They have the skills to engage in community-based, entrepreneurial and systems-oriented leadership.
Career examples include:
- director or program manager in a community-based organization or nonprofit
- education consultant or strategist for civic or philanthropic organizations
- education policy or advocacy specialist
- education program designer or innovation lead
- family and community engagement coordinator
- founder of a mission-driven education venture or initiative
- grant writer or development officer in education-focused organizations
- leader in youth services, afterschool or mentoring programs
- manager of partnerships for schools, districts or educational nonprofits
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
Division for Advancing Education Policy, Practice
|
AOB 300
GraduateEducation@asu.edu
480-965-5555
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
