Educational Leadership (Principalship), MEd
No matter where you're located, you can acquire the decision-making acumen required to be a transformative leader in education.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation and professional licensure
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
If you are an educator committed to systemic action and inclusive excellence, the Master of Education program in educational leadership with a concentration in principalship is designed for you. The program develops you into a leader who can build and sustain learning environments that empower educators to deliver excellent learning experiences and outcomes to all learners.
Offered entirely remotely, you can choose between two flexible modalities:
- ASU Sync --- This accelerated, four-semester program provides synchronous evening classes via Zoom, featuring live, interactive learning with peers and faculty. As a ASU Sync student, you need to reside in Arizona throughout the duration of the program. If you are on F-1 or J-1 immigration status, you should consult an advisor for alternative program options. Students on F-1 or J-1 immigration status are not permitted to complete courses via Sync.
- ASU Online --- ASU offers this program in a flexibly paced, online format with several enrollment sessions throughout the year. You may view the program's ASU Online page for program descriptions. Because it's flexibly paced, the program can typically take four to eight semesters to complete.
Both modalities are designed to meet Arizona's principal certification requirements and align with national educational leadership standards. If you are seeking certification in a state other than Arizona, you should consult your respective state department of education before applying.
This program prepares you to:
- align staffing and resources strategically to maximize learning conditions, strengthen educator effectiveness, and meet the needs of the school community
- apply systems thinking to school leadership, using data-informed strategies and research-based frameworks to strengthen instructional practices and improve outcomes for educators and students
- build authentic partnerships with families, educators and community members to create environments where all voices are valued and decisions reflect the strengths and aspirations of the community
- foster belonging and opportunity by implementing policies and practices that ensure every student is supported in developing their academic skills, social confidence and long-term success
A cornerstone of the program is the two-semester, school-based internship in which you work with a certified mentor principal to apply your learning in dynamic learning environments. This laboratory of practice enables you to design and implement an action research project that addresses a problem of practice within your school, preparing you to lead with confidence and competence.
ASU Sync
Students on F-1 or J-1 immigration status are not permitted to complete courses via ASU Sync.
If you are seeking to use GI Bill® benefits for ASU Sync programs, you should contact the Pat Tillman Veterans Center regarding certain limitations.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.
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.
36 credit hours including the required applied project course (EDA 593)
Required Core (9 credit hours) Concentration (15 credit hours) Other Requirement (6 credit hours) Leadership Electives (3 credit hours) Culminating Experience (3 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information
EDA 501 Foundations of Educational Leadership (3)
EDA 502 Transformative Leadership (3)
EDA 503 Leadership for Evidence-informed Decisions (3)
EDA 511 School Law and Ethics (3)
EDA 548 Engaging Students, Families and Community (3)
EDA 572 Effective Resource Allocation (3)
EDA 586 Professional Learning and Performance Assessment (3)
EDA 588 Leading for All Learners (3)
EDA 584 Internship (3)
EDA 684 Internship (3)
EDA 598 Topic: Coaching and Consultation (2)
EDA 598 Topic: Happiness in Leadership (1)
EDA 598 Topic: Leadership by Design (3)
EDA 598 Topic: Leadership Think Tank (2)
EDA 598 Topic: Leadership via Self-awareness and Self-care (2)
EDA 598 Topic: Leading and Facilitating Teams (1)
EDA 598 Topic: Qualified Evaluator (1)
EDA 593 Applied Project (3)
Students may choose from the electives list offered. Selecting an elective outside the provided list requires department approval.
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Develop practices that center community to foster agency and advocacy.
- Model strategies for collaborative leadership.
- Integrate inclusive practices when building school culture.
Develop practices that center community to foster agency and advocacy. 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 must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution and have at least two years of pre-K-12 teaching experience as a teacher of record. 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 The letter of recommendation should be from an individual who can speak to the applicant's potential for success in a graduate program, and one of the letters must be from a current immediate supervisor who is a principal, assistant principal or the equivalent. The personal statement should describe the applicant's interests and reason for seeking this degree.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
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
Graduates of this robust, standards-based leadership preparation program have the expertise to become transformative school leaders. They have decision-making skills rooted in professional self-awareness, effective collaboration and critical reasoning.
Career examples include:
- assistant principal
- educational consultant
- instructional coordinator
- K-12 team lead
- principal
- school leader
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
|
ED 118
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.
