Master's (M.Ed.) Educational Leadership

Quick Facts

Course Requirements:
10 courses (30 credits)

Typical Course Load:
Fall (2 courses), Spring (2 courses), Summer (1-2 courses)

Time to Completion:
1 1/2-2 years

Alumni Current Positions:
Graduates work as PK-12 school leaders and college and university administrators.

Overview

The digital revolution, the movement toward greater inclusion in schools, and other seismic shifts in education have changed the field dramatically, making the need for highly effective and versatile leaders greater than ever.

Lehigh’s master’s of Educational Leadership prepares individuals for leadership positions in a broad range of educational institutions and related organizations and agencies. Alumni of the program work in such areas as school leadership and administration, higher education, and community and educational organizations. The need for leaders in K-12 schools is expected to grow by 8 percent in the decade between 2016 and 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Some students earn the master’s degree while they are working toward their Pennsylvania Principal Certification, with just two additional courses.

The M.Ed. program also serves as a foundation for those wishing to enter Lehigh’s doctoral program in Educational Leadership.

The master’s requires a minimum of 30 credits. Students take five core courses in such subjects as organizational leadership, research, data-based decision-making, and diversity. In addition, they take another five courses or 15 credits in their area of interest, with approval by their faculty advisor. So, for example, students can take graduate courses in such subjects as Special Education, Teaching, Learning and Technology, and Counseling and other education-related areas.

Students can be full-time or part-time. Most classes are offered in-person in the late afternoon or evening for the convenience of working professionals but there is the potential to do some courses online.

Lehigh’s noted faculty includes professors with years of experience in school administration and teaching as well those at the vanguard of research into best practices.

Curriculum

Core Course Work (15 credits)

Leadership & Management Skills (15 credits must be approved by advisor)

Total Credits 30

Application Requirements

• Completed online application
• $65 Application Fee
• GPA Minimum: 3.0 (undergraduate)
• Official transcript(s) from each post-secondary institution attended
• 2 letters of recommendation - at least one recommendation must come from a faculty member at an accredited academic institution
• Acknowledgment of College of Education Policy on Clearances
• Personal statement

Deadlines

• May 8 for summer semester start
• August 1 for fall semester start
• December 1 for spring semester start