Graduate

Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership

Become a leader in K-12 Education.

Six educators in professional attire sit on a panel and direct their focus to a man on the end.

About This Program

The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (K-12) prepares school leaders for entry-level roles in K-12 leadership, typically assistant principals, instructional support leadership roles, or special program administrators. The research and standards-based curriculum is framed around Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) Standards for Clinical Experiences for the preparation of school leadership.

  • The program familiarizes students with Mississippi curriculum standards and state laws, in addition to four MDE Common Assessments developed by faculty in leadership programs across the state.

The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (K-12) enhances excellence in school leadership by encouraging individual growth and application of research-based practice consistent with National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) and Professional Standards for Educational Leadership (PSEL) standards.

These standards emphasize a consensus in educational research that effective schools are characterized by professional educators working together to improve their own professional practice and achieve personal and shared organizational goals. The vision of the program is to develop educational leaders to change professional practice to better serve school and community stakeholders.

On this Page…

    Program Information

    Program Type

    Master's Program

    Area of Study

    Education

    Duration

    2 years

    Degree

    M.Ed. in Educational Leadership

    Program Location

    Online

    Tupelo

    Grenada

    DeSoto

    Required Credit Hours

    30

    Online M.Ed. in Educational Leadership

    The Online M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (K-12) is designed to empower students to pursue their administrative goals while granting flexibility in their schedule.

    The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (K-12) requires the following courses for a total of 30 credit hours.

    To complete the Master of Education in Educational Leadership (K-12), students must complete:

    • 30 hours of Program of Study Courses

    Program of Study Courses (30)

    • EDLD 613 Instructional Leadership
    • EDLD 610 Mission, Vision, & Core Values of Leadership
    • EDLD 615 Building Level Human Resources Leadership
    • EDLD 616 Data Informed Leadership
    • EDLD 611 Ethics & Professional Norms for Educational Leaders
    • EDLD 617 School Law & Leadership
    • EDLD 612 Equity & Cultural Leadership
    • EDLD 618 Operations & Management of Leadership
    • EDLD 614 Community & External Leadership
    • EDLD 619 School Turnaround

    Other Academic Requirements

    At least 400 internship hours are embedded into the coursework and will be completed under the mentorship of an Instructional Leader Mentor.

     

    Students applying to the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (K-12) must meet the following requirements. Students must have:

    • A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a 3.0 GPA overall
    • A current resume emphasizing any leadership activities
    • Class A teaching license
    • 3 years (prior to the start of the program) of K-12 teaching experience
    • A writing sample in response to a leadership-focused prompt
    • 2 letters of reference with evidence of leadership potential
    • 1 letter (not a reference letter) from a licensed assistant principal, principal, or equivalent in the applicant's school of employment agreeing to serve as the Site Mentor for internship
    • A successful admissions interview with program faculty

    To properly complete the application process for online admission, students can submit applications at any time for fall, spring, or summer.

    Jill B Cabrera

    Online Graduate Program Coordinator

    If you have any questions about the Online Master of Education in Educational Leadership (K-12), don't hesitate to reach out!

    Jill B Cabrera

    Associate Professor of Leadership and Counselor Education

    Regional M.Ed. in Educational Leadership

    The Regional M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (K-12) provides students the opportunity to build community and rapport with like-minded individuals in their cohort.

    The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (K-12) requires the following courses for a total of 30 credit hours.

    To complete the Master of Education in Educational Leadership (K-12), students must complete:

    • 30 hours of Program of Study Courses

    Program of Study Courses (30)

    • EDLD 613 Instructional Leadership
    • EDLD 610 Mission, Vision, & Core Values of Leadership
    • EDLD 615 Building Level Human Resources Leadership
    • EDLD 616 Data Informed Leadership
    • EDLD 611 Ethics & Professional Norms for Educational Leaders
    • EDLD 617 School Law & Leadership
    • EDLD 612 Equity & Cultural Leadership
    • EDLD 618 Operations & Management of Leadership
    • EDLD 614 Community & External Leadership
    • EDLD 619 School Turnaround

    Other Academic Requirements

    At least 400 internship hours are embedded into the coursework and will be completed under the mentorship of an Instructional Leader Mentor.

     

    Students applying to the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (K-12) must meet the following requirements. Students must have:

    • A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a 3.0 GPA overall
    • A current resume emphasizing any leadership activities
    • Class A teaching license
    • 3 years (prior to the start of the program) of K-12 teaching experience
    • A writing sample in response to a leadership-focused prompt
    • 2 letters of reference with evidence of leadership potential
    • 1 letter (not a reference letter) from a licensed assistant principal, principal, or equivalent in the applicant's school of employment agreeing to serve as the Site Mentor for internship
    • A successful admissions interview with program faculty

    To properly complete the application process for regional admission, students must submit all application materials before the deadline for fall admission:

    • Priority application deadline: May 1
    Kenneth Pulley

    Regional Graduate Program Coordinator

    If you have any questions about the Regional Master of Education in Educational Leadership (K-12), don't hesitate to reach out!

    Kenneth Pulley

    Clinical Assistant Professor of Leadership and Counselor Education

    Tuition Breaks

    50%

    The amount of tuition reduction possible to receive from The University of Mississippi Recruiting Program.

    25%

    The amount of tuition reduction possible to receive from The Mississippi Community Leaders Scholarship. (This can be combined with the UM Recruiting Fellowship and Scholarship Program.)

    Next Steps

    Explore Affordability

    We have a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make college more affordable for you and your family.

    Apply to the University of Mississippi

    Are you ready to take the next step toward building your legacy?