Are you looking to take your career as a teacher, educator, and leader to the next level? Do you want to expand your knowledge and skill set further to improve your career and the lives of your students? Are you passionate about working with other educators to change educational policy and management to serve the larger school system?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, earning a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Teacher Leadership degree may be the right next step for you.

However, many candidates are unsure what to expect from a Master’s in Teacher Leadership program or how it can help them make an impact in the world of education.

Don’t worry! We’ll answer all those frequently asked questions and more so candidates can understand all the benefits of a Master’s in Teacher Leadership.

What is a Master’s in Teacher Leadership?

A Master’s (M.Ed.) degree in Teacher Leadership prepares students to solve problems and listen to all perspectives to facilitate positive development among policies, programs, school performance, colleagues, and communities.

Teacher leadership candidates develop skills and strategies to bring about authentic, empathetic, and equitable change through informative, inspiring, and impactful learning environments. Those who specialize in teacher leadership have the goal of fostering a stellar student learning and teaching experience in the classroom.

How Do I Apply for a Master’s in Teacher Leadership?

While every college, university, and program will have different requirements, many Teacher Leadership degree programs require candidates to submit:

• Graduate application
• A transcript showing a bachelor’s degree competition with at least a cumulative GPA of 3.0
• A professional resume
• Recommendation letters attesting to your teaching experience
• Interview with the program director or the faculty
• Immunization proof (measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella)

How Long Does it Take to Earn a Master’s in Teacher Leadership?

Pursuing advanced graduate study can feel overwhelming and challenging regardless of the type of degree, especially if a candidate is working full-time or has other commitments. Thankfully, many graduate programs, like a Teacher Leadership in Education program, offer flexible and affordable options to meet every student’s needs.

These career-focused programs offer accessible academics with less stringent admission requirements, course credit advantages, and flexible in-person, online, and hybrid instruction formats and schedules.

At Goodwin University, we allow students to work full-time and complete their Master’s in Teacher Leadership in as few as 15 months part-time through our entirely online program. Additional benefits include:

1. No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) requirement
2. Up to six credits from prior learning for students entering the program as part of the Alternative Route to Certification
3. A blend of live virtual learning sessions and asynchronous independent study

Download our FREE M.Ed. Get Started Guide to learn more about how Goodwin can help you achieve your personal and professional goals!

What Types of Classes Will I Take in Teacher Leadership?

Teacher Leadership degree programs commonly frame their curriculum around the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) model, so candidates can proactively design capacity-building learning experiences.

These experiences are proven to remove barriers to learning by frontloading flexible options for engaging learners, teaching essential concepts, and building goal-directed learners. Program faculty model and utilize the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework in the following courses:

• Contemporary Issues in Urban Education
• Effective Learning Environments
• Instructional Coaching
• Leading Professional Learning
• Social Foundations of Education

Through this extensive coursework and training, graduates are equipped with enhanced leadership skills and capabilities to reach different types of learners.

What are the Career Outcomes of a Master’s in Teacher Leadership?

Candidates earning their Master’s in Education (M.Ed.) in Teacher Leadership are preparing to become educational change-makers. These are the individuals looking to increase access to learning by reducing and removing physical, cognitive, intellectual, and organizational barriers for students and communities.

Graduates with Master’s degrees in Teacher Leadership can expect to reach students in even the most challenging of situations, in careers such as:

• Career counselors
• Corporate trainers
• Curriculum specialists
• Educational administrators
• Educational consultants
• School principals
• Special education teachers
• University professors

Additionally, graduates can also see the following benefits from incorporating their skills and knowledge of a Universal Design Learning (UDL) framework in their school or school district:

• Supporting the needs of diverse students
• Honoring students’ varied and individual experiences
• Helping students become active participants through dialogue in the classroom and community
• Encouraging all students to relate to content and engage with others
• Improving evaluation scales to be more inclusive and individualized
• Developing critical and empathetic thinkers in the classroom
• Increasing students’ skills in self-awareness and abilities for self-reflection

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), overall employment in educational instruction and library occupations is projected to grow as fast as the average for all occupations from now to 2032, resulting in an average of about 857,600 job openings annually. This underlines the great opportunity for Teacher Leadership graduates.

The median annual wage is also higher than that for all occupations at $57,490, making this a rewarding and financially beneficial career path for a Master’s in Education (M.Ed.) in Teacher Leadership candidate.

Is a Master’s in Teacher Leadership Right for Me?

Teacher leaders fill the gaps in school systems as they seek to support school and student success by leading with trustworthiness, empathy, and courage. They are the resource providers, classroom and community supporters, and trailblazing risk-takers who go above and beyond the school’s status quo.

If any of those traits sound like you, it’s time to take the next step in your educational career by earning a Master’s in Teacher Leadership at Goodwin University. Together, we’ll help you become a creative and analytical advocate and educator ready to increase students’ and other teachers’ access to learning.

Apply to our thirty-credit, completely online program today. Or, if you need more information, contact us today. Our comprehensive support services and admissions staff are here to ensure you get through college and into a great career.

It’s time to master educating the minds of tomorrow!