Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership Online

Develop a holistic approach to leadership, along with the tools and disposition to help all students learn in a diverse and evolving educational landscape.

Apply by: 1/3/25
Start class: 1/13/25 Apply Now Apply Now

Program Overview

Discover Northwest’s master’s in educational leadership online program

Lead students, faculty and staff to success with the knowledge and skills you will gain in the MSEd. in Educational Leadership online program from Northwest Missouri State University. Become fully prepared to support students and staff academically, behaviorally and operationally.

As part of the MSEd. in Educational Leadership online curriculum, you will learn how to design quality educational experiences by partnering with community stakeholders, fostering strong relationships with students and personnel and implementing new systems for effective communication and engagement.

You will also gain a thorough understanding of curriculum planning, research-based instructional practice and data literacy and assessment. This program focuses on leadership, communication, critical thinking, diversity, equity, inclusion and teamwork, with field experiences embedded in courses and professional-based instruction.

Students may complete this master’s in educational leadership online program and choose to apply for certification in Educational Leadership. For certification in building-level leadership, states may require additional conditions on top of the completion of the degree. It is the student's responsibility to learn the certification requirements for his/her state in which they desire to be certified for Educational Leadership. We strongly suggest you contact your particular state department for all the items they require for certification. For example, the state of Missouri requires a valid Missouri teaching certificate for administration certification in Missouri.

Note: All majors seeking certification in Missouri must have completed EDCI 62641: Educating the Exceptional Child if the equivalent was not met in the undergraduate coursework or through the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE). In addition, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) does require all applicants who apply for certification must hold a current classroom level teacher certification. This does not include a K-12 counseling certificate or career and/or technical teaching certificate. Students are recommended to contact DESE directly to confirm they have the appropriate certifications and undergraduate coursework to acquire a building level leadership certification.

Graduates of this educational leadership program online will demonstrate:

  • The capability to create quality educational experiences for all students by enlisting stakeholders in the development and implementation of a vision promoting a positive school culture
  • The ability to foster relationships through creation of effective systems for communication, engagement, partnerships and advocacy resulting in the success and well-being of students
  • The promotion of student learning through a synthesis of curriculum planning and design, research-based instructional practice, data literacy and assessment, and effective learning supports
  • The importance of challenging the status quo through innovative actions supporting diversity, equity and inclusion, resulting in a professional culture for student achievement
  • Skills to cooperatively implement systems that ethically support students and staff academically, behaviorally and operationally through data analysis, fiscal management, and legal compliance
Graduates of this educational leadership program online will demonstrate:
  • The capability to create quality educational experiences for all students by enlisting stakeholders in the development and implementation of a vision promoting a positive school culture
  • The ability to foster relationships through creation of effective systems for communication, engagement, partnerships and advocacy resulting in the success and well-being of students
  • The promotion of student learning through a synthesis of curriculum planning and design, research-based instructional practice, data literacy and assessment, and effective learning supports
  • The importance of challenging the status quo through innovative actions supporting diversity, equity and inclusion, resulting in a professional culture for student achievement
  • Skills to cooperatively implement systems that ethically support students and staff academically, behaviorally and operationally through data analysis, fiscal management, and legal compliance

Administration career opportunities include:

  • Principal
  • Assistant Principal
  • Education Director
  • District Administrator
  • Instructional Coordinator
  • Site Coordinator
Administration career opportunities include:
  • Principal
  • Assistant Principal
  • Education Director
  • District Administrator
  • Instructional Coordinator
  • Site Coordinator

Accreditation:

AAQEP logo

Northwest Missouri State University is accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) and is recognized by the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education™ (DESE) and the Higher Learning Commission.

Also available:

Northwest offers a variety of specialized online education program options. Check out our other online education programs.

Total Tuition $11,730*
Program Duration As few as 12 months
Credit Hours 30

Accreditation:

AAQEP logo

Northwest Missouri State University is accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) and is recognized by the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education™ (DESE) and the Higher Learning Commission.

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Need More Information?

Call 844-890-9304

Call 844-890-9304

Tuition

Find out how and when to pay your tuition

Our MSEd. in Educational Leadership online program offers affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition, which is the same for in-state and out-of-state students. All fees are included.

View additional tuition information+

Program Per Credit Hour Per Course Per Program*
MSEd. in Ed Leadership $391 $1,173 $11,730

Important Refund Information

2nd day of class Last date for 100% refund for dropped course
4th day of class Last date for 75% refund for dropped course
6th day of class Last date for 50% refund for dropped course
8th day of class Last date for 25% refund for dropped course

Tuition breakdown:

Total Tuition $11,730*
Per Credit Hour $391

Transfer your credits for lower tuition

Use our Tuition Estimator to see how affordable your degree could be. Slide the notch to the number of credits you've already earned—which may qualify for transfer credit—to get an estimate of what your degree might cost.

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Transfer Credits: 0
Your Estimated Tuition: $16,140
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Transcripts sent from other colleges and universities will be evaluated, and accepted credits will be added to the student's A-State record. The Tuition Estimator is not a guarantee or predictor of the number of credit hours that will be accepted.

Calendar

When to apply, when classes start, when tuition is due

Northwest online programs are delivered in an accelerated format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year.

View full calendar  + 

TermProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class Day
Spring 11/13/251/3/251/6/251/7/251/8/252/28/25
Spring 23/10/252/24/252/27/253/3/253/5/254/25/25
Summer 15/5/254/21/254/24/254/28/254/30/256/20/25
Summer 26/23/256/6/256/11/256/13/256/17/258/8/25
Fall 18/25/258/11/258/14/258/18/258/20/2510/10/25
Fall 210/20/2510/6/2510/9/2510/13/2510/15/2512/5/25

Now enrolling:

Next Apply Date: 1/3/25
Next Class Start Date: 1/13/25
Ready to take the next steps toward

earning your degree?

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Admissions

Requirements for the online MSEd. in Educational Leadership program

At Northwest, we've streamlined the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. Please read the requirements for the MSEd. in Educational Leadership online, including what additional materials you need and where you should send them.

Admission Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale
  • Official transcripts from all institutions attended
View all admission requirements +

To apply for this program, you must meet these requirements:

  • An official undergraduate transcript from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 OR an official undergraduate transcript from a regionally accredited institution with a GPA of 2.50 to 2.74 with a 3.0 GPA in the first six semester hours of graduate study at Northwest in the major where admission is requested.
  • Documentation of ONE of the following:
    • Valid state issued teaching certificate OR two years previous teaching experience with a valid teaching certificate
    • 3.5 or higher on the analytical writing measure of the GRE
    • Successful completion of another master's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with at least a 2.75 GPA
    • Successful completion of nationally normed educational performance assessment or content assessment
    • Departmental analytical writing assessment with a 4.0 score or higher (based on the modified CUNY scale)
    • National Board Certification

Official transcript(s) can be emailed to: [email protected]. To submit official documents by mail, send them to:

Graduate Records Specialist
Northwest Missouri State University
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468-6001

Have a question? Call us at 844-890-9304.

Click here for State Authorization information.


Admission Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale
  • Official transcripts from all institutions attended

Courses

What you’ll learn in your online Educational Leadership degree courses

For the MSEd. in Educational Leadership online, the curriculum is comprised of 10 courses (30 credit hours).

Expand All
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to introduce the importance of school vision and mission statements as students investigate the process to developing these statements based on the district's improvement plan. Students will conduct an audit of the school's culture and develop an improvement plan that addresses one identified need, based on student learning. The course is intended to help students work with core values, systems of support, and the school improvement process to bring about meaningful change that impacts the school's culture and student success.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to prepare school leaders for effective two-way communication with families and the community. In addition, school leaders will effectively engage families, community and school personnel in strengthening student learning in and out of school. This course will prepare school leaders to build and sustain productive partnerships with communities and public and private sectors to promote school improvement and student development. Finally, this course will prepare school leaders to advocate for the needs and priorities of the school, district, students, families and the community. 27 hours field experience embedded in the course.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to introduce program completers to best instructional practices in curriculum, instruction and assessment. Students will observe teachers in the PreK-12 classroom and provide meaningful feedback on instructional practices consistent with knowledge of learning theory, child development, and effective pedagogy. 21 hours field experience.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
School leaders must work well with their staff members in order to provide a school building that promotes the success and well-being of each student. School leaders provide the knowledge, skills and commitments necessary for management and operation of the building. This course trains leaders to create a safe and functional school facility and grounds to support student learning, understand how routines and schedules support the school environment, and establish procedures that meet the needs of the building while managing a school budget. 21 hours field experience.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
School leaders must work well with their staff members in order to successfully lead their buildings. Effective leaders implement human resource functions, develop and sustain a professional culture of engagement and commitment to the education of the whole child, develop and support positive workplace conditions, and implement systems of supervision and evaluation. This course focuses on the systems that support the hiring and improvement of the school personnel, that develop and sustain staff members' shared vision and goals, that promote staff member leadership and professional growth, and that provide feedback to effectively improve student learning. Class members will be involved in evaluating existing systems and the creation and revision of systems to meet the needs of learners. 21 hours field experience.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course will focus on the development of skills related to finding, evaluating, analyzing, prioritizing and integrating data sources for the improvement of student learning. Students will retrieve data, develop an action plan for improvement, and create a project demonstrating proficiency in data literacy.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students who complete this course understand and demonstrate the capability to promote the success and well-being of each student by applying the knowledge, skills and commitments necessary for equitable protocols for student support, equitable access in a least restrictive environment, responsive practices for culturally responsive teaching and leadership, and a supportive school culture that ensures each student and family is treated fairly. 27 hours field experience embedded in the course.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course covers the laws of our country as they apply to all phases of the public school. Stress is placed upon laws concerning superintendents, principals, teachers and pupils. 27 hours field experience embedded in the course.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed through field experience to develop the coordination, articulation, and monitoring of a guaranteed and viable curriculum. Students will conduct an audit of curriculum to demonstrate an understanding of the importance of how the designed curriculum is actually being taught in a school with fidelity. **Cannot be taken at the same time as EDUC 61668.**
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
During this course students will accumulate a minimum amount of hours of practicum experience under the direction of a university and site supervisor. Activities for the practicum are outlined in the practicum handbook. Candidates should provide coherent, authentic, experiences that provide opportunities to synthesize and apply the content knowledge, develop and refine the professional skills, and demonstrate their capabilities as articulated in each of the elements included in NELP Building-Level Program Standards. **Cannot be taken at the same time as EDUC 61667.**

Students may complete the program and choose to apply for certification in educational leadership. For certification in building-level leadership, states may require additional conditions on top of the completion of the degree. It is the student’s responsibility to learn the certification requirements for the state in which they desire to be certified for educational leadership. We strongly suggest contacting your particular state department for all the items they require for certification. For example, the state of Missouri requires a valid Missouri teaching certificate for administration certification in Missouri.

Ranked #1

Northwest Missouri State University is ranked #1 among the "Best Online Colleges in Missouri" by SR Education Group (2020)

Highly Qualified Faculty

100% of classes are taught by professionals, not graduate assistants

*Tuition and fees are based on current rates. Textbooks and laptops are not included with tuition.

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