Personalized 3-in-1 Master's + Certificate + Micro-Credential
Why just earn a degree when you can build a portfolio?
Our first-of-its-kind, stackable, 3-in-1 personalized program reimagines the graduate degree for the modern professional. In just 10 courses, you’ll earn a graduate certificate, a micro-credential, and a master’s degree. Build immediately applicable skills and gain credentials that signal expertise to employers.
Choose from high-impact concentrations like Educational Technology Leadership or Literacy Education and pair them with specialized credentials in Instructional Design or Quantitative Methods. You’re not just following a curriculum, you’re designing your career and building a path toward leadership, specialized expertise, career advancement, or a career pivot.
Flexible for Working Professionals
Designed for working professionals, the Personalized 3-in-1 program is delivered part-time with just 2 courses per semester, allowing you to complete it in five semesters, with online, hybrid, and on-campus course options.
Intentional, High-Impact Cohorts
With our small class sizes, you’ll learn in a close-knit, cohort-based model that fosters more meaningful discussions, stronger connections, and personalized faculty support.
Credentials That Count—Along the Way
Earn your graduate certificate after your first year, with additional micro-credentials awarded as you reach key milestones, allowing you to build career momentum before completing your Master’s degree.
Design Your Personalized Path
After you apply and are admitted to the Individualized Master’s program, you’ll collaborate with academic advisors to design a program plan that aligns with your interests and career goals. Here’s how your degree comes together:
Step 1: Choose a Graduate Certificate Concentration
The graduate certificate will be awarded after completing four required courses. Stay tuned for additional graduate certificate options as they become available.
Educational Technology Leadership
Lead the Digital Shift. Move beyond basic classroom tech and start driving high-impact digital initiatives. You won’t just learn to incorporate educational tools; you’ll evaluate their effectiveness and design immersive learning environments that transform the student experience.
The Focus: Strategic leadership, impact evaluation, and digital environment design
Your Future: Step into ed-tech leadership or instructional supervisor roles with the authority to drive digital transformation.
Course Delivery: Fully-Online
Instructional Design
Design the Future of Learning. Master effective instruction for any industry or setting. Manage the full project lifecycle, from needs assessment and design theory to final evaluation. By integrating Generative AI into your process, you'll be uniquely prepared to design training initiatives in an AI-driven world.
The Focus: Educational design principles, tools and techniques; Development, implementation and ongoing management of effective instructional programs
Your Future: Lead instructional design projects in corporate, non-profit, or academic settings as a forward-thinking designer.
Course Delivery: Fully-Online
Literacy Education
Redefine the Power of Language. Literacy is more than just reading and writing—it’s how we communicate through images, digital media, and interdisciplinary texts. Step beyond the traditional classroom and master modern instructional design principles and literacy education in diverse settings, from schools and libraries to museums and national parks.
The Focus: Modern curriculum design, visual and media literacy, and community-based education
Your Future: Become a transformative literacy expert capable of fostering communication skills in diverse, real-world environments.
Course Delivery: In-Person, Off-Campus
Step 2: Choose a Micro-Credential
The micro-credential will be awarded along with a digital badge after completing two required courses, typically taken in the last semester/s. Additional micro-credentials could be earned.
- Educational Technology Leadership
Together, the two courses in the Educational Technology Leadership micro-credential provide a powerful blend of foundational knowledge along with critical insight into current research and emerging trends including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), and other next-generation learning technologies. This combination prepares educators and trainers to make informed, strategic decisions and lead with confidence in a rapidly evolving digital learning landscape.
Course Delivery: Fully-Online
- Instructional Design
The Instructional Design micro-credential kickstarts your career by combining hands-on design experience with strategic human–AI collaboration skills for modern instructional design workflows. Through two aligned courses, you will develop and apply the design and management expertise organizations need to prepare learners for today’s rapidly evolving workplace.
Course Delivery: Fully-Online
- Quantitative Methods
The Foundational Quantitative Methods micro-credential is designed to build essential skills in research methods and statistics. Through EDUC 6116 and EDUC 8120, students will develop a strong foundation in quantitative analysis and interpretation while preparing for the demands of doctoral-level research. This focused micro-credential offers a flexible way to strengthen statistical understanding and enhance readiness for research-intensive and data-driven careers.
Course Delivery: Fully-Online
- Understanding School Reform (Education Policy)
This micro-credential is intended for non-majors to help in understanding K-12 school reform initiatives in the US and the complex conditions that give rise to their need, identification, implementation and evaluation. It enables students to gain important perspectives that help in analyzing K-12 reform appeal, successes, and limitations. This micro-credential consists of two courses (EDUC 6314 and EDUC 6368) offered in-person, face-to-face on the Foggy Bottom campus only, by the Education Policy program faculty.
Course Delivery: On-Campus, Foggy Bottom
- Literacy Tutoring (Coming Fall 2027)
The micro-credential in Literacy Tutoring is designed for educators, paraprofessionals, and aspiring tutors—anyone who wants to make a real difference in their communities. In this focused, flexible micro-credential, you will receive expert guidance and collaborate with peers while learning evidence-based instructional strategies with practical applications that will enhance your career options. You will explore key areas such as phonemic awareness, vocabulary development, reading comprehension, and differentiated instruction, all grounded in current research.
Course Delivery: Off-Campus, VSTC Campus
Step 3: Earn Your Master's Degree
Degree Awarded:
Master of Arts in Education and Human Development
(Individualized Master's Degree Program)
Course Delivery:
Hybrid or Fully-Online, Dependent Upon Courses Selected
Program Entry:
*Dependent Upon Courses Selected
Course topics include:
How We Learn & Educate
How We Lead
How We Use Evidence
Seminar/Changing Topics
The master’s degree requires 30 total credits, earned through a combination of core, certificate, and micro-credential coursework.
- 4 Core Master's Courses: 12 credits
- 4 Graduate Certificate Courses: 12 credits
- 2 Micro-credential Courses: 6 credits
Learn More & Apply
Let’s design your degree together.
Schedule a conversation with a GSEHD Admissions Coach to discuss how you can tailor your program to fit your career goals. Connect with the GSEHD Admissions Team at teachinfo
gwu [dot] edu (teachinfo[at]gwu[dot]edu) or 202-994-9283.
teachinfogwu [dot] edu (Connect with Admissions Coach)
Ready to build a degree that’s 100% you? The first step is simple. Review our step-by-step guide to applying to GSEHD and the admissions and tuition information provided on this page. (Applicants should apply to the "Individualized Program M.A. Ed & HD Online" program in the application portal.)
To be considered for admission, applicants must submit the online application form as well as the following required supporting documents. There is no application fee.
- Prerequisite: Bachelor's Degree
- Resume
- Statement of Purpose
- One Letter of Recommendation
- Transcripts from all previously attended colleges or universities
*Additional application requirements may exist for international applicants.
Applications are now being accepted for Summer and Fall 2026. We encourage you to apply as early as possible.
Application Timeline Spring Summer Fall Priority Deadline Sept 1 Nov 1 Nov 1 Round 1 Deadline Oct 1 Dec 1 Dec 1 Round 2 Deadline Nov 1 Jan 15 Jan 15 Round 3 Deadline - March 1 March 1 Round 4 Deadline - - May 1 Round 5 Deadline - - Jun 15 Round 6 Deadline Dec 1 May 1 Aug 1 For more information or to inquire about the next admissions cycle, contact the GSEHD Admissions Team at teachinfo
gwu [dot] edu (teachinfo[at]gwu[dot]edu) or 202-994-9283.
Tuition & Financial Aid
We know embarking upon graduate school is a big decision - due in part to the costs of attending. At GW, we understand the time and thought behind making graduate school work for you. Please take a moment to learn more about the options and opportunities available to help fund your graduate education.
Access Federal Financial Aid: Since the certificate and credentials are built into the Master’s degree, you may be eligible for federal funding—unlike typical certificate programs.
Graduate tuition is charged per credit hour, unless otherwise noted. Rates vary by program and location.
The tuition rate* for online or off-campus courses is $1,300 per credit hour.
The tuition rate* for on-campus (Foggy Bottom) courses is $1,960 per credit hour.
This program requires 30 credits.
Please note: Additional fees may apply for international students, late fees, etc. Current tuition rates may be updated during the year.
*Summer 2025, Fall 2025 and Spring 2026
Scholarships are available to eligible admitted students. Review eligibility requirements and learn more about funding your education >