Master's in Educational Leadership and Administration
Position yourself to become a principal or administrator with the ability to lead a culture of teaching and learning, and inspire your school community to reach ever-higher goals with a Master of Arts in Education and Human Development degree in the field of Educational Leadership and Administration.
For more than 30 years, GW’s graduate programs in Educational Leadership and Administration have fostered exceptional leadership skills in students. This 30-credit hour academic program prepares candidates for education administration and leadership, with focus on the needs of diverse educational communities and building the practical skills and knowledge necessary to improve student learning and achievement on the local, state, or national level.
GW’s program is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC). Completion of this degree may also prepare qualified candidates for principal or administrator licensure. This program’s courses and internship experiences are designed to meet the academic requirements for administrative certification/licensure for the District of Columbia , Maryland , Virginia , North Carolina, and other interstate compact agreement partners.
Gain practical instruction in leadership, management, supervision of instruction and general supervisory principles from faculty members who are active in education, and develop your experience first-hand through a variety of required internships.
Highlights
Why a GW Master’s in Educational Leadership and Administration?
- Tradition of Excellence: Join the community of exceptional educational leaders that GW has been cultivating for more than 30 years.
- Team Leadership: Gain valuable experience and surround yourself with different perspectives through evidence based courses and leadership activities. Group work is incorporated in courses to simulate the skills and capacities needed in the workplace.
- Applied Coursework: Expand your knowledge, skills, and add to your professional portfolio by applying course concepts in a series of real-world education leadership projects and activities.
- Internships: Build authentic leadership experience through observation and participation in leadership opportunities and administrative internships, in diverse learning communities.
- Practice-Based Instructors: Learn from GW faculty members who are active in the field in a variety of PK-12 education positions to gain practical and relevant insights in educational leadership.
Curriculum
GW’s Master’s in Educational Leadership and Administration is a 30-credit master’s degree and can be completed in an accelerated format in as little as 2 years.
The program includes courses and field experiences designed to meet the academic requirements for administrative certification/endorsement in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and other states that honor interstate compact agreements.
30 credit hours
This program is offered on multiple campuses and online.
- EDUC 6114 Introduction to Quantitative Research (3 credits)
- EDUC 6232 Supervision of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (3 credits)
- EDUC 6234 Foundations of K12 Educational Leadership (3 credits)
- EDUC 6236 School Law and Policy (3 credits)
- EDUC 6238 Leadership for Equity and Social Justice (3 credits)
- EDUC 6240 Instructional Leadership for School Improvement (3 credits)
- EDUC 6242 Administrative Issues in Education (3 credits)
- EDUC 6244 School, Family, and Community Engagement (3 credits)
- EDUC 6246 School Finance and Resource Management for School Leaders (3 credits)
- EDUC 6287 Internship: Administration (3 credits)
While most students intern at their employing school/district, individual placements are not guaranteed.
Cohort Options
Charles County Cohort: Convenient and flexible classes offered in a hybrid model for the Master's and Post-Master’s Certificate in Charles County with some classes held online asynchronously and some held on-site at a CCPS school.
DC Public School Cohort: Convenient and flexible classes will be offered in a hybrid model for the Master's and Education Specialist degrees in Fall 2023.
Loudoun County Cohort: Convenient and flexible classes will be offered in a hybrid model for the Post-Master’s Certificate, Master's and Education Specialist degrees in Loudoun County in Fall 2023, with some classes held online asynchronously and some held on-site at an LCPS Building.
Certificate Offered
GW offers a Post-master’s Certificate in Educational Leadership and Administration and an Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership and Administration (off-campus or online).
Both the programs are ideal for students with an already earned master’s degree in education who may seek further professional preparation for specific objectives. Completion of the Education Specialist degree or post-master’s certificate may prepare qualified candidates for administrator/principal licensure.
Program Outcomes
Successful completion of GW’s Master’s in the field of Educational Administration degree will prepare you for professional advancement as a leader in PK-12 education with strong technical, conceptual, political and leadership skills, including:
- Mastery of theoretical and practical aspects of leadership, planning, and change processes
- Demonstration of knowledge of critical issues in supervision, instruction evaluation, resource allocation, and policy
- Ability to promote excellence, equity, and efficiency in education
- Develop and maintain educational administration through applied research and practice in methodological, historical, social, economic, and political contexts
Faculty
| Clayton, Jennifer | Associate Professor, Educational Administration |
| Jamison, Kimberly | Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership and Administration |
| Nganga, Christine | Assistant Professor, Education Administration |
| Sherrill Linkous, Kelly | Assistant Professor, Educational Administration |
| Shirrell, Matthew | Associate Professor, Educational Leadership and Administration |
| Tekleselassie, Abe | Associate Professor, Educational Administration |
| Thessin, Rebecca | Associate Professor, Educational Administration |
| Trimmer, Leslie | Assistant Professor of Practice, Education Administration |
Career Outlook
Earn your Master of Arts in Education and Human Development in Educational Leadership and Administration from the George Washington University (GW) and broaden your opportunities for a leadership position within your school, district, or in higher education.
This program may also prepare qualified candidates for administrator/principal licensure, and has been designed to meet the administrative certification requirements of the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and other interstate compact agreement partner states.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Services, elementary, middle and high school principals earned a median $98,420 annual salary in 2021, with jobs in the field expected to grow 5% by 2031.1 Postsecondary education administrators earned a median $96,910 in 2021, with jobs expected to grow 7% by 2031.2
Educational Administration Career Opportunities
- Assistant principal
- Athletic director
- Central office administrator
- PK-12 Dean
- Department chair
- Director of admissions
- Education advisor
- Education consultant
- Principal
- Program director
Potential Employment Settings
- Public, private or charter PK-12 schools
- Higher education institutions
- Government departments or agencies
- Consulting organizations
1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/elementary-middle-and-high-school-principals.htm (visited October 31, 2022).
2 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Postsecondary Education Administrators, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/postsecondary-education-administrators.htm (visited October 31, 2022).
Admissions
Program Entry: Online (Spring, Summer, Fall) - On-Campus/Hybrid (Fall)
Prerequisites: Bachelors Degree, minimum of one year of teaching experience
Campus: Alexandria, Online
Application Requirements
- Online Application
- Resume
- Statement of purpose ( 500-750 word essay). Please address the following topics:
- Your rationale for seeking further qualification in the field of Educational Administration at GW.
- What knowledge, skills, dispositions, or experiences in leadership will you bring to the program? What has prepared you to assume an administrative role?
- Evidence of equity-focused teaching or leadership in your own classroom or across multiple classrooms.
- Areas for growth you will seek to acquire during the program to prepare to be an effective school leader.
- 2 Letters of Recommendation (from a current administrator preferred)
- Transcripts
- Interview may be required
*Additional application requirements may exist for international applicants
For more information on any of these requirements, please visit our Admissions FAQ page.
We are accepting applications on a rolling basis. Please contact our Admission Office at gsehdadm@gwu.edu or at 202.994.9283 for more information to apply.
Transformation Begins Here
Learn more about the MA in Educational Leadership and Administration program. Complete the form linked below or contact the GSEHD Admissions Team at 202-994-9283.
