Skip to main content
Education Leadership alum at work.

Education, Educational Leadership, M.Ed.

The master's degree in educational leadership program provides aspiring educational leaders with clinical experiences, case methods of teaching, and pragmatic curriculum geared to the specific knowledge required for success in school-level leadership for pre-K through grade 12. This program is designed to prepare aspiring leaders with specific knowledge required for school level leadership success and impact.

Visit the program website for more information.

Listen to Podcast


Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission

GVSU's education program is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

73%
Alumni Employed in the Field

Seventy-three percent of GVSU education graduates are employed in their field.

100%
Faculty With Field Experience

Each faculty member is an experienced education practitioner.


Source: EMSI, 2021

Program Overview

The Educational Leadership program prepares educators to serve as leaders in school buildings and in some cases, districts. The emphasis areas focus on effective leadership, curriculum organization and improvement, personnel administration, finance, law, assessment, instructional leadership, and more. Additionally, there is an emphasis on theory to application and relevancy to the practices most important for effective educational leadership.

Why Study Educational Leadership at Grand Valley?

  • The program opens up a number of career opportunities for professional educators.
  • Faculty members have extensive K-12 teaching and administrative backgrounds.
  • The program curriculum provides a high-quality blend of educational theory and practical application in the field.
  • Flexible hybrid classes offered evenings, weekends, and during summer make it easier for teachers and administrators to plan their schedules. Some classes are offered in an online format.
  • Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.

Accreditation

Grand Valley State University's College of Education and Community Innovation is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association (NCA). The faculty are leaders in their fields, melding together the philosophy of education and your needs as a practitioner.

Location & Format

Fully online or hybrid program that requires 3 face-to-face meetings per semester.

This program is available in Grand Rapids. Traverse City, and Detroit.

Formats:

Coursework

All Master of Education (M.Ed.) programs require a minimum of 33 semester hours. To receive the M.Ed in Leadership, students must complete the College of Education and Community Innovation foundations requirements and one of the emphasis areas.

Career Options

  • P-12 teaching
  • School administration
  • Special education supervisor
  • College level professional and administrative positions

Aside from an M.Ed. degree, other education programs are available. Visit gvsu.edu/education/grad for more information.

Application Deadline

Deadline for fall semester is July 15; winter, November 15; spring/summer, March 15. Early application is strongly encouraged to secure course enrollment. Those applications received after the deadline will be considered on an individual basis and program availability. Late applicants should contact program director Rick Vandermolen, [email protected]. The $30 nonrefundable application fee is waived if you have previously applied to GVSU.

Admission Requirements

For general requirements for graduate admission, visit Grand Valley State University’s admission section of the online catalog.

Admission into a master's of education program has additional requirements, which are available on this page.

If you have additional questions, please contact our graduate admissions office.

 

International students, please note: This program does not offer enough consecutive physical classroom presence for a student to qualify for an F-1 visa.

For More Information

College of Education and Community Innovation

gvsu.edu/education/grad
401 Fulton Street West, Building C
(616) 331-6650
Program Contact: Rick Vandermolen, Ed.D., [email protected]

Graduate Admissions and Recruitment Office

gvsu.edu/education/grad

Program Director

Rick Vandermolen, Ed.D.
(616) 331-6250