Educational Leadership

The purpose of the Educational Leadership program is to provide professional and/or academic preparation for individuals interested in leadership roles in K-12 and higher education settings. These roles include teacher leaders, mid-level administrators (e.g., school principal or higher education administrators), and upper-level administrative positions such as district superintendents.

Degrees offered include a 32-credit Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership – K-12 Leadership and a 36-credit Master of Education (M.Ed.) or Master of Science (M.S.) in Educational Leadership - Higher Education Administration.

K-12 Leadership

The K-12 Leadership option is designed to transform your passion for education using the professional and organizational skills necessary for leadership that focuses on student success. Graduates from this program have the knowledge, skills, and experiences to lead others through informed decision-making and collaboration.

The K-12 Leadership program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and approved by the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board. Changes in national and state legislation, standards, or rules can affect academic program requirements

Higher Education Administration

The Higher Education Administration option is designed to provide the foundations of practice, research and theory of higher education and student affairs essential for leadership in post-secondary contexts. Graduates from this program have the knowledge, skills, and experiences to become change-agents on college and university campuses.

Admission is considered only after all required application materials have been received and reviewed. Where appropriate, all international student requirements must be met. Admission decisions are based upon the predicted success of the applicant as a student and professional in the chosen field and are made only after considering all available data. A student must meet all requirements for full admission. After being accepted for graduate study in the School of Education, the student should contact her/his assigned adviser assigned for assistance in filing a plan of study for consideration by the program. 

Please note, the priority deadline for this program is February 1 with a final deadline of April 1. This means that your application must be submitted AND all supplemental materials, such as official transcripts and recommendations, received at the Graduate School by that date.

Required application materials are as follows:

Master of Education (M.Ed.) or the Master of Science (M.S.) in Educational Leadership

• Official transcripts of all previous collegiate work, including one verifying graduation with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution;
• A cumulative baccalaureate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;
• Resume including credentials, licenses and certificates;
• Two references that evaluate the applicant's potential for success as a graduate student in the chosen master's degree program and as an educational leader; and
• A leadership essay.

The Master of Science (M.S.) and the Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degrees require a master's paper or thesis. The Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree is a non-thesis, practitioner-oriented degree. Programs vary in their requirements for a written comprehensive exam or a portfolio/oral. 

K-12 Leadership Program of Study 

K-12 Licensure Additional Credits

(Non-transcripted)

Higher Education Program of Study

Sara Bano, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Michigan State University, 2020

Justin Benna, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
University of New Hampshire, 2018
Research Interests/Areas of Expertise: PK-12 School Leadership; Social and Political Contexts of Schools; Educator Development and Professional Learning

Dean Bresciani, Ph.D.
University Distinguished Professor
University of Arizona, 1996

Amanda Cordova, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
University of Texas at San Antonio, 2018

Liza Gilblom, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Cleveland State University, 2017
Research Interests/Areas of Expertise: Geographic Information Systems, Privatization in Education, Equity in Education, Critical Social Theory

Brent Hill, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Oklahoma State University, 2011
Research Interests/Areas of Expertise: Monte Carlo Simulations, Educational and Psychological Measurement, Learning Theory, Structural Equation Modeling, Q Methodology, Time Series Analysis

Lei Jiang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
University of Georgia, 2021

Hollie Mackey, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Pennsylvania State University, 2010
Research Interests/Areas of Expertise: Socio-cultural Dimensions of Educational Leadership, Indigenous Theory and Methodology, and Educational, Self-Determination   

Cailen O'Shea, Ph.D. 
Assistant Professor
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2020
Research Interests/Areas of Expertise: School Transformation, Innovation for Equitable Education, PK-12 School Leadership, Quantitative Methods

Laura Parson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
University of North Dakota, 2016
Research Interests/Areas of Expertise: Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (SoTL), Women in Higher Education, Women in STEM, Ethnographic and Discourse Methods of Inquiry

Chris Ray, Ph.D.
Professor & Head
Oklahoma State University, 2007
Research Interests/Areas of Expertise: Institutional Effectiveness, Learning Outcomes Assessment, Instrument Development, Moral Development and Education, College Student Development

Nathan Wood, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
University of Minnesota, 2006
Research Interests/Areas of Expertise: Socio-Cultural Issues in Education, Identity Development, Preparation of Educational Researchers