What is a master's in educational leadership?

A master's degree in educational leadership is a graduate program that prepares you for certification as a school principal or administrator. It gives you important skills and credentials to understand how to run the school in an efficient way.

How long does it take to earn a master's in educational leadership?

Typical master's of educational leadership programs take 2 years to complete, but at some schools you may be able to accelerate and finish faster. For example, most WGU educational leadership students finish in just 18 months or less.

What can you do with an educational leadership degree?

An educational leadership degree can prepare you to become a vice principal, assistant principal, principal, or other administrator in education.

What can I expect from an online master's in educational leadership program?

In an educational leadership master's degree program you can expect to learn about school budgets, managing people, running faculty meetings, working with all kinds of learners, hiring and firing teachers and staff, working with parents and the community, and much more.

What are the types of educational leadership?

Most educational leaders fall into a few categories of leadership including: servant leaders, transactional leaders, emotional leaders, and transformational leaders.

What are the functions of educational leadership?

Educational leadership is implemented to ensure that the entire school and system runs smoothly. Educational leaders are in place to create effective and robust places of teaching and learning where students feel safe and welcome. They ensure that the business end of a school runs well, while also ensuring that students and teachers feel confident as individuals.

What is educational leadership theory?

Educational leadership theory evaluates the different approaches to running schools and classrooms in ways that are effective for students and teachers alike.

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Educational Leadership – M.S.

MASTER OF SCIENCE Educational Leadership

Create an inspiring, supportive, and safe environment for students and educators. Prepare to lead your own school as principal, vice principal, or assistant principal. Prepare to lead your own school.

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WGU’s teacher education programs were named #1 for combining quality and affordability by the National Council on Teacher Quality.

WGU’s education programs were named #1 for value by the National Council on Teacher Quality.

NCTQ #1 Best Value in U.S. for teaching programs

Take a leadership role in the future of education by becoming a school principal.

Are you an experienced, licensed teacher eager to take on new challenges? Perhaps it’s time you prepared to lead a school of your own. Becoming a school principal with this online certificate program will prepare you to change the future of education and impact students, teachers, and communities alike.

This online master's degree program* is designed to enhance your expertise in governance, finance, law, leadership, and strategic planning. The program will give you the skills you need to manage a modern educational institution, including overseeing teachers, developing and implementing curriculum standards, and improving how your staff helps students achieve established academic goals. You'll also learn how to manage budgets, ensure proper security, and better interact with parents, the public, and district administrators.

The M.S. Educational Leadership degree program is aligned with National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) standards and Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL).

*States that do not accept this program: Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, and Minnesota.

73% of graduates finish within

24 months

WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.
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Tuition per 6-month term is

$3,490

Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps you control the ultimate cost of your degree. Finish faster, pay less!
See how time is money

Graduates who recommend WGU:

97%

The vast majority of alumni say WGU delivered on its promises. In fact, over 50% of students found WGU thanks to a friend's recommendation.
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Tuition as of August 1, 2021.

You could be headed to the principal's office.

With the deep, comprehensive education you'll receive at WGU, you will be ready to be certified and become a school principal. This position allows you to lead a school toward a better academic future, impacting every person who walks through the doors. Consider this program an investment in yourself, in your professional growth, and in the future of your students.

Learn more about our grads' careers
A highly relevant curriculum developed by academic experts.

This online Master of Science in Educational Leadership program provides the essential skills, knowledge, and field experience you need to successfully manage a modern educational institution, be it public or private. It will prepare you to be certified as a school principal.

Download Program Guide

The WGU M.S. Educational Leadership program was designed (and is regularly updated) with input from the experts on our Education Program Council. These respected authorities know exactly what it takes for a graduate to lead a staff of educators, administrators, and support personnel in a modern educational setting.
Why WGU?

See why WGU is a good fit for you.

You aren't on your own. WGU has Program Mentors who work with you from the day you start, all the way through graduation. They help you chart your courses, answer your questions, and ensure you can go through your program. You're not alone when you choose an online degree at WGU.

Flexibility you need. Students choose WGU for their online degree program because of its flexibility. Whether you already have a full-time job, have responsibilities as a parent, or just have a busy schedule, WGU can work for you.

See how you'll learn
Areas of Study

In this program you will cover crucial topics including:

Leadership Foundations and Ethics

School Law

Leadership of Curriculum Design and Instruction

People and Talent in Educational Leadership

School Financial Leadership

Practicum in Educational Leadership - Focus on Professional Practices

Practicum in Educational Leadership - Focus on Instruction and Operations

Educational Leadership Capstone

Systems Management and School Operations

Leading Inclusive Schools

Data Literacy and Evidence-Based Practices

Cultural Competency and Social-Emotional Learning

More

Explore the curriculum
A Respected Degree

See why administrators and peers respect your WGU degree.

Strong alumni network. When you enroll in an online master's degree program at WGU, you join an impressive network of teachers. Over 8,000 students graduated from the Teachers College in 2019 alone, taking their skills and impacting the educational system all around the United States.

Recognized and accredited. WGU is a regionally accredited institution, meaning your degree is valuable. We also have top recognitions, like being named the best value in teacher education by the National Council on Teacher Quality.

See how we do it
A supported, personalized experience.

WGU is different from other online universities—in the best possible ways! Take a quick look at what we mean:

Faculty Learning Assessment In-Classroom Experience Alumni Support

Faculty

SUPPORTING YOU: Faculty focused on students.

An entire team of faculty members has one goal in mind: your success. Your Program Mentor is your individually assigned faculty member, providing regular program guidance and instruction from the day you start, to the day you graduate. In addition, Course Instructors provide regular, subject-matter instruction and support, typically one-on-one, throughout each course you take.

Learning

YOUR ROADMAP: A personalized learning plan.

Your program is made up of a series of courses, each a personalized journey toward subject mastery. A preassessment provides insight into what you already know. You’ll then learn what you still need to learn, using online learning resources—available 24/7—along with one-on-one or cohort-based faculty instruction.

Assessment

PROVE IT: Show you know your stuff.

WGU measures learning, not time, so each course in your program culminates in an assessment—a test, paper, project, or presentation that allows you to prove what you know. As soon as you’re ready, you take the assessment. Take proctored exams from the comfort of your own home—via webcam, any time of day!

In-Classroom Experience

REAL-WORLD: Experience in a classroom.

Most of your program will be completed online but all teacher licensure programs—and many graduate-level programs for already-licensed teachers—also include the opportunity to observe and practice in a K–12 classroom setting. We’ll help you set everything up at a school near you.

Alumni Support

ALWAYS a Night Owl: WGU for life.

Continued support after you graduate includes many opportunities for professional development and enrichment, career support, and networking. WGU Night Owls may be independent learners, but they also become highly engaged in our active alumni community through apps, groups, and events.

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The accreditation you need, plus industry respect and recognition.

One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.

Accredited

Western Governors University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), which provides the accreditation of many other major institutions, such as the University of Washington, University of Oregon, Gonzaga University, University of Utah, University of Idaho, and Brigham Young University, to name just a few.

Respected

“After graduating from WGU, and through all the rigor and quality of instruction that I received in the educational field, I was awarded Hawaii District Teacher of the Year in 2012.”
Amoreena Nestman
M.A. Teaching – Elementary Education

Recognized

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) in 2017 placed WGU’s Teachers College in the top 1% nationwide for the quality of its secondary teacher-preparation programs. This follows several other NCTQ recognitions, including the nation’s #1 best value for teacher education in 2015.

Accredited

Respected

Recognized

Our programs check all the boxes. If this degree is your goal, get started toward becoming a student today—programs start the first of each month.

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When we say affordable, we mean it.

$3,490

Tuition per 6-month term

+

+$445

Resource and Program Fees, per term

=

=$3,935

TOTAL PER TERM

+$65

One-time application fee

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Tuition rate effective August 1, 2021. $445 per-term fees include Resource Fee of $145 (covers all e-books and learning resources, saving you hundreds per term) and Program Fee of $300 (covers costs of supervised field experiences).
Control the cost of your program: Our tuition links cost to time.

By charging per term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees.
Flat-rate tuition of $3,935 per term links cost to time.

By charging per 6-month term rather than per credit hour—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or can learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees.

Adjust the time and see your costs change

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There's help if you need it.

Financial aid is available.

WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.

View more about financial aid.

WGU students borrow less than half the national average.*

Our goal: You graduate with little or no debt.

The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2019 (among those who borrowed) was less than half the national average. WGU’s three-pronged approach to keeping your debt low and your return on investment quick: One, provide useful information and advice on responsible borrowing before enrollment. Two, keep tuition low while you're enrolled. And three, offer degree programs that lead to better-paying jobs after graduation.

Read about our Responsible Borrowing Initiative.

*WGU data: 2019 Annual Report. National data: The Institute for College Access & Success and Student Loan Hero.

Degree Cost Comparison

Online For-Profit University

Other Online Non-Profit University

WGU

Earn your M.S. Educational Leadership for about half what you’d pay at another university.

Low tuition and the ability to accelerate make WGU more affordable than most other schools. When you compare us with other programs, WGU’s Master of Science in Educational Leadership degree program offers a rigorous curriculum with competitive post-graduation results for around half what you'd pay at another university—or even less.

*WGU average annual bachelor’s tuition rates are 57% the national average, compared to national rates reported by IPEDS. WGU average rate does not include rates for WGU B.S. Nursing Prelicensure program. Learn more about WGU's tuition and how it compares.

Transparent fees and no hidden costs.

The costs of attending college often include much more than tuition and fees. WGU is designed to be different, and that translates to cost savings everywhere from books to babysitting.

Other universities bury you in unexpected costs. Not WGU.

Click to explore the extra costs:

Tuition Books

Parking Gas

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nighttime classes

WGU

Other online college

Traditional
4 year school

This demonstration shows how various costs—including official fees and incidental costs of attending school—can add up in different learning environments. It's meant as an illustration only.

Scholarships make our already low tuition even more affordable.

Many scholarship opportunities are available. Here are a few you may be eligible to apply for:

$2,500

Master Your Future Scholarship

$2,500

K–12 Partner Scholarship

$2,000

Alumni Master's Scholarship

The affordable, flexible programs offered at WGU put high-quality education within your reach. Start working toward your future.

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Curriculum that ensures you’ve mastered the skills you’ll need as a principal or vice principal.

Program consists of:
13 Courses
Total courses in program

An unofficial estimated 0 courses are fulfilled by your associate degree leaving 13 courses.
I have an associate degree Download Program Guide

WGU designed this program to be timely, relevant, and practical—in other words, to make sure your M.S. Educational Leadership degree proves you've acquired the advanced knowledge and skills needed in K–12 leadership.

Every course focuses on clearly defined competencies you must prove you’ve learned—through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments. Demonstrating mastery is how you pass a course, so learning what it takes to be an outstanding leader is at the heart of WGU’s M.S. Educational Leadership curriculum.

It’s all about real-world relevance, so every moment you spend studying is time well spent. That means what you’re learning in your degree program will be directly applicable when you’re employed at the head of a school.

Courses in this program.

This program comprises the following courses. You will typically complete them one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized Degree Plan. You’ll work through each course as quickly as you can study and learn the material. As soon as you’re ready, you’ll pass the assessment, complete the course, and move on. This means that you can finish as many courses as you're able in a term at no additional cost.

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Educational Leadership

Leadership Foundations and Ethics

Leadership Foundations and Ethics presents candidates with a variety of leadership theories and strategies used by PK–12 educational leaders to develop, sustain, and evaluate a coherent system of academic and social supports that meet the full range of students' needs. Foundational knowledge addresses the importance of developing mission, vision, and core values in collaboration with faculty, staff, and the school community to advocate for student success. The course also covers communication strategies, interpersonal skills, and using data to build community, influence school culture, and manage change for continuous improvement. In addition, candidates are introduced to the significance of following professional ethical codes and the importance of modeling and advocating ethical behavior with all stakeholders.

School Law

School Law prepares candidates to understand the appropriate application of laws, rights, policies, and regulations to promote student success. The course emphasizes the importance of understanding the history of and relationship between federal and state laws, legal decisions, local education policies, and practices at the local school level to ensure compliance. The course further focuses on understanding the legal rights and protections provided for all students, including those with disabilities, as well as school staff. It also addresses curriculum and instruction that help stakeholders understand the possible effects these rights may have on administrative decisions. Candidates are also provided the opportunity to demonstrate their capability to evaluate legal consequences of administrative decisions.

Leadership of Curriculum Design and Instruction

Leadership of Curriculum Design and Instruction prepares candidates to evaluate and implement curricular programs and instructional methods observed at the school level. Candidates focus on the knowledge and skills needed to develop, align, and implement cohesive systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Importance is placed on responding to student needs, embodying high expectations for student learning, aligning with academic standards within and across grade levels, and promoting students' academic success and social and emotional well-being. This course also covers the selection and use of appropriate technologies to monitor student progress and improve instruction support for assessment, data collection, management, and analysis. Candidates are prepared to build a professional culture of trust and collaboration to ensure they are able to work with school personnel in creating curricular programs and instructional methods that are engaging and challenging and relevant to student needs, experiences, and interests. This course is designed to be taken after successful completion of D017: School Law.

People and Talent in Educational Leadership

People and Talent in Educational Leadership prepares candidates to understand and implement practices used to recruit, hire, and prepare school personnel to provide students with an optimal learning environment. Various school professional development practices, such as professional learning communities, collaborative learning communities, beginning teacher induction, and mentor programs, will be covered. Additionally the course covers methods to evaluate school personnel appropriately based on data-driven decisions; providing realistic and actionable feedback to school personnel to continuously drive improvement; engaging all school personnel in the use and evaluation of competing school-wide initiatives; creating and sustaining a professional culture of engagement and commitment by developing workplace conditions that promote employee development, well-being, and professional growth; and continuously supporting school personnel to improve their instructional practices through ongoing professional development. The candidate will also reflect on leadership standards in order to develop a personal professional growth plan. A prerequisite for this course is D017: School Law.

School Financial Leadership

School Financial Leadership focuses on financial policies, practices, and issues connected to PK–12 school operations. The course describes various sources of school funding, the impact these sources can have on managing school budgets, and the challenges connected to finances that are often encountered by school leaders to ensure equitable financial support for all students. Candidates learn how to analyze different types of school budgets and understand the principal's role in the budgetary process to ensure alignment to the school's mission, vision, and values. This course also identifies and explains various types of commonly used accounting regulations, rules, and professional ethical principles used to create, maintain, and evaluate school budgets to ensure the equitable and ethical use of financial resources. This course is designed to be taken after successful completion of D017: School Law.

Practicum in Educational Leadership - Focus on Professional Practices

Practicum in Educational Leadership - Focus on Professional Practices provides candidates with an authentic, real-world work experience as an educational leader in a K–12 school environment. This is the first of a two-part experience designed to take place under the leadership and supervision of a practicing school principal or assistant principal at an approved practicum school site (K–12). This course includes an emphasis on the application of knowledge and skills to areas directly or indirectly affecting students. Collaboration within the school and local community is a focal point for this course. The course also includes the completion of assigned administrative duties in a K–12 setting, as defined by the candidate's state of residence, under the supervision of the cooperating administrator of the candidate's approved practicum site. Prior to enrolling in this practicum course, the candidate must complete a minimum of 18 CUs.

Practicum in Educational Leadership - Focus on Instruction and Operations

Practicum in Educational Leadership - Focus on Instruction and Operations provides candidates with an authentic, real-world work experience as an educational leader in a K–12 school environment. This is the second of a two-part experience designed to take place under the leadership and supervision of a practicing school principal or assistant principal at an approved practicum school site (K–12). This course includes an emphasis on the application of knowledge and skills to areas affecting school operations and school personnel. The course also includes the completion of assigned administrative duties in a K–12 setting, as defined by the candidate's state of residence, under the supervision of the cooperating administrator of the candidate's approved practicum site. Prior to enrolling in this practicum course, the candidate must complete a minimum of 18 CUs.

Educational Leadership Capstone

Educational Leadership Capstone serves as the culminating experience of this degree program, uniting content area knowledge with the execution of a problem-based learning project. Under the guidance of program faculty, candidates will apply their data literacy and research skills authentically and to topics appropriate to the candidate's degree program and future career goals. Projects will include action research or program evaluation and the qualitative or quantitative research methods necessitated by the project's purpose. Prerequisites include Data Literacy and Educational Inquiry, as well as all content area courses and field experiences prescribed in one's area of study. This course is designed to be taken after successful completion of all courses with the exception of Educational Inquiry, which may be taken concurrently.

Systems Management and School Operations

Systems management and school operations instruct candidates on the operational aspects of school leadership that are essential to developing, monitoring, and evaluating school management, school systems, and services that address and support the needs of students and school personnel. Topics presented in this course include systems thinking; development, implementation, and evaluation of data-based strategic planning; and school improvement processes. Candidates will evaluate the use of appropriate operational technology and the development of communications systems that provide actionable information to internal and external stakeholders for use in classroom and school improvement and community engagement. Each of these topics emphasizes the importance of efficiently and effectively managing school resources to build, maintain, and evaluate a cohesive system of academic and organizational supports, services, extracurricular activities, and accommodations to meet the full range of needs for each student. Prerequisites for this course: Leadership Foundations and Ethics and School Law.

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Education

Leading Inclusive Schools

Leading Inclusive Schools covers a variety of topics that directly affect students who have been assessed and determined to need additional support or services to ensure their academic success and well-being. The course prepares candidates to understand and comply with applicable laws, rights, policies, and regulations as appropriate to address matters of equity, fairness, and student marginalization based on culture and language, disability, or giftedness. These include types of special education classifications and their significance, working with English learners (ELs), working with gifted and talented students, and using Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) frameworks to ensure optimum learning environments for diverse learners. This course will guide candidates in building a strong repertoire of skills and knowledge related to exceptional students. It will help them ensure that each student has equitable access to effective teachers; learning opportunities; academic, social, and behavioral support; and other resources necessary for success. This course is designed to be taken after successful completion of the School Law course.

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Graduate Core

Data Literacy and Evidence-Based Practices

Data Literacy and Evidence-Based Practices focuses on the development of data literacy skills educators need to improve the learning and development opportunities of K–12 students. Candidates will practice identifying educational problems and data types, generating data, analyzing data, making inferences and drawing conclusions, and creating action plans within their educational settings. Candidates will also learn best practices for data literacy, including continuous improvement planning, approaches to professional learning communities, and instructional decision-making processes. This course has no prerequisites.

Cultural Competency and Social-Emotional Learning

Cultural Competency and Social-Emotional Learning focuses on fostering cultural competence among professional educators by increasing knowledge of diverse learner populations, implementing culturally responsive pedagogy, and ensuring social justice and equity in the educational setting. Candidates also will participate in learning experiences designed to ensure they can lead efforts to meet the social and emotional learning needs of all learners, contributing to a school environment that builds learners' personal agency and academic success. Advocacy strategies are learned in this course, ensuring candidates possess the tools to positively impact school environments both locally and globally. This course has no prerequisites and candidates are strongly encouraged to take this early in their program.

Educational Inquiry

Educational Inquiry focuses on practical problem solving. This course teaches candidates to use scholarly literature to inform their own practice. It also teaches candidates to engage in their own action research processes, which empowers educators to recognize opportunities for improvement and to systematically implement and evaluate changes. This course prepares candidates to conduct research for the capstone. Prerequisites for this course: Data Literacy and Evidence-Based Practices.

Plan to work hard: Program requirements and expectations.

The M.S. Educational Leadership degree program is a mostly online program, with some in-classroom requirements. You will complete your courses by studying and working independently with instruction and support from WGU faculty. You will be expected to complete at least 8 competency units (WGU's equivalent of the credit hour) each 6-month term. (Each course is 3 units.)

The first person you speak with at WGU will be your Enrollment Counselor, who can explain requirements and expectations in more detail. You can also read more about each course in the Program Guide.

Request info from an Enrollment Counselor.
Download the Program Guide.

Special requirements for this program.

Capstone Project. WGU's online master's degree program in educational leadership requires the successful completion of a capstone project. You'll take what you've learned during your studies and apply it to a real-world situation, proposing a solution to an actual issue you're likely to face in a professional academic environment.

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A top-quality curriculum developed with guidance from education leaders and academic experts.

To ensure our teaching degrees are consistent with the expectations of today’s schools, we develop courses with input from councils composed of nationally recognized experts in education. Council members offer guidance on key competencies to be expected from successful WGU graduates.
A different way to learn: degree programs designed to fit your life—and all the demands on your time.

Professional responsibilities. Family obligations. Personal commitments. At WGU, we understand schedules are tight and often unpredictable for adult students. That’s why we offer a flexible, personalized approach to how education should be. No rigid class schedules. Just a solid, career-focused principal preparation program that meshes with your current lifestyle. You'll be challenged. You'll work hard. But if you commit yourself and put in the hours needed, WGU makes it possible for you to earn a highly respected degree as a busy working adult.

“As a busy mother and school teacher, I needed an affordable and flexible option to earn my master's degree. That's exactly what I have found at WGU. The skills and knowledge I gained in my program have helped me be a more effective teacher, using the latest technology available.” Silvia Mendoza-Stout
M.Ed. Learning and Technology

Designed for working educators.

WGU's Educational Leadership master's degree program is for licensed teachers who want to move ahead and become school principals, vice principals, or assistant principals. The program stresses leadership, management, and organizational skills so you can successfully compete for leadership positions at schools across the United States.

The program is affordable (with no hidden fees), competency-based (accelerate through material you already know), and practical (coursework is current, relevant, and leads to licensure).

This program is specifically designed for working adults, so you can honor your current work and family responsibilities while completing your coursework.

Competency-Based Education (CBE)

How it helps you

Efficient

Save time and money by focusing your efforts where they matter the most.

How much do you already know? WGU’s adult students come from different professional backgrounds with varying levels of knowledge and experience. Competency-based education allows you to take the most efficient path to complete your studies.

Flexible

Learn on your own terms.

What works best for you? No two students—or their schedules—are alike. Whether you’re at your best in the early morning or more energized when you get home from work, your study schedule can be personalized to accommodate your lifestyle and responsibilities. While you will be required to maintain a base level of consistent progress through your program, WGU is designed to empower you to maximize your personal schedule by allowing you to build a study plan that fits into your life—not one that requires you to rearrange it.

Results

Feel confident knowing you’re learning real-world skills.

Will employers recognize your skills? Employers look for candidates who measure up to the demands of today’s diverse classroom environments. WGU maintains close ties to established education leaders, and we incorporate their firsthand perspective into our industry-relevant curriculum.

Finish courses by proving what you know, when you’re ready.

With competency-based education at WGU, success is measured by actual learning, not class time. You advance by demonstrating that you've mastered the course subject matter—whether you learned it through your study at WGU or picked up that knowledge through years of work experience.

Your progress through a course is driven by you.

How quickly you learn

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The time you devote to studying

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How much previous knowledge you bring

Your experience pays at WGU.

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A master’s in educational leadership paves the way to the next step in your career as an educator.

If you're a licensed classroom teacher with at least three years of experience under your belt, and you have a passion for positive leadership in a school setting, you are ready to advance in your career by becoming an instruction-based principal, vice principal, or assistant principal. As an educational leader, you'll have an opportunity to shape the school that you run by creating an inspiring and safe environment for educators and the students they teach.

Employment of elementary, middle, and high school principals is projected to grow 4% from 2019 to 2029.
—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
WGU has alumni working in schools across the country.

Graduates of WGU's M.S. Educational Leadership program have found meaningful, rewarding teaching careers in:
Elementary schools

Middle schools

Junior high schools

High schools

Private and charter schools

District-level positions
Career Resources
Impressive class of graduates.

Graduates of the WGU Teachers College include recipients of many professional honors, including:
Gates Millennium Scholars

Intel Grant for Mathematics and Technology

Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction Award

Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award

Association of Public Charter Schools Educator of the Year Award
Explore a career in education leadership.

Get info on a school administrator’s salary, job outlook, work environment, and more.

More about careers
WGU is a university committed to producing successful grads.

The ultimate test of your degree's value is whether it helps you become an outstanding employee and advance your career. Our happy grads—and their happy employers—confirm that WGU is the path to that kind of degree.
Happy employers

Happy grads

They're Prepared.

Employers said that WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.

They Perform.

Employers rated WGU graduates' job performance as very good or excellent.

They Wow.

Employers said their WGU graduates have exceeded their expectations.

They're Confident.

Graduates said the majority of their coursework was related to their jobs.

They're Working.

Graduates are working full-time.

They're Satisfied.

Graduates said their degrees were worth the cost of their education.

Source: 2018 Harris Poll survey of 300 employers; 2018 Harris Poll Online survey of 1,374 new college graduates nationwide compared with survey of 1,147 WGU graduates; Gallup-Purdue Index 2018
Close the gap between you and your dreams.

Online degree programs start every month.

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Your master’s degree is attainable. The first step: Apply for admission today.

Next Possible Start

Start dates are the 1st of every month. Meet requirements by the 15th to start next month. Discuss steps and deadlines with your Enrollment Counselor.
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Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.
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Get your questions answered and take the next step: Talk to an Enrollment Counselor.

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Your Enrollment Counselor is there to help you make an informed decision.
The first step toward change can be the hardest—we get it. Your "welcoming committee" at WGU is made up of Enrollment Counselors, Admissions Specialists, and faculty members. Your initial interactions at WGU will be guided by an Enrollment Counselor who specializes in the programs you're interested in.

Your Enrollment Counselor is ready with as much help as you may need:

Get your cost and admissions criteria questions answered.

Assess WGU's fit with your career goals.

Get started toward enrollment!

Contact an Enrollment Counselor.
Admission requirements unique to this degree.
Prior to entry into the M.S. Educational Leadership degree program, you will be required to complete a candidate interview and provide the following:

Evidence of a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution

Proof of a state issued, valid, and unexpired standard professional license

A resume showing three years of licensed professional experience in a P-12 setting (excluding probationary, temporary, and substitute teaching experience)

A confidential recommendation

Recent annual summative performance evaluation

Additionally, you will complete and submit a Practicum Site Agreement. Use the version for your state of residence.

For students in Washington.

For students in Missouri.

For students in North Carolina.

For students in Kentucky.

For students from all other states.

View general admission requirements
Making an informed admission decision.

WGU seeks to admit individuals who have the capacity and determination to complete a rigorous WGU degree program…and graduate. The admission process is designed to help you and the university reach an informed decision about your likelihood of success.
At WGU we want you to graduate, not just enroll. Consequently, not every applicant is admitted because not every individual has the capacity and determination to complete a rigorous WGU degree program.
MS Educational Leadership FAQs

What is a master's in educational leadership?

A master's degree in educational leadership is a graduate program that prepares you for certification as a school principal or administrator. It gives you important skills and credentials to understand how to run the school in an efficient way.

How long does it take to earn a master's in educational leadership?

Typical master's of educational leadership programs take 2 years to complete, but at some schools you may be able to accelerate and finish faster. For example, most WGU educational leadership students finish in just 18 months or less.

What can you do with an educational leadership degree?

An educational leadership degree can prepare you to become a vice principal, assistant principal, principal, or other administrator in education.

What can I expect from an online master's in educational leadership program?

In an educational leadership master's degree program you can expect to learn about school budgets, managing people, running faculty meetings, working with all kinds of learners, hiring and firing teachers and staff, working with parents and the community, and much more.

What are the types of educational leadership?

Most educational leaders fall into a few categories of leadership including: servant leaders, transactional leaders, emotional leaders, and transformational leaders.

What are the functions of educational leadership?

Educational leadership is implemented to ensure that the entire school and system runs smoothly. Educational leaders are in place to create effective and robust places of teaching and learning where students feel safe and welcome. They ensure that the business end of a school runs well, while also ensuring that students and teachers feel confident as individuals.

What is educational leadership theory?

Educational leadership theory evaluates the different approaches to running schools and classrooms in ways that are effective for students and teachers alike.

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