M.Ed. in Educational Leadership

Program Objectives

The Educational Leadership program at Montana State University is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) as well as by the Montana Board of Public Education.  The focus of the program is to prepare K-12 school principals to effectively serve Montana communities and rural communities throughout the Northern Plains and Northern Rocky Mountain region of the United States. Those students completing the degree requirements for the M.Ed. will also have met the academic requirements necessary for a Montana Class III Administrative license with a K-12 Principal Endorsement. This is a full Master's program with an M.Ed. granted upon graduation.

Program Flow

The Educational Leadership masters program is an 80% online program. Students may begin the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership in summer, fall or spring semesters. Students are expected to take coursework in the sequence outlined in the Program of Study found below. Students who begin Spring Semester may finish the degree in four or five semesters depending upon the number of credits taken the first summer. Developing a learning community is a critical aspect of principal preparation. To enhance the development of a learning community among the students and to facilitate learning by offering an integrated curriculum, students will be placed into a cohort based on year of acceptance into the program and will matriculate together. Courses will be delivered using a blended model that features online instruction with a few in-person sessions. During the summer session, students will initially meet online culminating with on-campus for one to two weeks of face-to-face instruction. The on-campus instruction will usually take place during the latter weeks of June.  The Praxis Education Leadership Administration and Supervision Exam 5412 Site: https://www.ets.org/pdfs/praxis/5412.pdf is required. When registering for the exam, candidates must request that ETS send the Praxis Score Report to MSU (Code 4488).  The minimum passing score accepted for licensure recommendation is 149. 

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Students will earn licensure as a K-12 principal in Montana.
  • Students will complete at least 300 hours in a clinical field experience where they will accomplish authentic leadership tasks and responsibilities.
  • Students will develop a process for the enactment of a shared mission, vision, and core values of high-quality education and academic success for the well-being of each student.
  • Students will gain an appreciation for acting ethically and according to professional norms.
  • Students will create plans to develop and support intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
  • Students will evaluate school programs to ensure equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices.
  • Students will understand the importance of promoting adult-student, student-peer, and school-community relationships that value and support academic learning and positive social and emotional development.
  • Students will develop plans to recruit, hire, support, develop, and retain effective teachers and other professional staff.
  • Students will appreciate the necessity for establishing and sustaining a professional culture of engagement and commitment to shared vision, goals, professionalism, collective efficacy and collaboration and continuous improvement.

K-12 Principal Cohort typical Program of Study

Spring Semester
EDLD 508Supervision of Instruction3
EDLD 555School Finance3
EDLD 574Field Experience in Educational Leadership (Part I)3
Summer Semester
EDLD 507Foundations of Educational Leadership3
EDLD 515Planned Change3
EDLD 565K-12 Instructional Leadership3
EDLD 566Administration and Supervision of Special Education Programs3
Fall Semester
EDLD 520Schools & Diverse Communities3
EDLD 532School Law3
EDLD 574Field Experience in Educational Leadership (Part II)3
Total Credits30

Recommendation for Licensure

MSU Recommendation for Licensure - Candidates requesting a recommendation for licensure from Montana State University, must meet the following requirements to be recommended:

  • Completion of the Educational Leadership M.Ed.meeting the GPA standards according to catalog year; 
  • Possess a current Montana Class 1 or 2 license (teacher certification); and
  • Take and pass the Praxis Education Leadership Administration and Supervision Exam 5412 Site:  https://www.ets.org/pdfs/praxis/5412.pdf. When registering for the exam, candidates must request that ETS send the Praxis Score Report to MSU (Code 4488).  The minimum passing score accepted for licensure recommendation is 149. 
  • Three (3) years of teaching experience is required by the State of Montana for principal licensure. Please check your home state to verify licensure requirements.

Contact Information

Dr. Jason Cummins, Assistant Professor and Program Leader
Email: jason.cummins1@montana.edu

Dr. Laura Schlottman, Assistant Professor
Email: laura.schlottman@montana.edu

Application Process for the MEd in Educational Leadership

Applicants are required to complete the online application and submit the following documentation via the Graduate School Online Application System

  1. Completed Graduate School Application
  2. Academic Transcripts: Applicants must provide official transcripts verifying all Bachelor's and Master's degree coursework and degrees earned from the applicant's certifying university. Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded during the application process and used for review. Official electronic transcripts may be emailed directly from the Institution to gradschool@montana.edu or edgrad@montana.edu  Official transcripts may also be mailed directly to the MSU Graduate School, 104 Montana Hall, PO Box 172580, Bozeman, MT 59717. If you have attended MSU, please indicate and list the dates of attendance. Transcripts from courses or a degree awarded through MSU do not need to be provided. NOTE: The Graduate School requires an undergraduate and graduate GPA of at least 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale). Transcripts will be evaluated for rigor and academic fit. 
  3. Personal Essay/Self-Nomination Letter: The self-nomination letter should be 2-3 pages, double-spaced, and focus on the following.
    1. Your development and growth as a teacher, including professional development.
    2. Your contributions to the school and district.
    3. Your development as a leader. Specific examples are needed that clarify how you have grown as a leader and your leadership activities.
    4. Your specific goals, including a timeline for assuming a school leadership position.
    5. Your motivation to become a school leader and an explanation of how you came to this decision. Personal qualities you possess that are desirable in a leader.
  4. Resume/Curriculum Vitae
  5. Three (3) letters of recommendation: Candidates must meet the following criteria for one of the three letters of recommendation.

    1. At least one of the three letters must be from your PRESENT direct supervisor. That means (a) a school district administrator who is currently administratively certified by Montana Office of Public Instruction or other equivalent state agency; AND (b) currently acts as direct supervisor for the candidate, and has done so for a minimum period of one semester.

    2. If for any reason you cannot secure a letter from your present supervisor, at least one of the letters of recommendation must be from a PREVIOUS direct supervisor. That means a school district administrator who is (a) currently certified by the Montana Office of Public Instruction or other equivalent state agency; AND (b) has, at some point preceding the date of this application, acted as direct supervisor for the applicant for a minimum period of one semester. Any applicant who does not have a letter from a direct supervisor must indicate in the self-nomination letter (see below) the specific reason(s) why they were unable to secure a letter of recommendation from their present or previous supervisor.

  6. For International Applicants ONLY: Please visit the Graduate School International Application Admission website for application submission information.

Application Deadlines

Below is the deadline by which all application materials for the MEd in Educational Leadership must be submitted via the online application system. 

  • Summer and Fall Semester: April 1st
  • Spring Semester: November 15th 

A second review for Fall applicants will occur on July 15th. If you are a Fall applicant and cannot submit your complete application (including all required materials) by April 1st, you may submit by July 15th and be considered in the second review. Applications submitted after the deadlines will be considered on a case by case basis.

Admission Process

Complete applications will be reviewed by the Graduate Admissions Committee and the Department Head.  Once the department recommendation has been made, the application will be forwarded to The Graduate School for a final decision.  Please note that the application review process will begin at the close of the application deadline.

For answers to questions on this or any graduate program at the Department of Education, contact the Graduate Program Assistant at Phone: 406-994-6786 or edgrad@montana.edu.  If you are ready to apply, do so through the Graduate School Online Application System.

Contact Information

Graduate Program Assistant
PO Box 172880, Reid Hall 215
Department of Education, Montana State University
Bozeman, MT 59717-2880 
Phone: 406-994-6786 Email: edgrad@montana.edu