Program Overview

K–12 Educational Leadership (MEd)

Program Overview

Our K–12 educational leadership master of education program puts you on the fast track to a career in educational administration and leadership. We offer a flexible program that is ideal for working professionals. Build your professional reputation and skills while earning your degree at your own pace through hybrid online and on-campus coursework that balances your professional and personal lifestyle with your educational goals.

Program Options

• Master's Program: Our master’s program will build your reputation and leadership skills and enable you to take charge of K–12 schools and districts as a principal, superintendent, or director.
• Administrative Certification Options: If your career goal is to become a principal, supervisor, or director, our master’s program can provide the appropriate professional certification with or without the degree.
  • Earning the principal certification enables you to be hired for numerous school leadership positions because the administrative nature of this certification extends beyond principalship.
  • If you are new to educational leadership, the instructional coaching endorsement certification may be a pathway for you to strengthen your professional knowledge and skills to work with other teachers in a peer coaching framework for PreK-12 classrooms. You can also opt to become an Instructional Coach, or choose to specialize in Literacy (Instructional Coaching-Literacy Emphasis Endorsement). This program is recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).
• Low-Residency MEd with a Focus on International and Independent Schools Leadership: Through our partnership with American Community Schools of Athens, you can earn an MEd in K-12 Educational Leadership with a focus on International and Independent Schools Leadership.

Program Details

• Format: Hybrid (Online & On Campus)
• Credits:
  • Master's: 33
  • Principal Certification: 30
  • Instructional Coaching Certification: 12
• College/School: College of Health & Human Services
• Campus Location: Chester, PA

Career Outlook & Outcomes

• Avg. Salary: $101,320 (2022 median annual pay for elementary, middle, & high school principals)
• Industry Growth: Employment of management occupations—including elementary, middle & high school principals—is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations between 2022 to 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Employment Projections.
• Recent Employers:
  • School districts
  • Charter schools
  • Private schools
  • State and federal education agencies
  • Universities and colleges

Why Study K-12 Educational Leadership at Widener?

• Flexible Program: Our flexible program lets you set your pace to work around your busy lifestyle. Most master's students choose to take two courses per semester and finish in 1 to 2 years.
• Expert Faculty: All of our full- and part-time faculty members have earned doctoral degrees and have extensive administrative, leadership, and teaching experience in education.

Program Cost

• K-12 Educational Leadership, MEd: $870 per credit, 33 total credits, $28,710 total cost
• Principalship Certification: $492 per credit, 30 total credits, $14,760 total cost
• Instructional Coaching Endorsement: $492 per credit, 12 total credits, $5,904 total cost

Paths to Savings

• 85% of Full-Time Grad Students Receive Aid: Simply apply to Widener and complete the financial aid process to be automatically considered for scholarships and grants.
• Save up to 50% on Your Master's by Stacking Certificates: Widener's stackable certificates enable you to achieve your master's or doctoral degree by saying yes to one affordable certificate at a time.
• Graduate Assistantships: Widener offers a limited number of graduate assistantships to enrolled students. GAs receive tuition assistance for their work.
• Widener Scholarships: A limited number of university-based scholarships are made available to enrolled graduate students made possible directly from our academic department or thanks to the generosity of university donors.
• Employer Discounts & Tuition Reimbursement: Widener University also partners with many local organizations and corporations to offer discounted tuition and other incentives to their employees.
• 20% Discount for Widener Alumni: If you graduated with a degree from Widener, you may qualify for a 20% tuition discount.