Program Overview

Program Overview

Vanderbilt's Peabody College offers a blended (online and in-person) Master's of Education in Independent School Leadership. This M.Ed. program is specifically designed for working professionals who bring at least two years of relevant independent school work experience. The ISL graduate degree program will strengthen the invaluable skills you've already developed and give you the tools to propel yourself to new leadership opportunities and to even greater impact.

Program Details

• The program is a blended learning model conducted online throughout the school year and in-person through two 8-day, on-campus summer sessions.
• The online learning experience combines self-directed asynchronous curricula with weekly synchronous sessions where cohort members build community and actively engage in discourse related to relevant theory and practice within independent school systems.
• The program is career-embedded, allowing students to immediately apply what they are learning, in real time, to the work they are doing on the ground in their independent school.

Program Facts

• Program Director: Carrie Grimes
• Admissions Coordinator: Kashiri Favors
• Admission Term: Summer
• Credit Hours: 30

Key Application Dates

• Priority Decision 1: January 3
• Priority Decision 2: February 3
• Rolling Decision: After February 3

Program Curriculum

The prescribed curriculum is designed to meet professional needs, anchored in both foundational knowledge and core competencies of independent school leadership. Students will complete an action research project to advance their leadership and scholarship. Thirty credits are required to graduate with Vanderbilt's M.Ed. degree in Independent School Leadership.

Curriculum Themes and Commitments

The ISL Curriculum is centered around ten themes:

• Leadership and Learning Independent Schools
• Institutional Advancement in Independent Schools
• Systematic Inquiry for School Leaders
• Innovations in Learning
• Organizational and Human Capital Development for Independent Schools
• Independent School Finance, History and Governance
• Admissions and Financial Aid for Independent Schools
• Leadership and the Learning Spectrum
• Social Emotional Learning and Well-being
• Historic and Legal Dimension of Independent Schools

On-Campus Experiences

Students will convene for two on-campus sessions each summer, integrating four credit hours and eight days of coursework. In the fall and spring semester, students will convene for a weekend in Nashville for their action research coursework.

Time Commitment

Courses combine synchronous meetings and asynchronous work and assignments. Live or synchronous aspects of required courses will occur on weekdays for 90 minutes (Monday-Friday) between 6 and 9 p.m. ET, or on Saturday mornings. On average, this degree requires 12 to 14 hours of work per week.

Weekly Time Commitment

• Synchronous coursework: 3 hours
• Asynchronous coursework: 3 hours
• Assignments: 6-8 hours
• Total weekly estimated hours: 12-14 hours

Faculty

The faculty includes:

• Mark Cannon, Program Director, Leadership and Organizational Performance
• Andrea Capizzi, Associate Professor of the Practice and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Special Education
• Doug Christiansen, Vice Provost for University Enrollment Affairs, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Associate Professor of Public Policy and Higher Education
• Xiu Cravens, Professor of the Practice, Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations, Program Director, International Education Policy and Management
• Leigh Z. Gilchrist, Associate Professor of the Practice and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Human and Organizational Development
• Carrie Grimes, Assistant Professor of the Practice, Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations, Program Director, Independent School Leadership
• Heather Johnson, Program Director, Secondary Education, Program Director, K-12 World Languages, Professor of the Practice of Science Education, Department of Teaching and Learning
• Brenda McKenzie, Associate Professor of the Practice and Practicum Coordinator, Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations

ISL Frequently Asked Questions

• How long is the program and what is the format?
• What background or experiences do I need to apply?
• Will I advance in my independent school career after I graduate?
• What careers will this degree prepare me for?
• What kind of student thrives in the ISL program?
• How will my time be spent throughout the ISL program?