Master of Education

Saint Leo University’s Graduate Studies in Education program offers a Master of Education degree with five concentrations:

• Educational Leadership
• Instructional Leadership
• Exceptional Student Education
• Reading

The Educational Leadership concentration has two options: the Florida state-approved program and a National Educational Leadership program without licensure or certification.

Saint Leo University’s National Educational Leadership Program is offered entirely online. The curriculum consists of a coherent set of non-sequential courses that constitute three domains: instructional, school operations, and school leadership. The coursework emphasizes the cogent theories, policies, and practical aspects of effectively leading educational organizations. The graduate will be an educational leader with a vision of the future and engaged in the process of continual professional growth and collaborative reform. All courses are infused with the Core Values of Saint Leo University.

About the Master of Education Program

The National Educational Leadership program is for those who:

• work in a state that requires a master’s degree within 3-5 years of employment in order to receive a professional teaching certificate,
• have an interest in educational leadership or who want an instructional leadership position at a district office which requires an educational leadership degree,
• intend to earn a more advanced degree such as an Ed.S. or Ed.D.,
• want to earn a master’s degree in educational leadership and who plan to seek “course by course” certification approval from a certificating agency; or who want a master’s degree for the purpose of increased compensation.

Students who plan to seek educational leadership certification or licensure are advised to consult with their respective certification agencies to assess to what extent the National Educational Leadership curriculum meets their respective certification requirements. Saint Leo University neither assumes nor implies assumption of this responsibility. No guarantee of certification eligibility for any course is made. Select courses may require students to access a local school. The student is responsible for securing such access and meeting all local requirements, e.g. background checks.

A strong commitment to a set of “core values” is the cornerstone of Saint Leo University and its mission is to offer a practical, effective model for life and leadership in a challenging world; a model based on a steadfast moral consciousness that recognizes the dignity, value, and gifts of all people.

Getting Started on Your Education Degree

A complete summary of requirements and applications can be found in the University Catalog or online at www.saintleo.edu. Click on “Graduate Degree Programs.” Applicants should submit the following materials 60 days prior to the beginning of the term in which they wish to enroll:

1. Completed application form and $75 application fee (non-refundable).
2. A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
3. A 3.0 or higher GPA in the last 60 credit hours of upper division work which lead to a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, or an official Graduate Record Exam (GRE) with a minimum score of 1000, or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) with a minimum score of 410 or 68th percentile will be required. Test scores more than five years old are not usually accepted.
4. Current Resume.
5. Two professional recommendations.
6. Statement of professional goals (250 words or more).
7. Copy of professional teaching certificate.
8. Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions previously attended sent directly from the former institution to the Office of Admissions. Graduates or former students of Saint Leo University do not need to submit transcripts if they have been previously submitted and are on file at the University.

Admission decisions are competitive and based on consideration of all criteria. Non-degree seeking students may be admitted as long as they provide proof of an undergraduate degree (copies of transcripts) or that they are in “good standing” in another graduate degree program.