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Learn more about the admissions process for the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program
M.Ed. in Educational Leadership
with optional Preliminary Administrative Credential
Overview
The GSE M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program is designed for aspiring teacher leaders and school leaders passionate about reimagining education. With a focus on equity, deeper learning and shared leadership, candidates “learn by doing” through personalized projects that integrate theory and practice, providing authentic opportunities to practice and reflect on leadership in their settings. Through the Master’s Project, candidates use tools from design thinking and improvement science to guide change connected to a problem of practice in their school. The program is offered as a one-year, full-time program with an embedded leadership residency in one of the 16 HTH schools and apprenticeship to a school leader, or as a two-year, part-time program for working professionals.
Snapshot:
One-year, full-time model
- Embedded leadership residency in one of the 16 HTH clinical sites
- Classes meet for three hours 2-3x/week
- Core classes, master’s project and leadership fieldwork completed in one year
- Optional focus on founding a school through the New School Creation Fellowship
Two-year, part-time model
- Designed for working professionals
- Classes meet for three hours 1x/week
- Core classes in year one, master’s project in year two and leadership fieldwork in both years
Option to earn a Preliminary Administrative Credential through San Diego County Office of Education
Program Learning Outcomes:
Practice Thoughtful Inquiry & Reflection (IR)
- Reflective Practice (IR1): Reflect on and critically analyze their own practice to guide future action.
- Connection (IR2): Synthesize and connect relevant theory and scholarship to their own practice.
- Scholarly Inquiry (IR3): Design, conduct and share inquiry that addresses essential questions from their practice.
Design Equitable Learning Environments for Deeper Learning (D)
- Instructional Design (D1): Work with colleagues to design approaches to learning that emphasize personalization, connect to the world beyond school and offer access and challenge to all learners.
- Program Design (D2): Demonstrate understanding of how the allocation of adult and student resources affects the creation of equitable learning environments in schools.
Engage in Leadership for School Change (L)
- Facilitation (L1): Support and facilitate student and teacher dialogue focused on improving teaching and learning.
- Collaboration (L2): Engage colleagues and students in sustained efforts to create equitable, engaging learning environments.
Course Sequence
Digital Portfolios:
Graduate students of the M.Ed in Educational Leadership program develop a digital portfolio to document their learning, reflections, and research. Each student’s digital portfolio includes work from the core courses, the Leadership Fieldwork Projects, and the Master’s Capstone Leadership Project. The purpose of the digital portfolio is for students to share and disseminate their graduate work and research with a broader audience of practitioners. GSE Digital Portfolio Page →
M.Ed. Program Testimonials
“I graduated from a Master s program in School Leadership at Columbia University in August 2010 and was on a flight the next day to begin the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program at the HTH GSE. I wanted to come to HTH for the residency aspect and craved the practical experience gained through an apprenticeship model. The year I spent at HTH was transformative. Not only did I learn new skills, debate big ideas, and practice it all on a daily basis at one of the most progressive schools in the country, HTH changed the way I look at education.”
– Geoffry Roehm, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Launch Expeditionary Learning Charter School
“If you are passionate about leading a progressive, student-centered school, there is no better program in the country than the HTH GSE M.Ed. program. This is a place where you will be surrounded by innovative thinkers who care deeply about building better schools–schools where students are known, loved, and challenged; where teachers have the freedom and support to be truly creative; where everyone is engaged in lifelong learning. I took away so much from the Educational Leadership program: outstanding models of thoughtful leadership, concrete ideas for professional development, and most powerful of all, transformative conversations with stunning colleagues.”
– Lillian Hsu, Founding Principal, Latitude 37.8 High School
“The M.Ed. program was an incredible way to dive into the world of leadership, collaborate with others and put into practice what it takes to be an effective leader. I worked directly with students, families and staff and was immersed in learning about how to run a school, from the management of the budget and physical space to hiring, supporting and evaluating teachers. Without my experiences at High Tech High, I would not have been as well-positioned for my next career move ~ returning to DC Prep as the principal. My experience at High Tech High was invaluable in preparing me for this important role and I often draw on experiences from my time there to fuel my work.”
– Cassie Pergament, Principal, DC Prep
“I attended the HTH GSE M.Ed. program at a critical point in my career. I had been asking myself the question ‘Is this as good as it gets? Is this it?’ I was faced with the fact that there was a disconnection between my ideals and the reality at work within my classroom. I had become a control-freak. I told my students what to learn and how to learn. I decided I was the one who needed to change, so I sought out a place that could help me return to the root of why I became an educator. HTH GSE’s program equipped me with the tools to be an agent of change to the powerlessness my students and I had formerly experienced. Both my students and I now foster a culture of democracy within our classroom where student voice is an essential value and put into daily practice to guide our learning together.”
– Melissa Han, Teacher, Baker Elementary
“The HTH GSE M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program is an exciting and unique place to explore the many facets of leadership. Through a fully immersive residency, I had the opportunity to grow as a leader within a school and with the support of the school. My graduate coursework was a place for me to actively challenge myself within my residency and live the world of theory in practice.”
– Judy Wu, Math Teacher, Bayfront Charter High School