About
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Educational Leadership degree is a fully-online graduate program in which candidates attain professional certification in administration while gaining knowledge and skills in school leadership. This program is designed for the educator who holds a teaching certificate and wishes to complete the requirements for a principal or special education supervisor certificate from area states.
Program Requirements
Application to the program should be completed online. Before beginning an application, please contact an advisor at 402.554.2721 for more details.
The 100% online M.S. degree program is 36 hours, which must be completed within 10 years. If a required course has been taken previously, an elective may be substituted. A tentative list of classes and calendar are part of our plan of study. The degree consists of 21 credit hours of required classes, 12 hours of concentration classes, and 3 hours of electives.
Classes are scheduled to allow teachers to continue employment and complete the degree in a personalized timeline. The classes are scheduled to be accomplished through one night a week (fall and spring) and/or three days a week (June or July). Most students complete the degree in three summers or a combination of fall, spring, and summer classes in two years. Endorsement can be finished in as little as 18 months, depending upon individual goals.
Choosing an M.S. Degree or an Endorsement?
The 100% online endorsement option is available for those who have already earned a master’s degree in education and seek an administrative certificate. Options for PK-8, 7-12, and PK-12 principal certification, and special education supervisor certification are possible to be added.
The three areas of concentration correlate to certification:
- Building Administration Concentration (Principal, admin certificate)
- Special Education Supervisor (admin certificate)
- Teacher Leader (does not lead to admin certificate)
Those earning an endorsement do not complete the 3 hours of electives or the Comprehensive Exam included in the master's degree. Those earning a master's degree choose their certification by selecting the 12-hour concentration.
If you are only adding Principal or Special Education Supervisor endorsement to your current Teaching Certificate without the M.S. in Ed Leadership, you can apply to UNO Grad Studies as Unclassified in Educational Leadership. Email edleadership@unomaha.edu to notify the team of your application. Also schedule an appointment with Department Chair Dr. Tami Williams to create your informal plan of study: https://calendly.com/tamiwilliams/office-hours-or-advising.