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Educational Leadership Programs National College of Education

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About Our Educational Leadership Programs

NLU’s Educational Leadership Studies programs ready educators for sustained, high impact leadership in today’s schools, districts, postsecondary institutions and other educational settings.

NLU offers comprehensive and innovative leadership programs for educators with a passion for impact on a larger scale. We set the stage for teachers, principals, superintendents, higher education administrators and other education leaders to reimagine teaching and learning to improve student outcomes and build high-performing education systems.  Our Education Leadership degree, licensure and certificate opportunities prepare transformational leaders who drive a vision of high performance and results across educational settings. They lead complex organizations, build highly skilled teams, shape curricula and instruction, deeply engage stakeholders, and drive meaningful change. 

We Know Education

For more than 130 years, National Louis University has been preparing teachers and leaders for Chicagoland and the nation. From popularizing the kindergarten movement in the 1880s to helping establish the very first PTA in 1906, to the challenges of today’s classrooms, we have been at the forefront of educational leadership. Our Educational Leadership Studies programs continue the tradition of educational excellence and innovation.  NLU’s National College of Education (NCE) is fully nationally accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

  • Currently, 131 National Louis University alumni serve as principals in Chicago Public Schools.
  • 98% of our students are employed upon graduation.
  • We're ranked the No. 2 Best Institution for Non-Traditional Students in Illinois (No. 26 in the U.S.).

Why Educational Leadership Studies at NLU?

Specialized, Professional Leadership Knowledge and Skills

In addition to what they know, high-performing leaders distinguish themselves by what they do to unite communities, organize learning environments, guide teams and nurture learners. Leaders in educational settings must advocate for students’ learning and for teacher success, engage broadly and deeply with external stakeholders, as well as be proficient in organizational leadership, management and administrative operations.  Our Educational Leadership curricula are designed in collaboration with education partners, to reflect the real-time needs of their communities and their learners. NCE programs engage students with apprenticeships, case studies, shadowing assignments, and project-based learning to parallel the issues facing leaders today.

Flexible Classes and Personalized Programs

Whether you’re seeking the M.Ed., Ed.S., or Ed.D., you’ll be able to customize your studies at NLU to meet the demands of your career and aspirations. Pursue Illinois principal or superintendent licensure, Florida educational leadership certification, the teacher leader endorsement, or a career in higher education.  Our programs and faculty employ the best of online and blended learning, including a weekend executive format, which combines online coursework with one in-person meeting per month.

Expert Faculty

Learn from full time and adjunct faculty who bring decades of experience in their respective fields, grounded in state-of-the-art content knowledge unique to your specialization. Active scholars and influencers, many of our leadership faculty are former education leaders themselves.  Our work has been supported by the Fry Foundation, the Chicago Public Education Fund, the Wallace Foundation, and others.

Professionally Networked and Community Engaged

Build strong connections with your graduate-student colleagues and faculty with small class sizes and personalized advising, as well as opportunities to engage with current students, alumni, faculty and partner organizations. Our alumni comprise an influential professional network of thousands of educational leaders in Chicagoland, Illinois, Florida, and beyond.

Program Areas

Teacher Leadership (Teacher Leader Endorsement, M.Ed. and Ed.S.)

For practicing Pre K – 12 educators who aspire to instructional leadership, teacher development and school improvement roles that advance student achievement, this program prepares teachers to serve as department chairs, instructional coaches, team leaders, mentors and in other instructional leadership capacities.

Educational Leadership (Principal Endorsement, M.Ed. and Ed.S.)

For experienced educators interested in administration, instructional supervision, school principal and other leadership careers, this program provides a strong professional foundation that prepares candidates to navigate the myriad of demands on today’s leaders to shape complex institutions to achieve results for kids.  With a principal preparation track fulfilling state requirements for principal credentials in Illinois or Florida, and a general leadership track, graduates of our program serve as leaders in public schools, private schools, charter schools and other organizations engaged in teaching and learning.

Educational Leadership PreK - 12 (Superintendent Endorsement, Ed.S. and Ed.D.)

This program is for leaders and aspiring leaders in schools, districts and other complex learning organizations who want to earn a doctorate, cultivate a strong professional leadership identity and qualify for senior-level positions, including the superintendency. Integrating theory, research and applied practice, candidates conduct research and write a practitioner dissertation that engages in program evaluation and addressing specific problems of practice. Our graduates are prepared to develop, implement, and manage effective data-informed teaching and learning environments across multi-school educational systems and districts.

Strategic Educational Leadership (M.Ed., Ed.S. and Ed.D.)

This program is designed for ambitious professionals working in a wide variety of organizations who aspire to add a graduate-level leadership credential to their content expertise documenting advanced capacities to create leadership vision, apply productive systemic thinking, cultivate a constructive organizational climate, lead high-performing teams, embrace diversity and inclusion, manage conflict, and produce continuously improving performance results.  

Early Childhood Administration (M.Ed.) 

This online-only program for current and aspiring leaders in early childhood care and education encompasses child development, early childhood curriculum, discipline and guidance, family systems, assessment, social and cultural diversity, and professional ethics. It also focuses on staff management and human relations, educational programming, legal and fiscal management, marketing and public relations, facilities management, technology, and advocacy leadership.

Higher Education Leadership (M.Ed.)

This fully online program is designed for professionals in higher education institutions and career changers who seek to advance to student affairs and administrative careers in higher education institutions. An emphasis on student-centered, mission-driven work, and challenges students to become critical scholar-practitioners.   

Higher Education Leadership (Ed.S. and Ed.D.)

This program is designed for professionals in higher education institutions and career changers who seek to advance to senior roles in higher education administration, providing participants with in-depth study of all functional areas of higher education institutions. An emphasis on mission-driven leadership, data-driven and research-informed practice and decision-making, and student-centered outcomes define the program.   

Teaching and Learning (Ed.D)

With multiple specializations, this doctoral program is designed for education leaders who seek to advance in the professoriate or in other instructional capacities. (see advanced professional programs for more).

Degree Programs

Educational Leadership Scholarship Opportunities

Illinois School Leader Pipeline Program (ISLPP)

The Illinois School Leader Pipeline Program (ISLPP) provides tuition support and mentoring for individuals who are committed to earning their Illinois principal endorsement and serving as a school leader upon completion of the principal preparation program.

The purpose of the Illinois School Leader Pipeline Program (ISLPP) is to identify, develop, support and sustain diverse cohorts of aspiring school leaders as they progress through preparation to attainment of school leadership (principal or assistant principal) positions.

Learn more

Academic Programs

National College of Education (NCE) faculty and candidates use scholarly habits of mind and inquiry to affect pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade student learning. In partnership with schools and districts, we envision, articulate, and model democratic and progressive education, design dynamic learning environments, and work collaboratively in diverse communities and with diverse learners to meet the needs of all students.

Areas of Study

M.A.T. in Early Childhood Education M.A.T. in Elementary Education M.A.T. in Middle Grades Education M.A.T. in Secondary Education M.A.T. in Special Education M.Ed. or Ed.S. in Educational Leadership M.Ed. or Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction M.Ed. in Early Childhood Administration M.Ed. in Reading Education M.Ed. in Special Education M.Ed. or Ed.S. in Educational Leadership M.Ed. or Ed.S. in Learning Sciences Education M.Ed. or Ed.S. in Teacher Leadership Ed.S. or Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership Ed.D. in Education Leadership Ed.S. and Ed.D. in Teaching and Learning: Curriculum, Advocacy and Policy Ed.S. and Ed.D. in Teaching and Learning: Disability and Equity in Education Ed.S. and Ed.D. in Teaching and Learning: Reading, Language and Literacy Ed.S. and Ed.D. in Postsecondary Teaching and Instructional Leadership Ed.S. in School Psychology: Illinois Endorsements Effective Teaching in PK-12 E-Learning Environments Certificate Coaching and Mentoring Certificate Ed.S. and Ed.D. in Teaching and Learning: Linguistic Diversity and Equity
All Programs

Your Next Step is Within Reach.

With over 135 years of excellence and 70,000 alumni, we provide an extraordinary education that’s within your reach.

 
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