Leadership & Learning Department Careers & Outcomes

Obtaining a degree in the Department of Leadership & Learning is a distinct advantage when entering the workforce. You’ll be prepared to lead wherever your passion lies. You will develop and apply ethical theories to leadership situations, create strategies to work with others to achieve specific goals, and effectively lead others on projects or in organizations.

MS & specialist in Educational Leadership graduates are equipped for positions as an elementary or secondary school principal, community education director, special education director, athletic director, school business manager, technology or curriculum coordinator, school superintendent or a higher education administrator.

MS in Curriculum and Instruction graduates will select a 13-15 credit emphasis in one of eight areas: Kodaly, literacy, special education, TESL, teacher leadership, mathematics, biology, or content specialization.

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership prepares graduates to be creative, competent and compassionate change agents committed to advocacy, action and equitable education for all. Successful Ed.D. candidates will be prepared to lead and transform educational institutions to meet the demands of a changing, culturally diverse, and technology-rich society. Action research will be the guiding framework for the dissertation component of the Ed.D.

“My experiences between SPED Director and K-12 Principal Practicums were invaluable beyond any scope I could have imagined. I have enjoyed the process of gathering my thoughts between the thirteen areas of competencies from the beginning of my experiences to the final pulling together of my reflections and experiences. In rumination, I have found that I am prepared and very excited for the next step in my journey as an educator. I feel a great privilege to have the skills that I have obtained, and I do not take this next step in my journey lightly. I understand that being a leader means affecting the trajectory of people’s careers and often their lives. I am eternally grateful that my mentors from MSUM took a chance on me. I have experienced that great things never come from staying in my comfort zone. I’m ready for my next step in my journey as an educator.” - Kjersten Skatvold

Common career options for Leadership & Learning graduates: