A master’s degree from HGSE prepares you with the skills you’ll need for a long-term, impactful career in education.
we understand the transformative power of education. We approach our mission of learning to change the world with urgency and purpose, especially during this critical time when the needs of learners, families, and communities are so great.
To empower a new generation of educators — from teachers and principals to policymakers, nonprofit leaders, and entrepreneurs — we reimagined and redesigned our Master’s in Education degree to better prepare our students to be change-makers and address today’s complex challenges. With our suite of offerings and co-curricular activities focused on the major roles, questions, and issues in education, I invite you to explore the many pathways for learning and opportunities for personalized development and growth.
Our residential master's degree builds on years of expertise and innovation, along with a commitment to address the fundamental needs of the field of education. We prepare professionals to meet those needs in each of our five programs, with the option of specializing further in a concentration.
Our online program in education leadership is designed for experienced education professionals who want to further hone their leadership skills and deepen their impact, with the accessibility of an online format that reinforces their continuing work in the field.
Across our Ed.M. programs, HGSE provides unmatched opportunities to be mentored and taught by outstanding faculty and to form lifelong connections with talented peers and educators from around the world. Whichever Ed.M. program you choose, you will be surrounded by a diverse, engaged, and supportive community, dedicated to improving lives through education. I hope you will join us.
BRIDGET TERRY LONG Dean
Saris Professor of Education and Economics Harvard Graduate School of Education
Whether you’re seeking to develop new competencies, hone your leadership skills, or advance your career, HGSE offers master’s programs — residential and online — that provide exceptional academic preparation, deliver opportunities for personal and professional growth, and deepen your knowledge to make an even greater impact on the world.
Our next enrollment cycle is for fall 2024. Learn more at hgse.me/masters.
We’re committed to changing the world through education — and our unique Ed.M. programs help you make this vision a reality.
Our programs will enable you to tap into your leadership potential, create the conditions for meaningful learning and development, and provide opportunities for you to address and remedy systemic challenges present in the education landscape — across communities and throughout education settings.
HGSE faculty and alumni are leading the way in improving outcomes for all students. In addition to facilitating academic learning, Ed.M. faculty members are out in the field — conducting cuttingedge research, creating impact, and generating initiatives that transform teaching and learning.
Upon graduation, our alumni translate the leadership, entrepreneurial, and practical skills they’ve learned into a variety of outcomes-focused initiatives — as teachers and think tank researchers, principals and policymakers, counselors and curriculum designers.
Your experience at HGSE will be rooted in our four Foundations courses — rich, immersive learning experiences that prepare you with the skills and competencies that every educator needs, across any educational setting, to support all types of learners and communities. The baseline that Foundations provides will deepen your knowledge and effectiveness — helping you achieve your desired outcomes across your HGSE coursework and into your career.
June – July
Offers a deep understanding of how people learn and develop over the lifespan, and how to design systems to support others’ learning.
Explores how to interpret common forms of researchbased evidence and how to apply evidence to improve education systems.
All Ed.M. students will commence Foundations with How People Learn, an online course that runs in June and July and requires a time commitment of 10–15 hours per week.
August
Residential Ed.M. students will take Equity and Opportunity, Evidence, and Leading Change courses on campus in August.
Ongoing
Focuses on the core concept of equity in education — preparing you to identify and address the inequities that exist in the field.
Provides knowledge on how to work within a team, organization, or education system — with an emphasis on leading and managing change.
Students in the online Ed.M. program will participate in Equity and Opportunity, Evidence, and Leading Change throughout the two-year program.
For residential Ed.M. students, the final component of Foundations is an additional Equity and Opportunity (2+ credits) elective.
As the education sector manages the fallout from the pandemic’s disruptions and looks ahead to future challenges, it’s clear the need for strong leadership has never been more critical. To help address these issues and reach the greatest number of educators possible, HGSE offers two ways to earn a master’s in education: our flagship residential programs and the online program in education leadership.
Students can earn an Ed.M. from Harvard through one of five residential programs or through our online program. All programs feature the academic rigor, cohort learning, and world-renowned faculty that define Harvard graduate study, and each program is tailored to specific student populations.
The residential programs are designed for aspiring or established educators, leaders, and innovators — offering you a full-time, immersive, on-campus experience and the flexibility to concentrate studies on specific areas of interest and pursue experiential learning opportunities.
The online program in education leadership is designed for educators with at least seven years of relevant experience — offering you the opportunity to stay engaged in your home community while participating in a part-time program that’s conducted almost exclusively online.
In our five residential Master’s in Education (Ed.M.) programs, you will benefit from a one-year, full-time Harvard experience that provides you with the opportunity to design your own pathway at one of the world’s premier education training grounds. The unique curriculum enables you to craft customized experiences that cultivate your ability to foster positive impact and help generate better outcomes for all students.
As a residential master’s student, you can choose and apply to one of the following five Programs, where you’ll develop expertise in a specific practice area that aligns with your professional interests:
Cultivates the skills you need to become an effective, strategic, and innovative leader.
Provides you with a deep understanding of what works in education and how to leverage policy to generate solutions.
Prepares you to offer learners the academic and social-emotional supports that align with their individual needs.
Offers you the opportunity to create technological innovations and evolve the science of learning to improve student outcomes.
Each program includes coursework, core experiences, and real-world opportunities that will prepare you to meet the challenges of your chosen career path.
Equips you with the skills needed to transform learning, advance social justice, and make a difference in the lives of all students.
If you wish to specialize in a specific context or area of education, our flexible curriculum provides a selection of Concentrations — each offering a combination of tailored coursework and co-curricular activities, such as events, speaker series, and workshops. The program also offers curated elective courses that will enable you to customize your HGSE learning experience.
Helps you explore the integral role the arts play across art forms, age groups, and learning environments.
Prepares you for a variety of roles within the early childhood education sector.
Enables you to gain experience addressing education inequalities in low- and middle-income countries.
Equips you for a career in postsecondary education — within universities, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and consulting firms.
Provides you with the skills to create education spaces that aim to eliminate oppressive conditions and inequitable outcomes.
Gives you the tools to address how literacy-related developments support student outcomes.
Our career-embedded, two-year, part-time online Master’s in Education (Ed.M.) program in education leadership allows you to immediately apply what you are learning to your organization — while developing the skills you need to further develop your career and enhance your impact.
Except for one brief residential experience, the program is conducted fully online and includes a combination of synchronous meetings and asynchronous coursework. Throughout your graduate experience, you will interact with Harvard faculty, build lifelong professional connections, and prepare yourself for new leadership opportunities.
The Education Leadership (Online) curriculum offers you two pathways — PreK–12 or Higher Education — that align with your area of interest:
Equips you to do change-making work on behalf of students from early childhood to secondary education levels — as teacher leaders, afterschool directors, and more.
Prepares you as a dynamic leader in a diverse range of postsecondary education contexts — from college and university settings to nonprofit education organizations.
To help you manage, lead, and implement change in complex organizations, our Education Leadership (Online) curriculum offers leadership core competencies that will strengthen your ability to:
• Lead change and think strategically
• Foster productive organizational conditions
• Navigate politics and practice political inclusion
• Communicate effectively
• Cultivate self-development and team professional development skills
Inspired by the work of Fred Rogers, Junlei Li developed the “Simple Interactions” approach to empower and encourage human relationships as the active ingredients in children’s learning and development. His research and practice focus on understanding and supporting the work of helping professionals across a range of developmental settings, including orphanages, childcare, classrooms, and community youth programs.
Karen Mapp Senior Lecturer on Education
Karen Mapp is an expert in the cultivation of partnerships among families, community members and educators that support student achievement. She collaborated with the U.S. Department of Education on the Dual-Capacity Framework for Family-School Partnerships, a guide for how each stakeholder — at state, district, school, and family levels — can best support children in their educational journey. Hundreds of schools have since implemented the framework’s suggestions, adding designated family engagement positions to their staff.
Staci Cummins joined the U.S. Department of Education as a Presidential Management Fellow in 2019 and is currently the Program Manager for the School Infrastructure Programs (SIP) and an Education Program Specialist for the Rural Education Achievement Program. Having previously taught on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, she is committed to equitable public education for all, especially those in rural school systems.
Tyrell Adeyemi, a Harvard Urban Scholars Fellow, studied school leadership while at HGSE. A former English language arts educator, his career post-HGSE brought him to Boston Public Schools where he now serves as the proud principal of the Harvard-Kent Elementary School. He believes in the power of student-centered decision making to create a nourishing environment for all scholars to express their brilliance.
Regardless of which program you pursue, you will gain critical insights and perspective through discussions, small-group sessions, and research projects. Yet we also recognize the importance of learning that takes place within your cohort, via alumni networks, and through co-curricular experiences. Here’s a sampling of the community learning you’ll experience as an HGSE student:
Peer-to-peer learning plays a significant role at HGSE, and you’ll have the opportunity to engage with members of your cohort during in-class and synchronous online discussions and through co-curricular learning experiences. You’ll also be able to join one of more than 40 student organizations, or start your own.
Our global alumni base of 30,000+ professionals will serve you throughout your career by providing connections, collaborations, and mentoring opportunities.
Learning continues far beyond your in-class academic experience, and HGSE offers a variety of programming, including:
Events with innovative leaders, collaborative learning experiences, and professional development opportunities abound — both on-campus and online.
Fellowship programs, including the Equity and Inclusion Fellowship, and advisory committees.
Events and programs that highlight and promote innovative teaching and learning strategies.
As an HGSE student, you’ll also experience a range of benefits, resources, and opportunities available across the Harvard University system, including online access to the world’s largest library system.
As a residential student, you can enjoy all that Boston and Cambridge have to offer — from history and innovation to sports and culture. As a student in Education Leadership (Online), you will also have the opportunity to explore the area during your brief residential experience.
HGSE faculty members are recognized for their expertise in education practice, policy, and research — consulting with school districts on turnaround programs, advising federal policymakers, and generating education opportunities in countries around the globe. Our programs will enable you to explore a wide variety of career pathways while working alongside our faculty. Through numerous research projects, online collaborations, and mentorship opportunities, you can gain real-world experience throughout the field of education.
Through innovative programs, workshops, and recruiting events, the Career Services Office at HGSE offers you lifelong professional development and career management. As one of the few offices of its kind dedicated to education students, HGSE’s career services team will help you navigate your job search by assisting with resumes, cover letters, interviewing skills, salary negotiations, and internships.
A 2023 survey revealed that our Ed.M. graduates go on to work in a variety of fields, including the following:
PreK–12: 26%
Higher Education Institutions: 20%
For Profit/Entrepreneurial/Start Up: 12%
Direct Service Nonprofits: 12%
Media/Publishing/Technology: 9%
Research/Technical Assistance/Consulting: 14%
Government: 4%
Other: 3%
Residential Master’s in Education (Ed.M.) students: 613
Online Master’s in Education (Ed.M.) students: 89
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Ph.D.) students: 25
Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) students: 25
Students came from 41 U.S. states, plus D.C. and American Samoa, and all continents with the exception of Antarctica, and represented 63 countries of citizenship.
23% MEN
71% WOMEN
4% NO RESPONSE
2% TRANSGENDER, GENDERQUEER/ GENDER-NONCONFORMING, OR ANOTHER IDENTITY
21% LGBTQ+ 32% FIRST GEN 36% INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
51% SELF-IDENTIFIED STUDENTS OF COLOR*
*Share of U.S. citizens and permanent residents
RANGE OF WORK EXPERIENCE: RESIDENTIAL ED.M. AVERAGE: 4.3 YEARS
0-36 YEARS
ONLINE ED.M. AVERAGE: 14.2 YEARS
ED.L.D. AVERAGE: 15 YEARS
PH.D. AVERAGE: 5 YEARS
HGSE brings together people who are committed to making a transformative impact through education — people who demonstrate leadership, dedication, curiosity, a sense of mission, and an entrepreneurial spirit. By beginning — or continuing — your education journey through one of our master’s programs, you can forge an enriching pathway that will help you achieve your professional aspirations.
We invite you to learn more about our programs — including the admissions application and financial aid process.
You will find additional resources and next steps here:
Step One
Introduce yourself by filling out an online form at hgse.me/hgse-intro
Step Two
Explore and connect with us by visiting our Admissions website at hgse.me/admissions
Step Three
Apply online at hgse.me/application
Deadline
Submit your online application and materials by January 5, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. EST.
For those applying to the Teaching and Teacher Leadership Teaching Licensure Strand, the application deadline is November 1, 2023, by 11:59 p.m. EDT.
Graduate education is a significant investment of your time and resources. At HGSE, we partner with applicants to identify workable funding resources to help make graduate study here possible. HGSE’s resources can include grants, scholarships, loans, work-study funding, or fellowships. There are also funding opportunities outside of Harvard to investigate. Start planning now; it’s never too early. Learn more at hgse.me/hgse_aid.
For more information, visit hgse.me/masters.