Online Master’s in Education

The Arizona State Board of Education has approved this program as an Educator Preparation Program leading to educator certification. Upon program completion, AIU will submit its Institutional Recommendation to the Board; it is the candidate’s responsibility to complete the certification process with the state.

AIU's Master of Education (M.Ed.), is programmatically accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).

Online Master of Education degree courses can help you learn how to:

• Design educational content and programming that is appropriate to support learning for diverse audiences, contexts, global perspectives, and cultural responsiveness.
• Justify educational decision-making using educational theories, financial management, and scholarly research practices.
• Adapt advanced, discipline-appropriate professional and research communication skills for personal growth and stakeholder engagement.
• Employ professional dispositions appropriate for educational practice and leadership.
• Implement instructional strategies and technologies to support learning (i.e., eLearning, distance learning, online learning, traditional learning, and hybrid learning).
• Analyze the impact of instructional design methodology and learning theories/sciences (social, emotional, and academic) on stakeholders for effectiveness of interventions and/or educational systems.
• Integrate continuous improvement, learner assessment, technology, eLearning, and evaluation plans based on data analysis.

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Total tuition for this degree program may vary depending on your educational needs, existing experience, and other factors.

Estimate your costs, potential savings and graduation date.

Learn from education leaders in this 10-course Masters’ program that leads to Arizona PreK-12 Principal Certification. The program can be completed in a year and as an AZ State Board of Education approved program, candidates can pursue the certification process after successful program completion. Candidates will take all courses online and design their practicum experience through their Arizona school. Candidates will receive hands on experience with eLearning tools to create an ePortfolio and are required to complete 15 hours of practicum per course.

For a Master’s Degree in Leadership of Prek-12 Educational Organizations, your classes may include:

Online Master of Education degree courses can help you learn how to:

The Education Leader

This course introduces PreK-12 educational leadership concepts and behaviors in alignment with state administrative standards. Focus includes the professional behavior and performance appropriate to education administrator/principals through an in-depth study of contemporary leadership issues and leadership theories.

School Law

The course introduces issues in education that may call for different actions based on national, regional, and state legal, and regulatory guidelines. The course focus includes analysis of human resources compliance, evaluation of workforce regulations, and alignment of national and regional educational laws with state legal and regulatory requirements.

School Literacy, Assessment, and Evaluation

This course focuses on the six basic components of literacy instruction; phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing within the K-12 classroom. The course explores the current theories on literacy with focus on practical applications for school leaders.

Education Planning and Development

This course provides various perspectives of leadership responsibilities in planning and developing new educational programs, products, and services. The focus is on the examination of processes and issues related to change management, including changes involving technology. The course offers an opportunity for candidates to consider how educational leaders introduce and implement new educational programs, products, and services in an organization.

Educational Standards and Ethics

The course focuses on topics related to the recognition of differences in various events and issues in education that may call for different actions based on the educator's knowledge of ethical, legal, and regulatory standards and guidelines.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

In addition to AIU’s general graduate admissions requirements, prospective candidates must have the following in order to be officially admitted to this program:

• A teaching certificate that is current at the time of enrollment
• At least three years of teaching experience
• Current employment with an Arizona PreK-12 educational institution that has signed (or will agree to sign) a practicum partnership with AIU
• A supervising practitioner identified^†

†Supervising practitioner must possess an Arizona Administrative Certification and a current classification of highly effective or effective pursuant to ARS §§ 15-341(A)(41), 15-189.06.

Licensure Disclosure

AIU has made a determination that this curriculum meets the state educational requirements for licensure or certification in the following state: AZ.

AIU has made a determination that this curriculum does not meet the state educational requirements for licensure or certification in the following states: none.

AIU has not made a determination that this curriculum meets the State educational requirements for licensure or certification in the following states: AL, AK, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY.

Last update 6/1/23

Principal Certification Licensure Contact Information

University Catalog

Course content subject to change.

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What is a Master of Education (MEd)-Leadership of PreK-12 Educational Organizations?

AIU’s Master of Education (MEd) Leadership of PreK-12 Educational Organizations is structured to help you design, implement, and lead educational initiatives in the PreK-12 educational setting. This degree is designed to help candidates prepare to pursue an Arizona Principal Certification in PreK-12.

What will I study in the MEd Leadership of PreK-12 Educational Organizations program?

In this Master of Education Leadership of PreK-12 Educational Organizations, candidates study a mix of core courses including Educational Ethics and Standards, Dynamic Educational Leadership, School Law, and School Literacy, Assessment, and Evaluation. This program is designed to give candidates academic and hands on experience in their work environment while studying and practicing the required skills needed for successful completion. Candidates will explore how to administrate educational content for diverse populations and how to justify design and educational decision-making using administrative approaches, educational theories, school law, financial management, and scholarly research practices. Candidates will also develop approaches to support student and faculty success, assessment of instructional strategies, and the impact of curriculum for effective interventions.

When and where can I begin my classes?

The MEd Leadership of PreK-12 Educational Organizations degree program is offered online and starts every 5 weeks. Completion of the AIU admissions process will depend on how quickly you complete the steps in the AIU application process. You may speak to an Admissions Advisor over the phone (1-855-377-1888) or request information online. Once you’ve completed the online request, you may hear from an advisor within 24 hours to discuss the next steps toward starting your degree program.

How many credits are required to graduate from the MEd Leadership of PreK-12 Educational Organizations program?

The Master’s in Education Leadership of PreK-12 Educational Organizations degree requires a total of 45 credits. You may be eligible for transfer credit with provided official transcripts. AIU accepts up to 18 quarter hours of the qualifying credits you need toward your degree.**

**Transfer credit is evaluated on an individual basis. Not all credits are eligible to transfer. See the University Catalog for transfer credit policies.

Why should I pursue an MEd Leadership of PreK-12 Educational Organizations degree at AIU?

If you are interested in becoming a certified principal in Arizona then this program is for you. The course content is completely online and your practicum requirement is completed in your current school. Upon successful completion of the program, AIU makes an Institutional Recommendation to the Arizona Department of Education within 45 days of graduation. The program emphasizes academic and administrative theories and approaches to leading diverse organizations with hands-on skills practice. We offer flexible 5-week courses in a curriculum tailored to skills and training utilized in the education industry today. In addition, it was developed for working adults. Degree candidates can pursue this degree online, allowing the flexibility to study on their own terms and schedules.