Online MA in Leadership Overview
Equip yourself to lead an inclusive and vibrant learning community. The fully online Master of Arts in Leadership offered by the College of Education and Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundations offers multiple tracks: Principal Education License or P-12 Leadership.
This flexible master’s program prepares you for leadership in a variety of educational spaces, focusing on facilitating change in learning communities through collaboration, respect, and equity. From law and policy to engaging families in culturally and linguistically diverse education, this program’s curriculum satisfies requirements of the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) while developing you into a dynamic education leader.
Program Features
- Blend work and studies in a flexible online program
- Build a strong professional portfolio you can use for career development
- Develop leadership skills that serve your educational community
- Learn to incorporate technology that improves communication
- Deepen your understanding of the social and political impacts on education in a diverse, multicultural society
MA Leadership Program Tracks
Principal Education License
- 33 credit hours
- Approximately 12 months (one year) to completion, maximum of five years to finish the degree
- Apply what you’ve learned in the practicum course (300 hours of leadership activities)
P-12 Leadership
- 30 credit hours
- Approximately 12 months (one year) to completion
- Option to complete the Principal Education License by adding one course (must be completed within five years of starting the master’s program)
Program at a Glance
Degree Program:
Master of Arts in Leadership
Offered By:
College of Education
Tuition:
Cost Per Credit:
$658*
*Approximate tuition per credit hour based on the number of credits taken
Cost Per Credit:
$788*
*Approximate tuition per credit hour based on the number of credits taken
Priority Application Deadline:
Credit Hours:
30-33
Program Details
The Master of Arts in Leadership program is designed to help active education professionals earn an advanced degree in partnership with faculty who are outstanding professionals in the field. You will expand your worldview, develop your self-awareness as a leader, and use reflection to facilitate your own personal and professional growth.
This fully online graduate program allows you to continue working without disruption and begin immediately applying what you learn to your current context. During the program, you will participate in both asynchronous sessions and synchronous (live) sessions, group activities, essays, and practicum experience. You will also assemble a portfolio of work.
Our student handbook can give you more details on the required coursework along with answers to frequently asked questions about the MA in Leadership and advanced license programs.
The MA in Leadership will help you:
- Develop school/district management competencies and leadership strategies
- Learn how to guide an educational team by using research and assessing the needs of a school/district community
- Create a plan for student success
- Explore the political and social implications of schooling
- Understand the educational requirements of contributing to a diverse, democratic, multicultural society
- Discover how technology can be utilized to enhance management and communication
- Acquire the confidence necessary to ignite and inspire others
Curriculum Overview
This online program is taught by faculty who also teach at the Colorado Springs campus. That means you are receiving the same high quality curriculum and instruction as students on campus.
The Principal Education License track requires 33 credit hours to graduate, which includes nine credits of foundation courses, 21 credits of P-12 leadership cognate courses, and a three-credit practicum course. The practicum course consists of a minimum of 300 clock hours of leadership activities at the elementary, middle, and high school levels supervised by a qualified site mentor in varied settings with educationally, culturally, and socioeconomically diverse populations. A professional portfolio is also required for program completion.
The P-12 Leadership track requires 30 credit hours to graduate, which includes nine credits of foundation courses and 21 credits of P-12 leadership cognate courses. If a student wishes to complete the Principal Education License track, they can add the practicum course (LEAD 6820). This course must be taken within five years of taking the first course for the MA in Leadership program.
Example Courses
Examine how to collaboratively lead, support, and sustain equity in schools by identifying cultural understanding and bias, promoting appropriate pedagogical practices, analyzing community outreach opportunities, and providing just access to services and resources.
Addresses schools and their place in society from a historical, philosophical, and sociological framework. Considers the ways schools have reflected the pervasive inequalities characteristic of American society, as well as the transformational capacity of education, and prospects for reform.
Explore personnel practices, policy development and implementation, and employee-employer relationships. Topics include equal employment and affirmative action, due process procedures, recruitment and retention, performance appraisal of staff, hiring and dismissal processes, staff discipline, and staff development.
Master's in Leadership Career Outlook
Graduates of the MA in Leadership program are prepared to pursue leadership positions where they can inspire and equip others in their learning community. This includes classroom, building, and district leadership.
The median annual wage for elementary, middle, and high school principals in the United States in 2022 was $101,320, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
After Graduation
With the Principal Education License track, you will be prepared to apply for the Principal License from the Colorado Department of Education. Eligibility for the Principal License includes holding a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally-accredited institution, three years of licensed experience in a public or nonpublic elementary or secondary school, passing the Colorado-approved content exam (Praxis 5412), and completion of a program from a regionally-accredited institution for the preparation of principals.
You can also continue your education with a doctoral degree in education, which can prepare you for roles in higher education, government, research, and more.
Admissions Information
The MA in Leadership program has a rolling admissions process, which means applications are reviewed as they are received. Students can start the program in the fall, spring or summer semesters.
To be considered for this program, you must submit:
- A career goal statement
- Your curriculum vitae or professional résumé
- Tuition classification form
- Three references
- Copies of your professional licenses
- Official transcripts
- A completed application submitted by the posted deadlines below plus a small application fee of $60
The application process also requires an admissions interview along with evidence of English proficiency for international applicants. Applications are due on the first day of each semester.
Tuition and Fees
At UCCS Online, we strive to keep our tuition costs affordable so that you can get a world-class education that fits your budget. When you earn a degree, you’re not simply getting a diploma — you are making a lifelong investment in yourself and empowering your future career.
We are here to answer your questions about tuition and financial aid, help you take care of the paperwork, and make sure you can focus on reaching your goals. From financial aid and scholarships to corporate tuition assistance programs, we will work with you to find the best way to finance your degree.
This program has a small $60 application fee required upon submission of your application. Please contact an Enrollment Navigator for more information about any costs associated with your application.
Completion Time
We know going back to school as a full-time professional can be challenging, but online learning at UCCS offers the benefit of flexibility, with the option of taking a course load that meets your needs. This program can be completed in as few as 12 months if you take a full course load. Students have a maximum of five years to complete the program and can take up to four courses per semester.
Ready to get started?
Connect with our Enrollment Advisors to learn more about this in-demand online program and start your admissions process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
UCCS’s Master of Arts in Leadership program can prepare you both for leadership excellence in your education community and application to the Principal License from the Colorado Department of Education (see the Principal Education License track). Your master’s degree can also increase your earning potential and open doors to greater professional fulfillment in the years ahead, making it well worth the effort and time you will invest.
During fall and spring terms, courses range from 6-16 weeks long.
The student-to-faculty ratio for the MA in Leadership program can vary but is typically 15:1.
It typically takes two weeks following receipt of your completed application for the committee to make an admissions decision and notify you. Because this is a rolling admissions process, applications are reviewed as soon as they are received, so the sooner you apply, the sooner you will receive a notification about your admissions.
A 300-hour practicum in your home community is required for the Principal Education Licensure track of the MA in Leadership program.
Online learning will offer you the flexibility to study at the best place and time for you. You can choose a sustainable pace for your lifestyle, which can help you consider your career, family, and other commitments outside of school.
Additionally, at UCCS Online, our online programs are taught by the same faculty who teach on campus, which means you are earning the same high quality degree as traditional students, and your diploma will not mention that your degree was earned online.
You can estimate your cost of tuition through UCCS’s Estimate Your Bill tool.