M.Ed. Culturally Responsive Leadership Concentration

The culturally-responsive and community-based leadership concentration of the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program is a 30-credit-hour program designed to prepare school and community leaders with foundational theory, research and skills related to culturally responsive and community-based leadership. Curriculum will focus on leadership and understanding and mitigating power imbalances related to race, ethnicity, culture and/or class, as well as establishing policies and practices that nurture an anti-racist organizational climate.

Additional topics include dimensions of human diversity, community and youth-based activism and praxis; immigration and adaptation; gender and power; ableism; children and youth; social inclusion; health disparities; poverty; racism; colonization; and inequality. 

This program offers:

• The opportunity to gain leadership development for positions in multiple areas (youth development, program management, research and policy analysis; equity and community engagement officers; school and district-level leaders; nonprofit management and development related to education)
• The opportunity to leverage practices of critical inquiry in promotion of equitable educational environments
• The opportunity to apply leadership skills that engage internal and external communities in mutually beneficial ways
• The opportunity to demonstrate in-depth knowledge and skills in culturally responsive leadership
• Access to experienced faculty and instructor practitioners
• Online and face-to-face options*

Designed for full-time students and working professionals, this program can be completed in as little as 16 months. Students will exit the program prepared to enact culturally-responsive and sustaining leadership approaches in K12 schools and school-supporting organizations.

*Online and in-person cohorts are determined by accepted student preference in late spring. The online application includes a program modality question that aids in our ability to identify interest and need in the different learning modalities.

Our online classes involve a combination of synchronous and asynchronous work. When registering, you can find specific details about the dates and times for synchronous sessions in the course description section. Your synchronous sessions for each class will be scheduled on either Tuesdays or Thursdays within the hours of 4-8 p.m., following an every other week schedule for about an hour to an hour and a half (no more than two hours).

Please keep in mind exact course requirements may vary, so consult your adviser or the program coordinator with any questions.

Additional Concentrations