The Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Policy (ELP) is a rigorous and comprehensive residential, cohort-based program that prepares graduates with the skills required to lead and shape educational institutions and policies at local, national, and global levels. The ELP program allows students to specialize in PK-12 Educational Leadership, Educational Policy, or both. We bring together a diverse cohort of students with shared interests in understanding and improving schools, instruction, and K-12 students’ educational outcomes. For those interested in K-12 leadership, the program is a good fit for current or former teachers and aspiring building leaders who wish to continue their work at the building or district level. Many students in this pathway bring experience working in education and often return to schools, districts, or other educational organizations to apply the research, theory, and practical knowledge they have gained. Students develop themselves as leaders through courses that help them understand and apply research and focus on instructional leadership, policy, curriculum and assessment, social justice, and teacher development. Students interested in K-12 educational policy can expect to develop skills and knowledge necessary to understand and shape evidence-based education policy at the national, state, district, and building levels. Students in K-12 policy are interested in improving schools and communities and often come from a variety of pathways: current or former teachers and leaders, community and non-profit leaders, or aspiring policymakers and researchers. Coursework is primarily focused on the context of education policy within the United States, but the foundational frameworks and concepts are relevant and broadly applicable to international educational settings. Students can expect to learn about the history of American education systems, how to evaluate and understand research studies and assess their quality, contemporary U.S. education policy efforts and debates, the process of policy implementation, research methods, the politics of policymaking, and how policy shapes issues of equity and justice. Students focusing on K-12 policy may seek employment with local, state, federal, and international education agencies or organizations. Regardless of specialization, the ELP curriculum combines theoretical and practical coursework to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the complex issues facing educational institutions and policies. Given the diversity of our schools and communities and the history of educational leadership and policy, it is critical to understand issues of equity and inclusion. We offer a range of specialized coursework in these areas to help students understand and debate the role of race, class, and power in shaping educational opportunity and outcomes. Finally, students have significant opportunities to shape their learning journey, choosing from a range of elective courses both within the Marsal School as well as throughout the University of Michigan to tailor their education to their specific interests and career goals. For instance, students often take policy and leadership electives at the Ross School of Business or the Ford School of Public Policy. A notable strength of the ELP program is our faculty, who are leading experts in the field of educational leadership and policy. They bring a wealth of research and practical experience to the classroom, and many have held leadership positions in educational institutions and policy organizations. Their unique blend of the theoretical and the practical will offer you the opportunity to graduate with a degree that is both practice-based as well as having developed the research skills to grapple with today’s vexing educational problems.
