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Masters for Teachers Virtual Information Sessions!

Tuesday, April 23 at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom

You are invited to join faculty from the UNM College of Education & Human Sciences to learn about the various Master's programs we offer to advance career!

Register Now!

Educational Leadership Graduate Programs

The Educational Leadership, M.A. is fully online!

Application Deadline

Spring Semester: October 1
Fall Semester: March 1

Whether you are a classroom teacher, instructional coach, dean, program manager, or other educational leader, you’ll learn in an exciting, engaging and relevant program which brings together dedicated educators who are ready to make a positive difference in the lives of students, teachers, districts and communities.

Open the door to your next step as a leader in education with the highly regarded Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership from the University of New Mexico College of Education & Human Sciences – New Mexico’s Flagship Research I institution. Share your experiences and learn with a diverse group of educators from across New Mexico and the U.S. through our completely online program.

Choose one of the two concentration areas in our popular 36-credit M.A. program. The first option is with administrative license for pre-K – 12 educators, and the second is a research track tailored to those working in higher education

photo of students graduating from POLLEN cohort of Educational Leadership program

POLLEN cohort

As part of honoring and embracing leadership and education, corn POLLEN was utilized by Southwestern tribes in recognition of the outstanding leadership attributes of tribal members, and to pray for all living things, as well as educational success and persistence.

Learn more about the POLLEN cohort


kathryn ramsey

“As a teacher leader in Albuquerque Public Schools, I found myself interested in furthering my education by obtaining an administrative license from the Educational Leadership Program in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico. I had the opportunity to be a part of the online coursework, which fit my schedule allowing me to continue work and raise my family. The courses in Instructional Data Literacy, Educational Law, Leadership Theory, and Observational Feedback were excellent and provided relevant content I use regularly. The faculty in the ED Lead Program were excellent and maintained a collaborative environment and mindset that complimented their expertise in the field. In our course forums, I appreciated the perspectives in cultural diversity, rich content, and the peer support received from my classmates. My colleagues played a tremendous role in my learning and approaches as an educator through our weekly discussions and design modules. We are still in touch today, supporting each other as we enter into administrative roles. I highly recommend the ED Lead Program to anyone wanting to expand their knowledge in instructional and transformational leadership and practice. The experience, training, course content, and mentorship from colleagues and faculty, truly changed my career trajectory for the better!”

Kathryn Ramsey

UNM Educational Leadership Graduate, May 2021
Assistant Principal, Mountain View Elementary

Application Process

All graduate students are required to work under the supervision of an assigned advisor and to develop and follow a planned Program of Study composed of required courses and, where appropriate, additional courses selected with the approval of the advisor and/or the Program of Study Committee. Courses taken without prior approval may not be accepted toward the completion of the degree. Students must maintain a 3.3 cumulative GPA in all Program of Study coursework.

Admission Procedures for International Students:

All international applicants must complete two steps in order to be admitted to the Educational Leadership Program.

Educational Leadership Listserv

To sign up for the Ed Leadership Listserv, send an email message to:

  1. listserv@list.unm.edu
  2. Leave the subject field blank
  3. In the body of the message type the following information only:
    Subscribe EDLEADGROUP-L Firstname Lastname (your first and last name)
  4. Hit send

Graduation Processes

Policy on Employment/Load

Faculty and graduates have found that students who give themselves time to concentrate and reflect on their academic studies during their brief time at the University not only achieve academic excellence but excel later in their professional careers. Therefore, the faculty of the Educational Leadership Program strongly recommends that students who are employed full time enroll in nine or fewer hours of course work during the fall and spring semesters in order to optimize their educational experience. Students will not be allowed to enroll in more than nine hours during the fall and spring semesters without prior approval.


Leading New Mexico in Educator Preparation and Research

The overall mission and purpose of our work within the Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy Department is to prepare and support teachers, teacher educators and teacher leaders who support the children and families of New Mexico. Read more about our Mission and Core Values.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

Our program has determined it meets professional licensure requirements in the state of New Mexico. It has not determined it meets professional licensure requirements in any other state.