personal statement for masters in educational leadership

• Undergraduate
• High School
• Architecture
• American History
• Asian History
• Antique Literature
• American Literature
• Asian Literature
• Classic English Literature
• World Literature
• Creative Writing
• Linguistics
• Criminal Justice
• Legal Issues
• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Political Science
• World Affairs
• African-American Studies
• East European Studies
• Latin-American Studies
• Native-American Studies
• West European Studies
• Family and Consumer Science
• Social Issues
• Women and Gender Studies
• Social Work
• Natural Sciences
• Pharmacology
• Earth science
• Agriculture
• Agricultural Studies
• Computer Science
• IT Management
• Mathematics
• Investments
• Engineering and Technology
• Engineering
• Aeronautics
• Medicine and Health
• Alternative Medicine
• Communications and Media
• Advertising
• Communication Strategies
• Public Relations
• Educational Theories
• Teacher's Career
• Chicago/Turabian
• Company Analysis
• Education Theories
• Shakespeare
• Canadian Studies
• Food Safety
• Relation of Global Warming and Extreme Weather Condition
• Movie Review
• Admission Essay
• Annotated Bibliography
• Application Essay
• Article Critique
• Article Review
• Article Writing
• Book Review
• Business Plan
• Business Proposal
• Capstone Project
• Cover Letter
• Creative Essay
• Dissertation
• Dissertation - Abstract
• Dissertation - Conclusion
• Dissertation - Discussion
• Dissertation - Hypothesis
• Dissertation - Introduction
• Dissertation - Literature
• Dissertation - Methodology
• Dissertation - Results
• GCSE Coursework
• Grant Proposal
• Marketing Plan
• Multiple Choice Quiz

Personal Statement

• Power Point Presentation
• Power Point Presentation With Speaker Notes
• Questionnaire
• Reaction Paper

Research Paper

Research Proposal

• SWOT analysis
• Thesis Paper
• Online Quiz
• Literature Review
• Movie Analysis
• Statistics problem
• Math Problem
• All papers examples
• How It Works
• Money Back Policy
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• We Are Hiring

Educational Leadership, Personal Statement Example

Pages: 2

Words: 625

Hire a Writer for Custom Personal Statement

Use 10% Off Discount: "custom10" in 1 Click 👇

You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work.

The quality of a country’s human capital is primarily shaped by education. The value of education has only grown with globalization because it is now easier to outsource low-skilled jobs. One may assume countries have become more focused on investments in education to improve their competitiveness but the reality could not have been more different. There are numerous factors that contribute towards slow progress in the global education sector such as bureaucracy, funding cuts for public education, and lack of sense of urgency on the part of the elected officials. In addition, there is hesitation towards changing the structure of the local education systems because any change would involve uncertainty and the scale of the challenge discourages most from even making an attempt. This is as much true for Saudi Arabia as it is for countries with some of the finest academic institutions in the world like the U.S. My work experience in the academic sector as well as knowledge gained from extensive reading on the issue has convinced me that education sectors around the world are in dire need of education leaders who are not afraid of thinking outside-the-box as well as the challenging the quo. This is why I have decided to pursue my Masters in Educational Leadership because it will provide me with knowledge and insights to bring about positive changes in Saudi education sector.

I realized early on in my career that Saudi Arabia invests quite a low figure in its education system and I knew things won’t be changing soon. This motivated me to educate myself on different education systems around the world to investigate how educators like me may be able to revamp the local education system, even with limited resources. My extensive research as well as conversations with fellow education professionals has yielded several useful insights which I hope to share with my fellow students in the Educational Leadership Program as well as seek their input. Probably, one of the most unexpected insights I have gained is that the importance of resources available to educators is often exaggerated. What may be more important is the organizational hierarchy of the academic institutions as well as the ability of different stakeholders including teachers, parents, and public officials to work together to identify issues and implement innovative and efficient solutions.

During my academic career, I have worked in a wide range of capacities including teacher, administrator, accountant, and trainer. This has helped me gain a comprehensive knowledge of how the whole education system works and I believe that education system in Saudi Arabia can import lessons from not only education systems in other countries but even non-related sectors such as Corporate America and non-profit sector. In fact, non-profit sector in developed countries like the U.S. serve as a great example of importing ideas from other industries. More and more non-profit organizations are being run like commercial organizations, with huge emphasis on efficient management of financial and human capital as well as higher accountability for performance. I believe public education system in Saudi Arabia and other countries including the U.S. will also have to adopt business-like approach to their operations. Similarly, I have learnt from multi-national organizations that every industry should keep an open eye on the external factors and trends that are shaping our world. For the first time, traditional education model is under attack because technology has changed the way students now learn.

I will bring unique insights into the Educational Leadership program and am excited to learn from my fellow students who may come from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. The knowledge and skills learnt in the program will help me further refine my educational leadership philosophy and make positive contributions to the public education sector in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere.

Stuck with your Personal Statement?

Get in touch with one of our experts for instant help!

Native American Tribes, Research Proposal Example

U.S. Army, Research Paper Example

Time is precious

don’t waste it!

Plagiarism-free guarantee

Privacy guarantee

Secure checkout

Money back guarantee

Related Personal Statement Samples & Examples

Depression during old age, personal statement example.

Pages: 1

Words: 314

Health Policy Statement on Structured Reporting for the Cardiac Catheterization, Personal Statement Example

Pages: 4

Words: 1164

MSN Personal Statement Example

Words: 562

How I Became a Nurse, Personal Statement Example

Words: 511

The University of Balamand, Personal Statement Example

Words: 317

Professional Nursing Career, Personal Statement Example

Words: 1065

How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters (17 PDF Sample Examples)

Published: 14 Mar 2022 Study Abroad 99,587 views

A personal statement for masters program is one of the most important parts of your college application and writing a good one is what’s the exception between receiving an offer and being rejected.

If you’ve been tasked with presenting a personal statement, you should keep in mind that whatever you submit must put you forward as the right candidate for the course. Additionally, it should convince the admissions officers that you deserve a place on your program of study.

Achieving the above, is a skill most postgraduate students are yet to acquire but thankfully this article on How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters covers everything you need to know on doing this.

In this article you’ll learn:

• What is a personal statement?
• Tips for making your personal statement for masters stand out
• How to write a personal statement for masters
• Personal statement for masters sample
• Examples of personal statement for masters
• Conclusion – things to avoid when writing a personal statement for masters

Read:  Admission Interview Tips .

What Is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement AKA admissions or application essay or statement of purpose is a type of essay or written statement a candidate presents to a college, university, or graduate school they are applying to, explaining why they want to attend that school, study a particular course, and why they would be a perfect fit for these things.

A personal statement for masters is an essay you submit specifically for your postgraduate application. Writing one presents the opportunity for you to promote yourself to a school and show the admissions teachers that you are the perfect candidate for a course.

Tips For Making Your Personal Statement For Masters Stand Out

Before we get into how you should write a statement of purpose for masters, we would first like to share with you certain tips to include in your essay to make it stand out from that of other applicants and be convincing enough to any admissions officer that reads it. The tips we have mentioned here, cover general things like starting and ending your personal statement, timing, length, and what to include and what not to include in the essay, etc.

1. Starting And Ending A Personal Statement

When starting a personal statement, you would want to right off the bat grab the reader’s attention. To do this, start the statement by writing about your degree of choice, next why you want to study it and then how you got interested in it.

The next 2 sentences after that should cover a summary of your background in the chosen field, and you conclude by saying what you plan to do once you acquire your graduate degree.

Also start with that the evaluators reading want to hear first, then every other information should come second. You will notice we’ve used in the sop examples for masters we will share with you later in this article.

2. Plan Ahead

A personal statement is not something you rush while writing, which means if you want to get something good before you application then you must start to decide things like the length and how long it should take to complete.

Let us throw more light on this…

For length, a personal statement should be brief ranging somewhere between 500 -700 words, although schools often detect how long it should be. So, this is dependent on the institution you are applying to.

In terms of what to say in a statement, you could include personal experiences like why you were driven to apply for the program, an experience you had with a scholar in your chosen discipline, a course you took that inspired you to pursue masters, or a key moment during your studies which further motivated you.

No matter what you decide to write, just keep in mind that you need to take your time to craft something good even if it means creating several drafts before the real thing and do not forget to proofread the statement for errors.

3. Research Your Program Of Study

Researching your program of study is one way to establish that you truly understand the discipline you’re getting into and prove to the admissions officer that you thoroughly thought about it before applying.

And because you want to put yourself forward as a serious candidate, one way to make you research easier is for you to visit the website of the department you are applying to. This page will contain information about faculty members, their specialisation, and publications.

From the intel, you gathered there you can now identify which professors match your interests and which ones you will benefit the most from learning under. After you’ve found this out, relate the same in a sentence or two in your statement of purpose for masters.

Example: “I would be honoured to study under the tutelage of Professor Nadia whose work I found resonated strongly with my beliefs and intended projects in this course”.

4. Avoid Clichés, Junks, And Many Details

When writing a statement of purpose for master degree try to avoid clichés, junks, and unnecessary details so that you don’t lose or bore your readers in between. Be as concise as possible, even if it’s your chance to express yourself.

A personal statement is an opportunity for the admissions committee to get information that tells the that you are suitable for the course. So, when you overpower your statement with too many words, stories, and useless details, you come off as someone who is just trying to meet the word count.

5. Include Your Personal History Only If It Adds To The Statement

Do not include your personal history in your statement of intent for masters if it is not relevant to your purpose of study. This means no need for you to tell that story about that time you helped someone treat a cut and immediately realised that you wanted to be a doctor or nurse or how you developed a taste for reading at a very young age.

We can guarantee you that the hundreds of other applications competing for the same spot you are felt the same way, so saying those things really doesn’t make you unique.

On the other hand, if you are going to add personal history to your statement, you can put in things like an internship you did and the experience you got from the job, a major research project you ran by yourself, publications you’ve read or published, conferences you’ve attended or presentations you’ve done. These experiences are more concrete and are directly related to your program of study. They also set you apart from other applicants.

6. Don't Use The Same Personal Statement For All Your Applications

One common mistake applicant make that you shouldn’t is using the same statement of purpose for master degree for all your applications. Using the same information repeatedly even if you are going to change the university names is risky and could land you in a big mistake on a day you forget to be thorough.

All programmes have their own unique set of questions they want to see answered and information they need in your personal statement.

And even if some of them like extracurricular activities, proposal for project, why you are applying to the school, your unique qualities, and research works you’re doing might appear the same, do not use one statement to respond to all of them.

Write a new unique personal statement every time you want to apply.

Check out:  How to Write a Good CV for Students - Resume Examples for Students (PDF).

How To Write A Personal Statement for Masters

When writing a personal statement for masters there are several steps and ground rules you need to follow to ensure that it comes out good enough to impress the admissions team of a school, and ultimately convince them to give you a spot on your program of study.

If writing one is something you are currently struggling with and can’t seem to get down the process of it right no matter what, this section on how to write a personal statement for masters, discusses in detail everything you need to get help with yours.

There are 4 parts to consider when writing your personal statement and we have listed them below:

1. Planning A Personal Statement

A personal statement is a piece of writing showing your academic interests and is only for application purposes which means there is no room for any autobiographical information in it about your personal life. Be as to-the-point as possible when writing it and stick to telling the school why you are the right person for the course, plus any other extra information detailing your achievements.

Before You Start:

Allot plenty of time to write your msc personal statement so that you don’t rush it. Remember, this simple piece of writing is your one shot at convincing a school that you are the best applicant they’ve seen and as such can either make or break your application.

Read the information expected of you from the university, rules and guidelines given, selection criteria and understand what they mean. Also research the institution.

Do a thorough research on the course you are applying for; this will help you explain better why you want to study it. The tutors interviewing you can tell when you are lying and presenting yourself as uninformed can cost you the admission.

Ensure that you don’t use the same personal statement for all your applications.

When Writing:

When writing the statement there are some questions to ask yourself that can help you plan it better. Those questions are:

• Why you want to study a master’s and how does it benefit you in future?
• How does the course you have chosen fit into your pre-existing skill set?
• How do you stand out from the crowd as an applicant - e.g., work experiences you’ve had in the same field you are applying for?
• What do you aspire to do or be as a future career and how will the course help you achieve that?
• How can your work or skillsets contribute positively to the department/ university you are applying to, or society at large?

On the other hand, if you are applying for the masters to change from the field you studied in your undergraduate to another field, you should tell the school why you decided to take a different path in your studies.

Questions to ask yourself for this include:

• Your reason for deciding to change your discipline.
• How your undergraduate degree will be material for bringing fresh insights into your masters course.
• How changing your study path will help you attain your future career.

2. Structuring A Personal Statement

Having good structure for your personal statement for master degree is important because it ensures that everything from the beginning, middle, and ending of the statement is written and equally falls in place perfectly.

We’ve left some tips for you below to help you:

Start your personal statement with an attention-grabbing introduction that is not dramatic or cliché. That means you should not begin with any of these over-used phrases we’ve listed out below:

For as long as I remember…

Since my childhood…

I want to apply to this course because I’ve always felt a strong connection to it…

All my life, I have always loved…

My interest in (course) always ran deeper than…

I’ve always been zealous about…

Ever since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in…

My past educational experiences have always…

You would want to be as snappy as possible with your opening because the admission officer has over a hundred applications to read and can’t waste all their time on yours. This means you should avoid overpowering it with unnecessary facts, quotes, and stories from your life.

The middle part of your ma personal statement is where the main content of the write-up should be. This is where you show your dedication to the course you’ve chosen, what motivated you to choose it, and why you are the right candidate for it.

When writing the middle part of a graduate personal statement, you should:  

• Give concrete reasons why you want to study a course at the University. The reason could be because of how the course is aligned to your future career or the University’s reputation in teaching that program.
• Mention relevant things like projects, dissertations, or essays you’ve done, and any work experience you have.
• Show proof of your core skills like and how they can contribute to the department.
• Prove what makes you a unique candidate.
• Discuss who your main influences for wanting to study the course are and why.
• Add experiences like memberships to clubs that are related to your field, papers you’ve written before, awards, scholarships, or prizes.
• Draw focus to how the course links to your past and future.
• Mention your academic and non-academic skills and how they fit the course.

For Formatting:

• Keep the statement length between 250 -500 words or as directed by the school.
• Sentences should be no more than 25-30 words.
• Use headings to break up the content – Why this university? Why this subject? Etc.
• Make claims and provide evidence to back each of them up. This can be done by discussing your work experience and academic interests.

Language and tone to use:     

• The tone for your masters application personal statement should be positive and enthusiastic, to show you eagerness to learn and so that you convince the evaluators that you have what it takes to succeed.
• Use exciting and refreshing language, and an engaging opening line.
• Ensure you grammar, punctuations, and spellings are accurate.
• Avoid exaggerated claims you cannot backup.
• Don’t use cliché generic terms and keep your focus on the course.

Keep the ending of your essay for master degree application concise and memorable, leaving no doubt in the admission officers mind that you deserve a spot on the program.

To create the best ending summarise all your key points without dragging it our or repeating yourself. The ending should be simple, end on a positive note and make it clear that the school will be lucky to have you on their program.

Personal Statement for Masters Sample

In this section, we have left a masters personal statement example for you, which you can use as material to write yours for any course of study you are applying to a school for.

Personal Statement PDF

You can also download this statement of purpose sample for masters degree pdf here and take your time to read it later – Personal Statement For Masters Sample .

See Also:  Student CV Template .

Examples of Personal Statement for Masters

We have taken the time to source for some of the best postgraduate personal statement examples, which you can use in addition to the personal statement for masters program example as a template to write yours.

While you scroll through our list, you will find the perfect masters essay example for any field you wish to apply for, from business administration, to Psychology, to information technology, and lots more.

1. msw personal statement

We have found one of the best msw personal statement examples out there for you.

social work masters personal statement .  

2. personal statement for masters in public health

mph personal statement examples

3. personal statement for masters in management

Personal statement for master degree sample for masters in management .  , 4. personal statement for masters in education example.

personal statement for masters in education example

5. psychology masters personal statement

psychology masters personal statement example

6. sample personal statement for masters in data science data science masters personal statement

7. speech and language therapy personal statement statement of purpose for masters sample: speech and language therapy

8. business administration personal statement personal statement for masters in business administration

9. personal statement for masters in cyber security pdf masters degree personal statement examples for cyber security

10. personal statement for masters in finance msc finance personal statement examples

11. statement of purpose for masters in information technology pdf msc personal statement examples for information technology

12. international development personal statement statement of purpose for masters example

13. msc international business management personal statement international business management personal statement examples

14. computer science masters personal statement

statement of purpose for masters in computer science pdf

15. personal statement for masters in economics statement of purpose sample for masters degree in economics

16. mha personal statement statement of purpose format for masters in health administration    

Conclusion – Things to Avoid When Writing A Personal Statement For Masters When writing a personal statement for university masters, there are some things you should avoid, so that you don’t ruin your essay. We have listed out those things below: •    Avoid negativity. •    Following an online template blindly. •    Do not include unnecessary course modules, personal facts, or extra-curricular activities in your personal statement. •    Do not lie or exaggerate an achievement or event. •    Do not include inspirational quotes to your statement. •    Avoid using clichés, gimmicks, humour, over-used word such as 'passion' or ‘driven’. •    Do not make pleading statements. •    Avoid mentioning key authors or professors in your field without any explanation. •    Avoid using sentences that are too long. •    Avoid flattering the organisation or using patronising terms. •    Do not repeat information in your statement that you have already listed in your application. •    Avoid waffling i.e., writing at length. •    Don’t start writing your personal statement at the last minute.  

Related Articles:

How to Write a Good Letter of Recommendation for Students (10 PDF Sample Examples).

How to Write a Good Financial Aid Appeal Letter (13 PDF Sample Examples).

How to Write a Good Personal Statement for a Scholarship ( 7 PDF Sample Examples).

How To Write A Good Motivation Letter For Scholarship (4 PDF Sample Examples).

How To Write A Letter Of Intent For Scholarship (4 PDF Sample LOI Example).

Latest Blog Posts

• Canada Work Visa Application Process
• Best MBA in USA 2024 - 2025
• H4 Visa Interview questions and answers (PDF for download)
• Online Masters in Psychology 2024-2025
• 26 Medical Schools In Canada For International Students
• 32 Artificial Intelligence Free Course With Certificate
• 20 MBBS In Abroad For Indian Students At Low Cost 2024
• 36 Best Fashion Schools In The World
• Best Scholarships
• Brunel University London Life Long Learning Bursary 2024
• University of British Columbia Schmidt Science Fellowship program for Canadian and International Students 2024
• IHE Delft MENA Scholarship for African Students 2024
• Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships for Masters Students 2024
• KDU Global – IUCEA Scholarships for East African Students 2024
• University of British Columbia Schmidt Science Fellowship 2024
• Bonn SDG Fellowships for Developing Countries 2024
• IGAD Regional Scholarship Program 2024

Scholarship Tips

Scholarships by country to study.

• United Kingdom
• United States
• South Africa
• Netherlands
• New Zealand

Scholarships by Category

• Postgraduate
• Undergraduate
• College School
• Entrepreneurs
• Bachelors Degree
• Women Scholarships
• Fully Funded

Scholarships by Country of Origin

• African Students
• Developing Countries

Scholarships by Institution / Company

• Flinders University
• German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
• University of Edinburgh
• The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)
• Australian National University (ANU)

Scholarships by School

• University of Melbourne
• University Of Queensland, Australia
• University of Kent
• University of East Anglia
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

Scholarships

• Undergraduate Scholarships
• Masters Scholarships
• MBA Scholarships
• Ph.D Scholarships
• Fellowship Scholarships
• Fully Funded Scholarships
• F1 Visa Interview Questions And Answers
• Scholarship Application Letter
• Letter Of Intent For Scholarship
• Personal Statement For Masters
• Motivation Letter For Scholarship
• Scholarship Acceptance Letter

Other Locations

• Scholarships in UK
• Scholarships in Canada
• Scholarships for Nigerian Students
• Scholarships for African Students
• Study Abroad Community

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Applying to graduate school
• How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

Published on February 12, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A personal statement is a short essay of around 500–1,000 words, in which you tell a compelling story about who you are, what drives you, and why you’re applying.

To write a successful personal statement for a graduate school application , don’t just summarize your experience; instead, craft a focused narrative in your own voice. Aim to demonstrate three things:

• Your personality: what are your interests, values, and motivations?
• Your talents: what can you bring to the program?
• Your goals: what do you hope the program will do for you?

This article guides you through some winning strategies to build a strong, well-structured personal statement for a master’s or PhD application. You can download the full examples below.

Urban Planning Psychology History

Table of contents

Getting started with your personal statement, the introduction: start with an attention-grabbing opening, the main body: craft your narrative, the conclusion: look ahead, revising, editing, and proofreading your personal statement, frequently asked questions, other interesting articles.

Before you start writing, the first step is to understand exactly what’s expected of you. If the application gives you a question or prompt for your personal statement, the most important thing is to respond to it directly.

For example, you might be asked to focus on the development of your personal identity; challenges you have faced in your life; or your career motivations. This will shape your focus and emphasis—but you still need to find your own unique approach to answering it.

There’s no universal template for a personal statement; it’s your chance to be creative and let your own voice shine through. But there are strategies you can use to build a compelling, well-structured story.

The first paragraph of your personal statement should set the tone and lead smoothly into the story you want to tell.

Strategy 1: Open with a concrete scene

An effective way to catch the reader’s attention is to set up a scene that illustrates something about your character and interests. If you’re stuck, try thinking about:

• A personal experience that changed your perspective
• A story from your family’s history
• A memorable teacher or learning experience
• An unusual or unexpected encounter

To write an effective scene, try to go beyond straightforward description; start with an intriguing sentence that pulls the reader in, and give concrete details to create a convincing atmosphere.

Strategy 2: Open with your motivations

To emphasize your enthusiasm and commitment, you can start by explaining your interest in the subject you want to study or the career path you want to follow.

Just stating that it interests you isn’t enough: first, you need to figure out why you’re interested in this field:

• Is it a longstanding passion or a recent discovery?
• Does it come naturally or have you had to work hard at it?
• How does it fit into the rest of your life?
• What do you think it contributes to society?

Tips for the introduction

• Don’t start on a cliche: avoid phrases like “Ever since I was a child…” or “For as long as I can remember…”
• Do save the introduction for last. If you’re struggling to come up with a strong opening, leave it aside, and note down any interesting ideas that occur to you as you write the rest of the personal statement.

Once you’ve set up the main themes of your personal statement, you’ll delve into more detail about your experiences and motivations.

To structure the body of your personal statement, there are various strategies you can use.

Strategy 1: Describe your development over time

One of the simplest strategies is to give a chronological overview of key experiences that have led you to apply for graduate school.

• What first sparked your interest in the field?
• Which classes, assignments, classmates, internships, or other activities helped you develop your knowledge and skills?
• Where do you want to go next? How does this program fit into your future plans?

Don’t try to include absolutely everything you’ve done—pick out highlights that are relevant to your application. Aim to craft a compelling narrative that shows how you’ve changed and actively developed yourself.

My interest in psychology was first sparked early in my high school career. Though somewhat scientifically inclined, I found that what interested me most was not the equations we learned about in physics and chemistry, but the motivations and perceptions of my fellow students, and the subtle social dynamics that I observed inside and outside the classroom. I wanted to learn how our identities, beliefs, and behaviours are shaped through our interactions with others, so I decided to major in Social Psychology. My undergraduate studies deepened my understanding of, and fascination with, the interplay between an individual mind and its social context.During my studies, I acquired a solid foundation of knowledge about concepts like social influence and group dynamics, but I also took classes on various topics not strictly related to my major. I was particularly interested in how other fields intersect with psychology—the classes I took on media studies, biology, and literature all enhanced my understanding of psychological concepts by providing different lenses through which to look at the issues involved.

Strategy 2: Own your challenges and obstacles

If your path to graduate school hasn’t been easy or straightforward, you can turn this into a strength, and structure your personal statement as a story of overcoming obstacles.

• Is your social, cultural or economic background underrepresented in the field? Show how your experiences will contribute a unique perspective.
• Do you have gaps in your resume or lower-than-ideal grades? Explain the challenges you faced and how you dealt with them.

Don’t focus too heavily on negatives, but use them to highlight your positive qualities. Resilience, resourcefulness and perseverance make you a promising graduate school candidate.

Growing up working class, urban decay becomes depressingly familiar. The sight of a row of abandoned houses does not surprise me, but it continues to bother me. Since high school, I have been determined to pursue a career in urban planning. While people of my background experience the consequences of urban planning decisions first-hand, we are underrepresented in the field itself. Ironically, given my motivation, my economic background has made my studies challenging. I was fortunate enough to be awarded a scholarship for my undergraduate studies, but after graduation I took jobs in unrelated fields to help support my parents. In the three years since, I have not lost my ambition. Now I am keen to resume my studies, and I believe I can bring an invaluable perspective to the table: that of the people most impacted by the decisions of urban planners.

Strategy 3: Demonstrate your knowledge of the field

Especially if you’re applying for a PhD or another research-focused program, it’s a good idea to show your familiarity with the subject and the department. Your personal statement can focus on the area you want to specialize in and reflect on why it matters to you.

• Reflect on the topics or themes that you’ve focused on in your studies. What draws you to them?
• Discuss any academic achievements, influential teachers, or other highlights of your education.
• Talk about the questions you’d like to explore in your research and why you think they’re important.

The personal statement isn’t a research proposal , so don’t go overboard on detail—but it’s a great opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the field and your capacity for original thinking.

In applying for this research program, my intention is to build on the multidisciplinary approach I have taken in my studies so far, combining knowledge from disparate fields of study to better understand psychological concepts and issues. The Media Psychology program stands out to me as the perfect environment for this kind of research, given its researchers’ openness to collaboration across diverse fields. I am impressed by the department’s innovative interdisciplinary projects that focus on the shifting landscape of media and technology, and I hope that my own work can follow a similarly trailblazing approach. More specifically, I want to develop my understanding of the intersection of psychology and media studies, and explore how media psychology theories and methods might be applied to neurodivergent minds. I am interested not only in media psychology but also in psychological disorders, and how the two interact. This is something I touched on during my undergraduate studies and that I’m excited to delve into further.

Strategy 4: Discuss your professional ambitions

Especially if you’re applying for a more professionally-oriented program (such as an MBA), it’s a good idea to focus on concrete goals and how the program will help you achieve them.

• If your career is just getting started, show how your character is suited to the field, and explain how graduate school will help you develop your talents.
• If you have already worked in the profession, show what you’ve achieved so far, and explain how the program will allow you to take the next step.
• If you are planning a career change, explain what has driven this decision and how your existing experience will help you succeed.

Don’t just state the position you want to achieve. You should demonstrate that you’ve put plenty of thought into your career plans and show why you’re well-suited to this profession.

One thing that fascinated me about the field during my undergraduate studies was the sheer number of different elements whose interactions constitute a person’s experience of an urban environment. Any number of factors could transform the scene I described at the beginning: What if there were no bus route? Better community outreach in the neighborhood? Worse law enforcement? More or fewer jobs available in the area? Some of these factors are out of the hands of an urban planner, but without taking them all into consideration, the planner has an incomplete picture of their task. Through further study I hope to develop my understanding of how these disparate elements combine and interact to create the urban environment. I am interested in the social, psychological and political effects our surroundings have on our lives. My studies will allow me to work on projects directly affecting the kinds of working-class urban communities I know well. I believe I can bring my own experiences, as well as my education, to bear upon the problem of improving infrastructure and quality of life in these communities.

Tips for the main body

• Don’t rehash your resume by trying to summarize everything you’ve done so far; the personal statement isn’t about listing your academic or professional experience, but about reflecting, evaluating, and relating it to broader themes.
• Do make your statements into stories: Instead of saying you’re hard-working and self-motivated, write about your internship where you took the initiative to start a new project. Instead of saying you’ve always loved reading, reflect on a novel or poem that changed your perspective.

Your conclusion should bring the focus back to the program and what you hope to get out of it, whether that’s developing practical skills, exploring intellectual questions, or both.

Emphasize the fit with your specific interests, showing why this program would be the best way to achieve your aims.

Strategy 1: What do you want to know?

If you’re applying for a more academic or research-focused program, end on a note of curiosity: what do you hope to learn, and why do you think this is the best place to learn it?

If there are specific classes or faculty members that you’re excited to learn from, this is the place to express your enthusiasm.

Strategy 2: What do you want to do?

If you’re applying for a program that focuses more on professional training, your conclusion can look to your career aspirations: what role do you want to play in society, and why is this program the best choice to help you get there?

Tips for the conclusion

• Don’t summarize what you’ve already said. You have limited space in a personal statement, so use it wisely!
• Do think bigger than yourself: try to express how your individual aspirations relate to your local community, your academic field, or society more broadly. It’s not just about what you’ll get out of graduate school, but about what you’ll be able to give back.

You’ll be expected to do a lot of writing in graduate school, so make a good first impression: leave yourself plenty of time to revise and polish the text.

Your style doesn’t have to be as formal as other kinds of academic writing, but it should be clear, direct and coherent. Make sure that each paragraph flows smoothly from the last, using topic sentences and transitions to create clear connections between each part.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite and restructure as much as necessary. Since you have a lot of freedom in the structure of a personal statement, you can experiment and move information around to see what works best.

Finally, it’s essential to carefully proofread your personal statement and fix any language errors. Before you submit your application, consider investing in professional personal statement editing . For $150, you have the peace of mind that your personal statement is grammatically correct, strong in term of your arguments, and free of awkward mistakes.

A statement of purpose is usually more formal, focusing on your academic or professional goals. It shouldn’t include anything that isn’t directly relevant to the application.

A personal statement can often be more creative. It might tell a story that isn’t directly related to the application, but that shows something about your personality, values, and motivations.

However, both types of document have the same overall goal: to demonstrate your potential as a graduate student and s how why you’re a great match for the program.

The typical length of a personal statement for graduate school applications is between 500 and 1,000 words.

Different programs have different requirements, so always check if there’s a minimum or maximum length and stick to the guidelines. If there is no recommended word count, aim for no more than 1-2 pages.

If you’re applying to multiple graduate school programs, you should tailor your personal statement to each application.

Some applications provide a prompt or question. In this case, you might have to write a new personal statement from scratch: the most important task is to respond to what you have been asked.

If there’s no prompt or guidelines, you can re-use the same idea for your personal statement – but change the details wherever relevant, making sure to emphasize why you’re applying to this specific program.

If the application also includes other essays, such as a statement of purpose , you might have to revise your personal statement to avoid repeating the same information.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

College essays

• College essay examples
• College essay format
• College essay style
• College essay length
• Diversity essays
• Scholarship essays

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Avoiding repetition
• Literature review
• Conceptual framework
• Dissertation outline
• Thesis acknowledgements
• Burned or burnt
• Canceled or cancelled
• Dreamt or dreamed
• Gray or grey
• Theater vs theatre

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, July 03). How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/graduate-school/personal-statement/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to write a graduate school resume | template & example, how (and who) to ask for a letter of recommendation, master's vs phd | a complete guide to the differences, unlimited academic ai-proofreading.

✔ Document error-free in 5minutes ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

• Undergraduates
• Ph.Ds & Postdocs
• Prospective Students & Guests
• What is a Community?
• Student Athletes
• First Generation and/or Low Income Students
• International Students
• LGBTQ Students
• Students of Color
• Students with Disabilities
• Student Veterans
• Exploring Careers
• Advertising, Marketing & PR
• Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
• General Management & Leadership Development Programs
• Law & Legal Services
• Startups, Entrepreneurship & Freelance Work
• Environment, Sustainability & Energy
• Media & Communications
• Policy & Think Tanks
• Engineering
• Healthcare, Biotech & Global Public Health
• Life & Physical Sciences
• Programming & Data Science
• Graduate School
• Health Professions
• Business School
• Meet with OCS
• Student Organizations Workshop Request
• OCS Podcast Series
• Office of Fellowships
• Navigating AI in the Job Search Process
• Cover Letters & Correspondence
• Job Market Insights
• Professional Conduct & Etiquette
• Professional Online Identity
• Interview Preparation
• Resource Database
• Yale Career Link
• Jobs, Internships & Other Experiences
• Gap Year & Short-Term Opportunities
• Planning an International Internship
• Funding Your Experience
• Career Fairs/Networking Events
• On-Campus Recruiting
• Job Offers & Salary Negotiation
• Informational Interviewing
• Peer Networking Lists
• Building Your LinkedIn Profile
• YC First Destinations
• YC Four-Year Out
• GSAS Program Statistics
• Statistics & Reports
• Contact OCS
• OCS Mission & Policies
• Additional Yale Career Offices

Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School

• Share This: Share Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School on Facebook Share Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School on LinkedIn Share Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School on X

Personal Statements

Preparing a well-written and effective personal statement (sometimes referred to as statements of purpose or personal essays) that clearly articulates your preparation, goals, and motivation for pursuing that specific graduate degree is critically important. You will need to spend a considerable amount of time and effort in crafting these statements. The focus, structure, and length of personal statements vary from program to program. Some will have prompts or questions you need to answer, while others will leave the topic open-ended. The length varies widely as well. Read instructions carefully and make sure to adhere to all parameters laid out in the application guidelines.

Clear writing is the result of clear thinking. The first and most important task is to decide on a message. Consider carefully which two or three points you wish to impress upon the reader, remembering that your audience is composed of academics who are experts in their fields. Your statement should show that you are able to think logically and express your thoughts in a clear and concise manner. Remember that the reader already has a record of your activities and your transcript; avoid simply restating your resume and transcript. Writing your statement will take time; start early and give yourself more than enough time for revisions. If no prompts are given, you can use the questions below to begin brainstorming content to include in your statement; for more information, see our Writing Personal Statement presentation Prezi  and our three-minute video on Writing Personal Statements .

• What experiences and academic preparation do you have that are relevant to the degree you’re seeking?
• Why are you choosing to pursue a graduate degree at this time?
• Why do you want to pursue this particular degree and how will this degree and the specific program fit into your career plans and your long-term goals?
• What specific topics are you aiming to explore and what does the current literature say about those topics?

After you’ve written a first draft, start the work of editing, refining, simplifying, and polishing. Provide specific examples that will help illustrate your points and convey your interests, intentions, and motivations. Is any section, sentence, or word superfluous, ambiguous, apologetic, or awkward? Are your verbs strong and active? Have you removed most of the qualifiers? Are you sure that each activity or interest you mention supports one of your main ideas? Spelling and grammatical errors are inexcusable. Don’t rely on spell-check to catch all errors; read your statement aloud and have it reviewed by multiple people whose opinion you trust. If possible, have your statement reviewed by a writing tutor. For individual assistance with writing your personal statement, consult with the writing tutor in your residential college  or the Writing Center within the Yale Center for Teaching and Learning .

Office of Career Strategy

Visiting yale.

Testimonials

Free Resources

PrepScholar GRE Prep

Gre prep online guides and tips, how to write a stand-out personal statement for grad school.

If you’re applying to graduate school, you’ll likely need to write a personal statement. But what exactly is a graduate school personal statement? And what should you write about to give yourself your best shot at admission?

In this guide, we teach you how to write a personal statement for grad school, step by step. But first, let’s go over how the personal statement differs from the statement of purpose as well as what schools look for in a great graduate school essay.

What Is a Graduate School Personal Statement?

A graduate school personal statement is an admission essay that typically focuses on your personal reasons for wanting to enter a grad program and particular field of study. Essentially, you must tell the story of who you are and how you developed your current research interests.

So is a personal statement for graduate school the same thing as a statement of purpose? Well, not always (though it can be). Here are the general distinctions between the two essay types:

• Statement of purpose:  A formal essay that summarizes your academic and professional background, research interests, and career goals. In this essay, you’ll usually explain your reasons for applying to grad school and why you believe the program is a good fit for you (as well as why you’re a good fit for it!).
• Personal statement: A less formal essay that focuses on your passion and motivation for wanting to enter your chosen field and program. This statement is typically more flexible than the statement of purpose, with a bigger emphasis on storytelling. Schools often encourage applicants to discuss (relevant) challenges in their lives and how they’ve overcome them.

Both the graduate school personal statement and statement of purpose are usually anywhere from one to three double-spaced pages long, depending on the program you’re applying to.

Below is a chart comparing the personal statement and statement of purpose:

Usually, the personal statement and statement of purpose are considered two different graduate school essay types.

But this isn’t always the case. While some schools consider the personal statement and statement of purpose two distinct essays, others use the names interchangeably.

For example, Michigan State University’s College of Engineering  considers them two distinct essays, while The Ohio State University uses “personal statement” to describe what is essentially a statement of purpose.

Many schools require just one essay  (and it’ll usually be the statement of purpose, as it’s the more academic one). But some, such as the University of Michigan , ask for both a personal statement and statement of purpose, while others, such as  Notre Dame’s Creative Writing MFA program , want an essay that combines the features of both!

Ultimately, the type of graduate school essay you  submit will depend entirely on where you’re applying.

What Do Schools Look For in a Personal Statement?

Many grad schools require a personal statement in order to learn more about you, your interests, your struggles, and your motivations for wanting to enter a field of study. Through this essay, schools can get to know you on a deeper, more intimate level and learn about you in ways they can’t through transcripts and letters of recommendation alone.

But what specifically do universities look for in a great personal statement for graduate school? Here are some of the most important elements to include in your essay.

A Compelling Story

First off, your personal statement must tell a story. After all, this essay is basically your autobiography: it introduces who you are, your interests and motivations, and why you’ve decided to apply to grad school.

Unlike the statement of purpose, the personal statement should focus mostly on your personal history, from your failures to your triumphs. All experiences should tie back to your field or research area, emphasizing what you’ve learned and what this means in terms of your potential as a grad student.

Since you’re talking about yourself, be conversational in your storytelling: use an authentic voice, open up about your experiences, and maybe even throw in a joke or two. Though you’re still writing an essay for school, it’s generally OK to be a little more informal here than you would in a statement of purpose.

That said, there are a couple of things you absolutely shouldn’t do in your personal statement.

• Open your essay with a quotation. Professors have heard the quotation before and don’t need (or want) to hear it again. Plus, quotations often take up too much space in an already short essay!
• Use clichés. Think of unique ways to tell your story and grab readers’ attention. Schools want to see you can be creative yet honest about yourself, so avoid clichés like the plague (see what I did there?).
• Get too creative. Your goal is to look like a serious, committed applicant—not a wacky risk taker—so write clearly and avoid any unnecessary distractions such as images, colors, and unprofessional fonts.

Most importantly, remember that your graduate school personal statement should focus on your successes. Try to use strong, encouraging words and put positive twists on difficult experiences whenever possible. It’s OK to mention your setbacks, too—just as long as you’re discussing how you ultimately overcame (or plan to overcome) them.

Inspirations for Your Research Interests

Schools don’t only want to see clearly defined research interests but also  why you have these particular interests.   While the statement of purpose elaborates on your professional goals, the personal statement explains what personally motivated you to explore your interests.

For example, in my personal statement for a Japanese Studies MA program, I wrote about my hot-and-cold relationship with the Japanese language and how a literature class and a stint abroad ultimately inspired me to keep learning.

Don’t make the mistake of going way back to the beginning to start your essay. Many applicants open their statements with something along the lines of “I fell in love with psychology when I was ten years old” or “It all started when I was in high school.” But these broad statements lack the creativity and zest needed to secure an acceptance, so avoid them at all costs.

Your Motivation for Applying to Grad School

Your statement of purpose should explain why grad school is a practical next step in your professional life—but your personal statement should focus on what personally motivates you to take this step.

Generally, schools want answers to the following questions:

• Why is grad school an appropriate step for you now?
• How will a graduate degree help you achieve your goals?
• Why didn’t you apply to grad school earlier (if you took time off after undergrad)?
• Were there any struggles or problems you faced that prevented you from applying to grad school before?

Be honest about why you’re applying, both to grad school and the program in particular. In my graduate school essay, I discussed how my passion for Japanese literature and desire to translate it inspired me to seek advanced language training at the graduate level.

Strong Writing Skills

A great personal statement shows that you can write cogently and coherently. After all, strong writing skills are imperative for success as a grad student!

So in addition to telling a good story, make sure you use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. Use paragraphs to break up your thoughts, too. Because the personal statement is slightly less formal than the statement of purpose, feel free to play around a little with paragraph form and length.

Also, remember that  good writing doesn’t necessarily equal big words.  You’re writing about yourself, so use words that come naturally to you. Don’t grab a thesaurus and start throwing in a bunch of high-level vocabulary wherever you can; this will make your essay sound less authentic, not to mention stiff.

On the other hand, don’t get too colloquial. You’ll lose respect if you start inserting conversational words such as “gonna” and “gotta.” Therefore, look for the middle ground and write from there.

Want to improve your GRE score by 7 points?  We have the industry's leading GRE prep program. Built by world-class instructors with 99th percentile GRE scores , the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through machine learning data science, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible.

Try our 5-day full access trial for free:

Explanations for Any Hiccups in Your Academic Career

Lastly, the personal statement  gives applicants a chance to explain any problems or changes in their academic histories, such as low grades or gaps in education.

Because transcripts and resumes are severely limited in what information they give, schools often use the personal statement to understand your reasons for abrupt changes in your resume and/or transcripts, and to see how you’ve overcome these barriers in your education (and life).

Essentially, a personal statement equalizes the playing field by giving you full rein to explain yourself and emphasize your success over any struggles you’ve had.

How to Write a Personal Statement for Grad School: 9-Step Guide

The personal statement is a fiercely important part of your grad school application. In this section, we teach you how to write a memorable personal statement for grad school so that you’ll have a better shot at getting accepted.

Step 1: Start Early

Personal statements (actually, grad school applications in general!) take a lot of work, so don’t put off writing your essay until the week before your deadline. Rather, try to start working on your essay at least two or three months before your application is due.

You might want to give yourself more time to write it if you’re currently in school or working a demanding job. Setting aside more time lets you work on your graduate school essay routinely without having to squeeze in too many hours each week.

If you only have a month or less until your application deadline, get started on your essay pronto! Though it’s possible to write a personal statement quickly, I recommend carving out more time so that you can put more thought and effort into what you write and how you present yourself. (Doing this also gives others more time to edit your essay for you! We’ll cover this more in later steps.)

Step 2: Read the Instructions

Perhaps the most important step is to read your program’s instructions for the personal statement. Not following these instructions could very well result in a rejection, so always read these first before you start writing! Most programs put their personal statement instructions on their application materials pages.

Your program should give you the following information:

• What type of content your personal statement should include or generally focus on (you might even get an actual prompt to answer!)
• How long your statement should be
• What type of heading, if any, you must include on your statement
• How to save and submit your statement (e.g., .docx, PDF, etc.)

For example, let’s say you’re applying to the History PhD program at UC Berkeley . In this case, your personal statement can’t exceed 1,000 words (three double-spaced pages). You must also answer this prompt :

Please describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Please include information on how you have overcome barriers to access in higher education, evidence of how you have come to understand the barriers faced by others, evidence of your academic service to advance equitable access to higher education for women, racial minorities, and individuals from other groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education, evidence of your research focusing on underserved populations or related issues of inequality, or evidence of your leadership among such groups.

On the other hand, if you were to apply for an MS in Mining, Geological, and Geophysical Engineering at the University of Arizona , your personal statement would follow these parameters:

Your personal statement is an opportunity to sell yourself, in terms of your research interests, research experience and research goals. Unless you have extensive research experience, most personal statements should be about two single-spaced pages. Your writing should be clear, concise, grammatically correct and professional in tone. You may convey some personal experiences that have led to your current interests or that make you a particularly promising candidate.

Clearly, grad programs can approach personal statements quite differently. Some schools consider them the same as statements of purpose and want a formal focus on academic and research interests, while others want applicants to explain more informally the challenges they’ve overcome to get to this point.

Simply put,  follow your program’s directions exactly in order to give yourself your best shot at admission.  And if any part of the instructions is unclear, don’t hesitate to contact your program!

Step 3: Figure Out Your Angle

Your “angle,” or focus, in your graduate school personal statement will depend on a few key factors:

• What your grad program wants you to write about
• Your field of study and research interests
• How much experience you have in your field

As I mentioned in step 2, it’s extremely important to  read the personal statement instructions for your program. Many times these guidelines will tell you what to include in your essay, thereby clarifying what your overall angle needs to be.

Let’s look back at the example we used above for UC Berkeley’s doctoral program in history. If you were applying here and came from a low-income family, you could discuss how you’ve overcome these financial challenges in your life to get to where you are today.

No matter the prompt, you’ll need to discuss your research interests (to some degree) in your personal statement.  How much you talk about your interests, however, will depend on whether you have to submit a separate statement of purpose. If so, you can focus less on your research plans and more on your passions and motivations for applying.

On the other hand, if your personal statement is essentially a statement of purpose, dive deep into your research interests—that is,  be specific! For example, those applying to English lit programs should think about the works, eras, and writers they want to study, and why.

More broadly, though, try to answer the question of  what you hope to accomplish, either during or after the program. Is there any particular project you want to do? Skills you want to improve? Field you want to break into?

Finally, always choose a positive angle.  Use affirmative words and phrases to highlight both your successes and overall enthusiasm for the program.

Step 4: Ask Yourself, “Why This Program? Why This Field?”

Although the statement of purpose usually answers this question directly, you’ll likely need to address this in your personal statement as well—ideally, with a less academic and more conversational tone.

As you brainstorm, try to come up with answers to the following questions:

• What goals or experiences led you to apply to this program?
• How will this program help you grow on a personal level?
• What made you interested in this field? Why do you want to study it more?
• What are your research interests? How did you develop these interests?
• Are there any particular professors you wish to work with?

Step 5: Make an Outline

Now that you’ve brainstormed some ideas, it’s time to start outlining your essay.

Want to improve your GRE score by 7+ points?

Check out our best-in-class online GRE prep program . We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your GRE score by 7 points or more.

PrepScholar GRE is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses . We also feature 2,000 practice questions , official practice tests, 150 hours of interactive lessons, and 1-on-1 scoring and feedback on your AWA essays.

Check out our 5-day free trial now:

How you choose to outline your statement is up to you. Some people like drawing bubble charts for organizing their thoughts, whereas others (like myself) prefer to write a list of rough ideas in the general order they want to present them.

Even if you’re not sure whether you want to include something, just add it to your outline anyway. You can always cut it out later as you draft and edit.

Step 6: Draft Your Essay

It’s now time to start writing! Once you’ve got your outline ready, work on expanding what you’ve written into full-fledged paragraphs.

In the beginning, it’s OK to write down anything you feel is relevant, but as you continue to draft, try to look for any extraneous information you can chop.

Remember, most personal statements will be short— usually one to two double-spaced pages—so you don’t want to risk exceeding your program’s word limit. Schools want to see that you can tell a story concisely yet effectively.

If you’re having trouble coming up with a way to open your statement, try skipping around as you draft. Go ahead and jump to a paragraph you have more ideas for—it’s perfectly OK! Just make sure you start to tie all of your ideas together the closer you get to finishing your draft.

On a related note, be careful not to copy any material from your statement of purpose (if you’re required to submit two separate essays). These statements may share a little overlap but should still focus on different aspects of your (academic) life, accomplishments, and goals.

Step 7: Get Feedback

Once you finish drafting, give your essay to people you trust for feedback. This could be a parent, friend, sibling, or mentor (such as a former or current professor).

Ask your editors to give you  specific feedback  on what you can change, both stylistically and technically, to make it more impactful. Ideally, they’ll also note any unclear, awkward, or redundant ideas/phrases and will offer you helpful suggestions for improvement.

If you’ve written a separate statement of purpose, see whether your editors are willing to check that essay over as well so that you can ensure there isn’t too much overlap between the two.

Step 8: Revise & Edit Your Essay

Once you get feedback, revise and edit your personal statement using your editors’ comments as a guide.

For example, if your editors told you your essay lacked detail, look for places in your writing where you can be more specific and that are likely to have a strong impact on the admission committee.

As you revise, keep an eye out for any awkward sentences or extraneous information. Personal statements are usually pretty brief and you don’t want to accidentally exceed the word limit. So when in doubt, take it out!

Step 9: Proofread

The final step is to proofread your draft. Start by using your computer’s spell check function to quickly find any glaring typos and grammatical errors.

Then, proofread your essay one sentence at a time. Since it’s easy to miss errors in your own writing, I recommend editing your essay from back to front (i.e., from the last sentence to the first sentence). Doing this prevents you from glossing over words and lets you pinpoint punctuation, spelling, and grammatical errors more easily.

In addition, check that you have page numbers on each page (if required—though I suggest adding them regardless) and a proper heading (again, if required) that meets the requirements of your program.

Before you submit it, see if you can get someone else (preferably one or all of your editors from step 7) to look over your final draft as well.  If anyone spots a problem with your essay, go back to step 8. If you get all thumbs ups, read over your statement one last time and then turn it in without looking back! (Seriously, don’t read it again or you’re going to want to change something.)

The Key to a Great Graduate School Personal Statement

The personal statement is an essential part of your grad school application. Like the statement of purpose, it highlights your research interests, experiences, and goals.

But more importantly, the personal statement showcases  your unbridled passion for your field, lets you reflect on challenges you’ve faced (and subsequently overcome), and answers the overarching question of why you want to attend grad school.

A great graduate school personal statement will normally include most or all of the following elements:

• A compelling story
• Inspirations for your research interests
• Your motivation for applying to grad school
• Strong writing skills
• Explanations for any changes or problems in your academic career

Above, we walked you through how to write a personal statement for grad school. To recap, here are the nine steps to follow:

• Start early—at least two or three months before your application is due
• Read your program’s instructions for the personal statement
• Figure out your angle by brainstorming ideas
• Ask yourself, “Why this program/field?”
• Make an outline using charts, a list, etc.
• Draft your essay
• Get specific feedback from multiple editors
• Revise and edit your essay
• Proofread (and get other people to proofread it, too!)

What’s Next?

Need to write a statement of purpose, too? Waste no time!  Our expert guide offers tons of tips to help you come up with a statement of purpose that’s certain to impress admission committees.

Do your schools require a CV or resume?  If you’re totally lost on where to begin, read our guides to learn how to put together a great CV or resume for grad school. And for extra help, check out our four original CV and resume templates !

What do you need to submit for your grad school application?  Get the scoop on what kinds of materials you’ll need to prepare when applying to grad school .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Hannah Muniz

Hannah graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in English and East Asian languages and cultures. After graduation, she taught English in Japan for two years via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel. View all posts by Hannah Muniz

• Admission Essay
• Statement of Purpose Editing
• Personal Statement Editing
• Recommendation Letter
• Motivation Letter
• Cover Letter
• Supplemental Essay
• Letter of Continued Interest
• Scholarship Essay
• Role Model Essay
• Our Editors
• College Admission Essay Examples
• College Cover Letter Examples
• College Personal Statement Examples
• Graduate Personal Statement Examples
• Graduate Statement of Purpose Examples
• MBA Essay Examples
• MBA Personal Statement Examples
• MBA Resume Examples
• MBA Recommendation Letter Examples
• Medical School Personal Statement Examples
• Medical School Recommendation Letter Examples
• Pricing Plans
• Public Health
• Dissertation
• Research Paper
• Thesis Editing
• Academic Editing
• Motivation letter
• Letter of Recommendation
• Personal Statement
• Statement of Purpose

Statement of Purpose Educational Leadership Sample

EssayEdge > Blog > Statement of Purpose Educational Leadership Sample

Note: This essay appears unedited for instructional purposes. Essays edited by experienced graduate application essay editors are dramatically improved.

My purpose for seeking a Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership is to expand my knowledge of theory and research methods as it pertains to education. I especially want to fine-tune my research skills as I feel that the importance of gaining research skills is imperative to becoming a lifelong learner and developing intellectual self-actualization as I prepare myself for a career in Education. I realize the importance of gaining credibility among my future colleagues and people that I will be serving in the field.

My view of Education is that of a reformist. I have a particular interest in the improvement of homeless individuals, single mothers and women of color. Because of my own experience with both homelessness and single motherhood, I know the feeling of helplessness as you are sinking deeper and deeper in desperation that you feel that you will never recover from it. I have seen how generations of these people have become prisoners by being illiterate and /or insufficiently educated around our city with little or no hope of getting free from their bondage. Although I have struggled hard to get myself out of this situation I refuse to forget.

I have strove to make a difference wherever I can. As volunteer at Christian Assistance Ministry I witnessed the overworked conditions that the social workers and volunteers faced. Worn from these conditions these dedicated workers had no respite from their daily work of feeding, clothing and providing funds for the homeless and families who have found themselves in a desperate situation. Although I had many job responsibilities at Christian Assistance Ministry the most common was that of interviewer where I assessed the clients situation and offered help either monetary or that of food and clothing. I soon found that intake and interview forms as well as information that was distributed to the patrons. I took it upon myself after approval from the Director to redo and modernize these forms and lists. Also I had initiated lists of other agencies that would assist clients find additional help that they needed in the Greater Houston Area. One of theses lists that I have generated has been used by City Public Service to refer customers that are in need of financial assistance to pay their utility bills. I had contacted each of the agencies personally to get up to date hours, addresses and contact names and numbers before adding them to the list. Many patrons of Christian Assistance Ministry were included in my project as I compiled lists of job hotlines, shelters and affordable housing options. This inclusion also gave many of the patrons a sense of community collaboration, as I would discuss information with them.

In my present job at SeaNet I felt that it was necessary to know what our clients, Small businesses Development Center and Small business administration Counselors felt about the services we were providing them since in the job we do we don’t have personal contact with them. With my directors approval I sent out surveys asking various questions about the service we provide and got an overwhelming response. This information was used in a quarterly report that is submitted to our funding agency in Washington DC. At SeaNet I am known as an individual that prides herself in thorough research techniques. I am often being asked to do research for special projects that are beyond our usual information requests. Most recently I have done research on the availability of renewable energy sources in South Texas. This research was for a consortium of various Universities in Texas, The Economic Development Center, Solar Energy and Brooks Air Force Base investigating who are examining the feasibility using various energy sources.

Need help? Check out EssayEdge editing services:

I am also an advocate of 21st Century Learning Centers that would provide a safe refuge for the millions of latch-key children in this country that go home to an empty house on any given school day. Along with that thought are full service schools that would provide many of the health and social services so desperately needed in many school districts. I have and continue to research community programs that are available to school children and their families. I recently collaborated with three such agencies (Upward Bound, Peace Center, and Davis….) in Houston to present to my fellow classmates the importance and impact community collaboration makes on our schools in our city. I also provided information in the form of brochures and handouts about other such organizations that could assist in the needs of their own schools. I feel that it is imperative that every teacher, principle and administrative staff in all schools be aware of these resources in our community. After the presentation of these research topics for educational leadership many of my classmates who are teachers and administrators contacted several of the organizations that I had introduced them to in that hour presentation and have started programs within their schools.

Although I have not yet formally been employed in the educational work environment I have been a mentor for many students attending Davis Middle School as well as a tutor for several home-schooled children. During the years of my own children attending school, I was very involved in their schools both private and public and took on many organizational and leadership roles. I served on many boards and was very active in assisting instructors and administrators in the schools my children attended. Because of these 15 years of experience, I am very familiar with the diverse educational system in Houston.

I have helped develop leadership in others by serving as an example of how far you can go in education with dedication and hard work. By being a student I have been example to others who didn’t feel they could juggle school with work and raising a family. I have a very hard working and decisive character that has earned me a 4.0 GPA. I have never been one to do anything halfway but instead show the dedication and integrity it takes to finish a project to its fullest.

My short-term goals include: establishing a network of scholars and future administrators, participating in a rigorous intellectual process.

My short-term goals include taking full advantage of the Doctorate program to fine-tune and learn more about research and writing skills. I want to use and improve my knowledge in quantitative research using programs such as SPSS and Microcase, in tandem with qualitative researching techniques. I want to develop a clear and concise understanding of leadership and the education profession and how the two mesh as one while enjoying the opportunity to develop a network of scholars. To experience the community and closeness that my fellow cohort mates can provide enjoy the opportunity to brainstorm and discuss pressing issues in our schools today and how we/I/they plan on changing them for tomorrow. After researching many doctorate programs in the area I feel that Texas A&M is unique in the standpoint of wanting to create a bonding collaborative experience among all the Educational Leadership Students and especially among cohort mates. I feel that the young and innovative program suits the fresh outlook on Educational Leadership that I am in search of. I have seen the department of education blossom in the last 4 years that I have been involved with it. I can appreciate the effort and future seeking work that is going on in the department, everyone has the attitude of moving forward and evolving with the times. To me this is the true example of reform, there is no lip service in this program, and it is practicing what it preaches. I know that in the classes that I have taken there is open invitation for research and suggestions for improvement solicited. Although I have no trouble working independently on projects it is reassuring that there will be others to inspire the creative juices that comes from group interaction that this program invites. I will look forward to working with professors that I have worked with before and I am anxious to meet those I have not. There is camaraderie in the Education Department that I do not feel is quite like any other at Texas A&M.

My long-term goals take what I have learned in my master’s courses in combination with the doctorate courses that will well have prepared me to enter any job in Education. I intend to prepare much of the educational leadership research topics using the foundations for a higher level of research I have established at Texas A&M and be published and make a difference in how the underprivileged will be educated. I know that the preparation for that higher plane of achievement that has been instilled in me will serve me well in any Educational or Governmental Occupation I will find myself in. Above all I will be secure in my ability to someway participate in the nation’s urgent need to educate moor efficiently and comprehensively.

See this essay after the edit . Also, see the educational leadership goal statement examples in our blog.

If you plan to apply to a certain program, you must explain your connection to it and your motivation in your statement of purpose. This sample has good content but needs some improvements. However, you can use it as a template for writing your paper. Send the final version to our statement of purpose editing service: we’ll review your paper and correct mistakes.

Popular Posts

June 2, 2022 How To Start a Scholarship Essay: Catch Reader’s Attention Fast

May 16, 2022 My Role Model Essay: A Few Ways to Elaborate on The Subject

May 3, 2022 How To Start a Personal Statement? | Writing Tips and Samples

Related Posts

July 14, 2021 Personal Statement Sample: How Can It Help You With Writing?

June 3, 2021 Clichés in College Essay Examples: How To Recognize Them?

October 26, 2020 Alternative Medicine Application Essay Sample – Edited

©2024 Student Media LLC. All rights reserved.

EssayEdge: Essay Editing & Proofreading Service.

Our mission is to prepare you for academic and career success.

•   Log In  
•   Sign Up  
• Forgot password

Unable to log in? Please clear your browser's cache and then refresh this page and try again

Reset password Please enter your email address to request a password reset.

Check your email We’ve just sent a password reset link to your email.

This information is used to create your account

• +919946991401
• [email protected]

Personal Statement for Master of Education

Writing a personal statement for master of education to get admission from a famous university is not a walk in the park. Even if you have a sample personal statement for master of education with you, the writing needs to be done by you. And it takes hard work, commitment, and focus.

And if you are worried that you might not get the best results, let our team of personal statement writers help you with the same for the master of education. We have been working in the field for nearly a decade and we know how to help you.

We have written winning personal statements for master of education for students looking to get admission in renowned universities around the world. This has helped us become one of the most reliable brands in the field to write personal statements for the master of education.

Write to us

How to Write a Personal Statement for Master of Education?

One of the first things that students must keep in mind while writing a personal statement for master of education is the focus of the statement. The statement has to focus on an important element and it is the motivation of the student to do the course.Everything else that you are putting in the master of education personal statement must feed to this idea.A personal statement is a document that gives you the freedom to express yourself and your motivation in a creative way to impress the admission committee and grab the admission. If you go with this goal in mind, you are already there.

Apart from these, you can also these simple tricks to make your statement better:

• Learn everything you need to write the statement well in advance
• Find a suitable format that can help you put your best leg forward
• Design a strategy that will help you write the statement better
• List down all the relevant things you want to include in the statement
• Always write the personal statement in an confident and optimistic tone
• Get someone else’s help to review your statement to make it better

These tips will sure help you come up with an excellent statement even better than the many sample personal statements for master of education online PDF. We are sure that these tips will certainly help you create an impressive statement.

What Makes Us One of the Best for Master of Education Personal Statement?

We know that every student wants to submit an inventive personal statement with their master of education application. However, getting that statement is a real challenge. However, it is never impossible. One has to have the right commitment and focus to write the statement and it will be even better than you would hope.

In addition to this, we are also a service provider that concentrates on our clients’ requirements first. With every project that we undertake, we work closely with them, which helps us cater to their exact needs unfailingly.

We have been successful in helping a range of students get admission to their favorite universities with our master of education personal statement, and the traits below:

Personal Statement for Masters in Education Example

One of the biggest deciding factors that shapes an individual and their perspective is education. Therefore, there was a requirement for students to take part in a responsive educational and learning process. The requests and amazing open doors for arising educators have unquestionably changed. From endeavouring to utilize innovation to further develop students’ growth opportunities to embracing different informative belief systems to fulfil understudies, it has come a long way. The teacher-student connection has evolved due to the instructing techniques. This differentiation is spurring me to investigate different education systems. As I need to seek out administrative level occupations through this, I am keen on acquiring information that will help me interpret what I realized during my certification.

I have been more energetic about learning than my cohorts are, even as a small kid. In the tenth and twelfth grades, my excitement for learning added to my excellent grades. With (grade), I finished my SSC at (name of school), and with (grade), I finished my intermediate studies at (name of school) (grade). After earning my plus two, I made the decision to pursue a degree where I could make a difference. This originated from a negative experience I had while studying.

My classmate posed the teacher an inquiry in class while I was in the twelfth grade, and the instructor responded to it. My classmate, however, stayed befuddled and asked once more. The teacher became furious over this and slapped him. It was a frightening moment, and I considered whether there was a method for upgrading the  educators’ and understudies’ scholastic encounters. Thus, I ended up at XYZ College, where I earned an undergraduate degree in Educational Management. My focus on administration, which I have long envisioned, was made easier with the assistance of this graduate degree. My undergraduate degree in educational management gave me the foundation I needed to begin a career in education.

Since graduating, I have used my abilities in two separate positions where I was responsible for supporting understudies’ development through a mix of extracurricular and scholarly activities. I stood firm on my feet as an educator at ABC School and as a course preparer at XYZ School. These two encounters helped me acquire the knowledge and capacities expected for managerial business. Functioning as an educator gave me knowledge of training from the perspective of students, and as a course preparer, I understood how I could make the course material as helpful as possible. Furthermore, it gave me a fabulous chance to foster my initiative capacities and increase my confidence while making executive choices.

Yet, over time, I understood that upgrading my abilities included getting new educational certifications. I made the decision to pursue a master’s in Education at XYZ University in ABC to enhance my profile and career. My choice to attend ABC was motivated by my enthusiasm for the institution’s approach to teaching and its dedication to it. I therefore believe ABC is the ideal place to study if I want to improve my academic skills and gain a new perspective on what education is all about. I am looking forward to ABC’s warm hospitality and serene atmosphere.

Due to its effectiveness in research, education, and resource management, the XYZ University is among the best universities in ABC. Modern policies, theories, and research are included in XYZ University’s master’s in Education programme to create skilled and proficient educators. Additionally, the program’s course modules are versatile, permitting me to pick the elective ones that match my academic interests, such as… (Name your interested areas). Likewise, the college will make it possible for me to partake in extracurricular exercises, which will be helpful to keep up with my peace as I seek the master’s. I expect to gain knowledge from Prof. (Name), who is renowned for his studies on the developing idea of education and the learning climate. I’m certain that XYZ University will furnish me with the information, ideas, and capacities I need to prevail in a world that is continually evolving.

Eventually, getting this master’s will assist me in being more powerful in completing my obligations and will expand my possibilities for finding steady employment. In this way, I anticipate becoming familiar with the standards of education at XYZ University.

We offer Personal Statement For

• personal statement for mBA
• personal statement for masters in finance
• personal statement for master of psychology
• personal statement for masters in public health
• personal statement for masters in public administration
• postgraduate personal statement
• civil engineering personal statement
• ucas personal statement
• Imperial college Personal statement
• kings college personal statement
• harvard university personal statement
• College admission personal statement
• graduate school personal statement
• oxford personal statement
• UC History Personal Statement
• Residency Personal Statement
• Internal Medicine Residency Personal Statement
• aacomas Personal Statement
• crna personal statement
• family medicine residency personal statement
• eras residency personal statement
• anesthesiology residency personal statement
• emergency medicine residency personal statement
• nurse practitioner personal statement
• personal statement for nursing school
• mental health psychiatric nursing personal statement
• psychiatry residency personal statement
• pediatrics residency personal statement
• amcas personal statement
• paramedic science personal statement
• physiotherapy personal statement
• architecture personal statement
• economic personal statement
• criminology personal statement
• nyu law personal statement
• georgetown law personal statement
• harvard law personal statement
• columbia LLM personal statement
• LLM Law School
• Phd in Computer Science Personal Science
• PhD in Biological Science Personal Science
• PhD in Clinical Psychology Personal Statement
• gi gastroenterology personal statement
• cardiology personal statement
• nephrology personal statement
• nsf grfp personal statement
• oncology personal statement
• critical care personal statement
• radiology personal statement
• hematology personal statement
• fulbright personal statement

Why Choose Us for Writing Your Personal Statement for Masters in Education

Our expertise in the field.

Our experience in the field clocks a decade and more. The hands-on experience that we have in the domain has helped us become a respected name to write personal statements for admission. It also helps us know what the students and universities want from a personal statement for master of education and deliver it well.

Extensive Quality Systems

We know that the quality of the personal statements that we write for our clients is extremely important. In order to maintain world-class quality with each personal statement that we write, we have a slew of quality policies and systems in place. This ensures that our statements can compete with other world-class statements, as well.

Team of Skilled Writers

We have a team of highly experienced, skilled, and trained writers working for our students. These writers are as passionate about writing as they are committed to the success of the students. Although statements cannot win you the admission alone, with our writers to help you, you have extremely high chances of winning.

Affordable Statement Plans

As we chiefly work with students, we know that they have stringent budgets to conform to. Hence, we have made the services extremely affordable for all our students. Our flexibility with working as per the needs of the clients has garnered us the image as the most affordable company for writing master of education personal statements.

Timely Deliverance

Most students need to evaluate the master of education personal statement thoroughly before submitting the same to the university. And they need time for that. Keeping that in mind, we deliver all the personal statements on time. This has made us one of the most reliable names in the field for personal statements.

Flexible Service Support

We know that students need all the options they can get to make their choices. As writing a personal statement for a master of education is a big decision, they would need more time and support. We do that with our flexible service offering to create personal statements that they need and love at all times.

Each of these qualities helps us distinguish ourselves from the other service providers in the field. We have made a unique niche for our service offerings in the field. And we are confident that we can use it to help you chase your dreams, as well.

Hire Our Personal Statement Writing Help for Master of Education

The opportunities in the academic sector for well-trained and qualified professionals are immense. However, the only challenge that most aspiring students face is pursuing the master of education from a world-renowned university for better exposure, training, and overall academic writers experience . But, we can help you.

We have helped numerous aspiring students get admission for master of education from their favorite university around the world.

We have helped them with writing personal statements that are:

There is no doubt that these qualities are what the admission committee in your favorite university is looking for in a master of education personal statement. And we can deliver the personal statement for master of education in PDF format as you prefer. With our help, you will have higher chances of winning admission, as well.

As a reliable and client-centered service provider, we can help you come up with excellent personal statements that will underline your eligibility for the course.

Gather more details about our services from us. Contact us now!

Q: What is a personal statement for a Master's in Education?

A personal statement for a Master’s in Education is a written document that outlines your background, experiences, and goals related to pursuing a graduate degree in education. It provides an opportunity for you to showcase your passion for education and explain why you are a strong candidate for the program.

Q: Why is a personal statement important for my Master's in Education application?

A personal statement plays a crucial role in your application for a Master’s in Education. It allows the admissions committee to get to know you beyond your academic qualifications. It helps them assess your motivation, commitment, and potential as a future educator.

Q: What should I include in my personal statement for a Master's in Education?

Your personal statement should highlight your relevant experiences, such as teaching or volunteering, and explain how they have shaped your interest in education. It should also discuss your academic background, career goals, and any research interests or teaching methodologies you are passionate about.

Q: How can I make my personal statement stand out?

To make your personal statement stand out, ensure that it is well-written, engaging, and reflects your unique experiences and perspectives. Use concrete examples to illustrate your points and demonstrate your potential as an educator. Consider seeking feedback from trusted mentors or professional editors to polish your statement.

Q: Is there a specific format or structure I should follow?

While there is no rigid format, a typical personal statement includes an introduction that grabs the reader’s attention, a body section highlighting your experiences and goals, and a conclusion that summarizes your key points. Ensure a logical flow and use clear, concise language throughout.

Q: Should I include specific examples of teaching or leadership experiences?

Yes, including specific examples of teaching or leadership experiences can strengthen your personal statement. Highlight any teaching roles, mentoring experiences, or initiatives you have taken to showcase your commitment to education and your ability to make a positive impact.

Vasuki Ram, senior writer and the founder of SOP Consultants is a B-tech Graduate who used to work in an MNC. Starting from 2013, she along with her team has assisted more than 10,000 students. Shift in her career was drastic. Read full story here.

• Chandigarh Patiala Amritsar
• Jammu & Kashmir
• SOP for MBA
• SOP for Law Internship
• SOP for Tourism
• SOP for Social Work
• SOP for Graduate School
• SOP for Phd
• SOP for Engineering
• SOP for Scholarship
• SOP for Computer Science

• +91 9946991401
• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Refund Policy

© Copyright 2024 SOP Consultants | Designed by NS

© Copyright 2023 SOP Consultants | Designed by NS

• Skip to Content
• Skip to Main Navigation
• Skip to Search

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington IU Bloomington

• Office Directory
• Add or Edit Profile
• Financial Management Practices
• Development and Alumni Relations
• Benefits and Services
• Employee Appreciation Programs
• The Five Functions of DEI
• Communication
• Recruitment
• DEI Dashboard
• 2020 Report
• 2019 Report
• Student Ambassadors
• Education Library
• Education Technology Services
• Graduate Studies
• Courses and Workshops
• Video Production Guidelines
• Promotional Posting Guidelines
• Research and Development
• Records and Reporting
• Dean's Advisory Board
• Service, Leadership, and Outreach
• Student Success
• Diversity Plan
• 100th Anniversary Book
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Targeted Engagements
• Global Gateway for Teachers
• Overseas Short-Term Study Experiences
• External Grant Opportunities
• Our Global Reach
• Faculty and Student Int'l Engagement
• IU Global Gateways
• Indiana Global Education Outreach
• Int'l Partnerships
• Visiting Int'l Scholars
• Int'l Student Ambassadors
• Academic Programs
• International Journals
• News & Events
• Int'l Student Resources
• CAEP Annual Reporting Measures
• CAEP Accreditation Visit Call for Third-Party Comments
• SoE Data Dashboards (Faculty)
• Licensure Requirements
• Employment Outcomes
• Employer Evaluations
• Student Teaching Survey Reports
• Attrition & Completion Rates
• Graduate Survey Results
• Indiana Teachers of the Year
• Emergency Action Plan
• SoE Emergency Information
• School Violence
• Report Facility Issue
• Direct Admit Scholars
• TEP Application Guidelines
• Accessible Virtual Tour
• Field Trips
• Non-School of Education Scholarships
• Graduate Student Funding
• Student Emergency Fund
• Campus Financial Aid Resources
• INSPIRE Living-Learning Center
• All Programs
• License Additions
• Master's Programs
• Doctoral Programs FAQ
• Specialist Programs
• Certificate Programs
• Doctoral Minors
• Licensure Programs
• Transition to Teaching
• New Zealand
• Northern Ireland
• Navajo Nation Program
• Urban Program
• IU Bloomington Students
• Guest Campus Students
• Partner Campus Students
• Student Spotlights
• Teacher Spotlights
• Cost & Financial Aid
• Online Learning
• Tuition and Fees
• Registration
• Block Enrollment Course Information
• Student Teaching Registration Information
• Program Sheets
• Forms & Publications
• Credit Overload Request
• Four Year Plan
• Academic Calendar
• Undergraduate Bulletin
• Background Check
• Early Field Experiences
• Student Teaching Forms
• Preparation
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Student Organizations
• Counseling and Student Services
• Dean's List
• Report Your Concerns
• Scholarships
• Career Coaching
• Student Teaching Fair
• Health and Human Services Career Day
• Explore Possibilities
• Get Experience
• Stay Connected
• Professional Distinction
• Educator Wellbeing Distinction
• Workshops and Training
• Recruiting Policies
• Classroom Presentations
• Graduation Deadlines
• Leave Policy
• Online Students
• Graduation Application
• Guidelines for Multi-Article Dissertations
• G901 Permission Request
• Qualifying Examinations
• 2022 Scholars
• 2021 Scholars
• 2020 Scholars
• 2023 Scholars
• Program-Specific Information
• International Student Ambassadors
• Student Affiliates in School Psychology
• Dissertation & Thesis Announcements
• Approved Core Inquiry Courses
• Holmes Scholars Program
• Initial Licensure
• License Renewal
• Licensing Outside Indiana
• Knowledge Base
• Graduate Bulletin
• Teaching with Technology Lab
• Support Services
• Volunteering Opportunities
• Faculty Directory
• Counseling and Educational Psychology
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Chair's Welcome
• IST Conference
• Faculty Bookshelf
• Faculty Meetings
• Policies and Procedures
• Instructional Consulting
• In Memoriam
• Office of Research and Development
• 2023 Highlights
• Research Centers
• Funded Research
• Research Findings
• Translation to Practice
• Equity in Action
• Overview and Project Timeline
• Analysis in Progress
• Presentations
• Accomplishments
• Teacher Study Group
• "Creative Paths to Peace" Grant
• Proffitt Internal Grant Competition
• Proffitt Summer Faculty Fellowship Program
• Tilaar Faculty Support Fund
• Cost-Share and Matching Funds on External Grant Proposals
• Current Visiting Scholars
• Become a Visiting Scholar
• Visiting Scholar Policies
• COVID-19 Entry Updates
• Flexible Workspace
• Faculty & Staff Giving Campaign
• Donor Spotlights
• Get Involved
• Submit a Nomination
• Alumni Magazine
• Alumni Board of Directors
• Counseling and Wellness Clinic
• Learning and Developmental Evaluation Clinic
• Current Cohort
• Past Cohorts
• Nominate a Teacher
• How to Apply
• Armstrong Teacher Panel Archive
• Current Jacobs Educators
• Past Winners
• Advisory Board
• Teachers' Examples
• Research-to-Practice Briefs
• Speaker Series
• Baxter Online STEM Student Challenges
• Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC)
• Dual Language Immersion (DLI)
• Global Learning for Pre-Service Teachers Workshops
• Global Literacy Invitation Project
• Global STEAM
• In-Service Teachers Workshops
• Principals’ Academy on Internationalizing K-12 Schools
• School of Education Curriculum Internationalization
• Medical Research Education Project
• Project LIFT
• Saturday Art School
• Past Lesson Plans
• Partners in Education (PIE)
• Maker Mobile
• Past Mentors
• Apply to Be a Mentor
• HOPE Training Modules
• HOPE for Cadets
• AAC in Action
• Celebration of Excellence
• C&I Graduate Research Symposium
• Invited Sessions
• Visiting Bloomington
• Science Education Research Symposium
• Convocation
• Diggs Symposium
• Virtual Events
• Advisory Committee
• Education Law Resources

School of Education

M.s.ed. in educational leadership (online), educational leadership.

As an experienced teacher, you understand the challenges that schools and students face.

Now you can build upon your classroom experiences to address the challenges facing the next generation of leaders and develop innovative solutions and more effective organizations.

This challenging curriculum will deepen your leadership capacities, enhance your learning and professional growth, and help you to think critically about the challenges facing education today.

This program is designed for students who are interested in school leadership. While the vast majority of our students have been teachers, we will consider applicants without teaching experience who make a strong case in their personal statements about why they are interested in educational leadership. Relevant work experience in a related field is strongly preferred. Applicants should be sure to discuss prior work experiences and future career goals within the statement. Also, be sure to explain why you are attracted to this particular program.

Please note: An Indiana principal's license is embedded in our master's coursework. In order to qualify for the principal's license, a student must have taught as a licensed teacher or been a licensed counselor for two years. Students with no teaching experience are still welcome to apply to this program but will not be eligible for principal licensure.

Application Deadlines

Admission requirements.

The Graduate Studies Office will accept unofficial transcripts and self-reported test scores for admission reviews. Any admission made with these documents would be conditioned on receipt of official documents, which should be provided as soon as possible.

Note: If you are currently enrolled or have applied in the past year, you are eligible for a reduced application fee of $35. Learn more »

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 out of 4.00
• Two years of teaching experience is strongly preferred
• Personal statement
• Two letters of recommendation (Letters from Direct Supervisors such as principals or assistant principals are recommended)
• GRE scores are required only if applicant does not have a degree from an accredited U.S. institution
• Minimum 79 TOEFL score or minimum 6.5 IELTS score (international students only)

Learn more about how to apply

Program Requirements

• M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership (Online) Program Requirements

Per credit hour

Find more information and calculate your expected costs at Student Central .

Below is a list of potential resources for graduate students. Note: graduate assistantships are generally intended for students studying and working on the Bloomington campus.

• Learn about the variety of fellowships and assistantships available to graduate students.
• Visit Student Central for information about financial assistance.
• Consult your employer about the availability of tuition reimbursement or tuition assistance programs.
• Active duty military, veterans, and military families should visit the Center for Veteran and Military Students to take full advantage of available financial assistance and educational benefits.

This degree equips you to take on leadership roles in your school, district, or other educational organization and prepares you for licensing as a building-level administrator, superintendent, or director of exceptional needs.

• Request info

Our faculty

• Educational Leadership Graduate Student Portal
• FAQs for M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership

No GRE Required

for applicants with a degree from an accredited U.S. institution

• Fit in your schedule with 100% online courses
• Personalized academic support from admission to graduation
• Online students learn from the same distinguished faculty who teach on campus
• Online students have 24/7 tech support
• Online students have access to IU’s vast library system with cutting-edge research capabilities

Janet Decker

Associate professor.

Chad Lochmiller

Associate professor, educational leadership and policy studies department chair.

Christopher Lubienski

Professor; director, center for evaluation and education policy (ceep).

Michele Moore

Clinical assistant professor.

Frank Perrone

Assistant professor.

Jennifer Rippner

Michele Moore ED 4230 (812) 856-1373 micdmill@indiana.edu

Start your life-changing journey

Additional links and resources.

• From the Dean
• Annual Report
• International Engagement
• Accreditation
• Measures of Success
• Emergency Preparedness
• Departments
• Instructor Resources
• Undergraduate
• Community of Teachers
• Research Initiatives
• Funding Opportunities
• Visiting International Scholars
• Undergraduate Portal
• Graduate Portal
• Academic Resources
• Career Connections
• Research Help
• Maker Education
• Youth Programs
• Award Programs
• CHG Counseling Services
• Staff Council
• Visit the School
• Alumni Spotlights
• Distinguished Alumni Award

Indiana University Bloomington School of Education

SOE Knowledge Base

SOE Intranet (Legacy)

• Find & Compare Programs

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Take the next step toward your career goals. Learn key information about the USC Rossier admission process and application requirements for the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership program.

Prerequisites

In order to apply for this program, you must:

• Have a master’s degree, or equivalent, from a college or university that is regionally accredited or recognized by a ministry of education. The institution must have been accredited at the time your degree was conferred
• Have a minimum of three years of relevant, full-time work experience relevant to the concentration of interest
• Have leadership experience that demonstrates increasing responsibility

Program applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, but we encourage you to apply early.

*scholarship consideration priority deadlines

Application Instructions

Review the detailed instructions in the dropdowns for each section of the online application . If you need accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the Office of Admission and Scholarships at [email protected]. We encourage you to submit your request for accommodation at least two weeks before the accommodation is needed so our team can make the necessary arrangements.

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Personal Information

• Enter your name as it appears on your government issued I.D. Indicate any alternate or previous names in the “other name” field (i.e. maiden name).
• Enter the email address USC Rossier should use to communicate with you throughout the application process.

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Academic History > Colleges Attended > Add a College > Upload a Transcript 

To expedite admission decisions, please upload registrar-issued transcripts from all attended institutions to the USC application portal. Official transcripts should be submitted separately to the USC Office of Graduate Admissions upon acceptance and submission of intent to enroll.  

International students should refer to USC’s country specific requirements to determine which academic records they need to submit. 

To Upload Your Transcript to The Application Portal   

Login to your USC Application Portal and navigate to the Academic History section. Enter detailed information about your academic history from each institution you have attended. 

Once you have saved this information, you will find an option to Upload a Transcript for each institution. You can upload only one PDF per institution. If the transcript consists of multiple pages, you must scan each page and merge them into a single PDF file. If you do not have access to a scanner, you can take clear photos of each page and combine them into one PDF.  

There are various online services available to merge multiple files into a single PDF or convert photos into PDFs. Once you have uploaded your transcripts and completed all other sections of the application, you can proceed to submit your application.  

Upon admission and submission of the statement of intent to enroll, you must submit degree-conferred transcripts from all attended institutions to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Supporting Information > Documents > CV/Resume

Your résumé should be detailed enough to help the admission committee understand the various experiences – extracurricular, leadership or volunteer – that have shaped your interest in the program. Outline your roles and responsibilities within each organization and highlight any special achievements or accomplishments. In the “Supporting Information” section of the application, select “Documents”. Select the “add document” button under “CV/Resume.”

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Program Materials > Documents

Essay responses will be used to evaluate your personal, professional and educational perspectives and experiences and the ability to effectively communicate ideas and organize written thoughts.

Responses to essay questions should be double-spaced with a 12-point font and one-inch margin on all sides. Include your full name at the beginning of each document. Upload each essay as a separate document in the appropriate section.

Personal Statement — 500 words or less

Your personal statement consists of a 500-word essay response. You will have the opportunity to provide an in-depth look at your background, professional goals, and highlight graduate-level written communication skills.

Write a personal statement that addresses how earning the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EDL) degree in your concentration of interest will enable you to address inequities that interfere with learning opportunities and outcomes for students and/or employees in educational settings.

Upload your Personal Statement in the “Program Materials” section of the application under the tab “Documents.” Select the “add document” button under “Personal Statement” .

Leadership Description – 500 words or less

A key aim of the program is to graduate critically conscious leaders who will exert influence to bring about equity-oriented change in an educational context. Tell us about your leadership experiences to date. What type of formal or informal leadership roles have you held. What types of responsibilities have you carried? And what has been the scope of your influence? Please provide specific examples.

 Upload your short answer essay in the “Program Materials” section of the application under the tab “Documents”. Select the “add document: button under “Writing Sample.”

Optional Essay – 250 words or less

To aid the admission committee in evaluating your application, use this essay to discuss anything in your academic and/or professional history that may require additional explanation. This essay is optional.

Upload your optional essay in the “Program Materials” section of the application under the tab “Documents.” Select the “add document” button under “Other.”

Where to find it on the application: My Application > Program Materials > Recommendations > Add Recommendation

USC Rossier requires two letters of recommendation to complete the application. Letters should come from supervisors and/or former instructors or faculty who can comment on significant contributions you have made in your workplace, your leadership skills as well as your commitment to life-long learning and your ability to perform well in doctoral-level coursework.

• To submit the names of your recommenders, go to the “Program Materials” section of the application and click on the tab “Recommendations.”

• Recommendation letters must be typed on official letterhead from the organization with a signature. If the recommender is not able to obtain company letterhead, this must be noted somewhere in the letter.
• It is your responsibility to ensure all recommendation letters are submitted in the proper format prior to the appropriate deadline. Letters uploaded in the incorrect format without explanation are subject to further review.
• Recommendations letters should be submitted by recommenders by the application deadline, but they are not required to be submitted at the time you submit your application.

 Please note: recommendation letters are program-specific and cannot be used to apply to additional programs. If you withdraw your application from a particular program, your letters of recommendation will be deleted along with the application.

Where to find it: My Application > Program Materials > Kira Assessment

The recorded video response is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your communication skills in professional settings. The timed writing assessment will allow you to demonstrate your writing, critical thinking and analytical ability. No advance preparation is required for either assessment. You must complete both assessments during the same session. You are allowed to take each assessment one time only. For technical assistance with the video response or timed writing assessment, email [email protected].

• Click the “Open Kira Assessment” button on the “Kira Assessment” tab in the application. Note: clicking this link will NOT require you to take the assessment(s) immediately. You can register for the assessment(s) and return at any time to complete it.
• When the page opens, click the “Check In” button.
• Click the registration module. Your first and last name and email should pre-populate in the registration form. Agree to the terms of agreement and privacy policy and click the “Register” button. After you register, a link to Kira will also be sent to your email address for easy access at the time you choose to complete your assessment(s).
• Complete the device set up and practice modules to prepare for your assessment(s).
• Click the assessment module (final step) at the time you are ready to begin your assessment(s).
• Once completed, your assessments become part of your application and will be reviewed by the admission committee in conjunction with other application materials.

Video Response  

• Record your responses using an internet-connected computer with a webcam.
• Dress professionally and behave as you would during an in-person interview.
• Make sure you have a pen and notepad available for taking notes on the prompt.
• Once you begin the assessment, you will be provided with two prompts, one at a time, followed by five minutes of prep time for each prompt.
• You will have two minutes to complete your response. There will be a countdown timer and a progress bar during preparation and response time so you can track how much time you have left. If you finish before time is up, you can submit your response using the “submit” button in the lower right corner. The system will automatically submit your response when the time is up.

Timed Writing Assessment

• Once you begin the assessment, you will be provided with the essay topic. You will have 45 minutes to compose and submit your response.
• Write your essay within the provided space in Kira; do not copy and paste from other documents.
• As a general guideline, the essay should be structured with an introduction containing a thesis statement, a body containing your major points and a conclusion.
• Do not use citations or conduct research on the topic while writing your response.
• There is no minimum or maximum word count, however, we recommend a length of 350 to 700 words.
• There will be a countdown timer and a progress bar during the response time so you can track how much time you have left. If you finish before time is up, you can submit your response using the “submit” button in the lower right corner. The system will automatically submit your response when the time is up.

USC Rossier welcomes international applicants. If your prior study was completed outside of the United States, you must have earned the equivalent of a United States bachelor’s degree to be eligible for admission. View the international application requirements based on your country of study . 

International students whose native language is not English and who completed their undergraduate work outside of the United States are required to demonstrate proficiency in English as part of the application process. USC does not waive the English proficiency requirement for graduate degree(s) earned in the United States or other qualifying countries; requirements are based on the completion of undergraduate studies. For more information on English Proficiency requirements, English-language test waivers and other alternate accepted exams, please visit the USC Graduate Admission English-Language Proficiency page .

TOEFL or IELTS Test Scores Where to find it on the application: My Application > Academic History > Standardized Tests > Add a Test Score

International students whose native language is not English and who completed their undergraduate work outside of the United States are required to submit an official TOEFL or IELTS score as part of their application. You must have taken one of these tests within the past two years.

In order to be a competitive applicant, you should receive a TOEFL score at or above 100 iBT and an IELTS score at or above 6.5 with no less than a score of 6 on each band.

You may upload your test score report in the “Academic History” section of the application to be used in application review. However, only scores received electronically from the testing service are considered official. Official test scores should be sent from the testing agency directly to USC.

• TOEFL: To send official scores, use USC ETS code 4852. Please note that USC does not accept super-scoring for the TOEFL.
• IELTS: Select “University of Southern California” at the time of registration. Alternatively, provide this information to your testing center after taking the test.

For more information on English Proficiency requirements, English-language test waivers, and other alternate accepted exams, please visit the USC Graduate Admission page . 

Your application materials will be reviewed by both the USC Rossier School of Education Office of Admission and Scholarships and the USC Office of Graduate Admissions.

• Refer to your USC Rossier personal portal for timely and accurate updates on your application status (including missing items).
• If your application is complete by the round application deadline, expect to receive notification of your admission decision by the corresponding notification date.
• You will receive a decision letter from both USC Rossier and the USC Office of Graduate admission.

Where to find it on the application: Submit Application Tab

Application fees must be paid by credit or debit card.

An application fee waiver is available to applicants who meet certain eligibility criteria. Eligibility criteria and instructions for obtaining a fee waiver can be found at the USC Graduate Admission website. If you choose to apply for a fee waiver you must:

• Start your online application but do not submit the application until the fee waiver is approved.
• Provide supporting documents to demonstrate qualification.
• Have your fee waiver request approved.
• Complete and submit your online application.

Tips Submit all application materials by the deadline . Incomplete applications may be delayed to the next application review. Skip ahead to the “Recommendations” section and use the application platform to send requests for letters of recommendation first . We recommend you complete this step right away to provide each recommender with the maximum amount of time to complete their letter. Follow the transcript submission instructions carefully. Please upload your registrar-issued transcripts from each institution attended to the USC application portal. Upon acceptance and submission of intent to enroll, you will need to submit official transcripts to the USC Office of Graduate Admissions separately.

Review Process

Your application to USC Rossier will be evaluated using a holistic review process. Academic preparation, professional work experience, personal achievement and commitment to the USC Rossier mission are each considered. No single attribute or characteristic guarantees admission to USC Rossier.

We seek applicants who will add to our vibrant learning community and whose goals, values and experiences align with the USC Rossier mission and program goals. We adhere to the university’s non-discrimination policy, and are committed to providing equal opportunity for all students.

As an applicant for this program, you will be automatically considered for limited USC Rossier scholarships, with priority consideration given to applicants who apply by the priority and regular deadlines. There is no need to submit a separate application. Recipients are selected based on academic achievement, demonstrated dedication to the USC Rossier mission and other distinguishing characteristics. All USC Rossier scholarships are awarded at the time of admission.

Document Submission Policy

Transcripts and all other application materials become the property of USC. The university does not return or duplicate materials for any reason whatsoever. The information and materials in your submitted application are made available only to the central Office of Admission and the admission committee of the academic department or professional school to which you have applied.

Frequently Asked Questions

USC Rossier students come from diverse academic backgrounds. Education or experience related to your program of interest can make you a more competitive applicant, however it is not required. If your bachelor’s or master’s degree is unrelated to the program for which you are applying, use your application to communicate your passion for working in your selected field and explain how your background and experience has prepared you to be successful and positively contribute to your chosen field.

The admission committee looks for leadership experiences that demonstrate increasing levels of responsibility. Exceptional applicants demonstrate long-term commitment to historically marginalized student populations.

No. At USC Rossier, the online and on-campus version of our programs are distinct with separate applications. If you would like to be considered for a program other than the program for which you have been admitted, you will need to reapply to that program.

No. Your diploma will read “Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership” only.

No. The program has one start date per academic year. 

There is no minimum GPA required to apply to USC Rossier programs, but competitive applicants typically have a GPA of 3.0 or above. However, GPA is one of many elements evaluated in the admission committee’s comprehensive evaluation of candidates. In the application, you may use the optional essay to discuss anything in your academic and/or professional history that may require additional explanation.

If you would like to be considered for a program other than the program for which you have been admitted, you will need to re-apply for the new program. Please read the program requirements thoroughly, as they may be different from those specified for the program to which you were admitted. Your application will not be considered complete until all documents required for your new program are received.

Before applying for any program, it is recommended that you speak with an admission team member for assistance and direction in determining which program is the best fit for you.  

Applicants are permitted to apply to up to three USC programs within the same academic year. When completing your online application, select all programs to which you would like to apply. Please read each program’s guidelines carefully, as each program may require different documents or methods of assessment. You will only need to complete program-specific questions for each additional program; you will not have to fill out the entire application multiple times.

If you decide you would like to apply to an additional program after submitting your initial application, you can log back into your application and add another program.

Application fees are required for each program to which you apply, but you will only need to submit transcripts and test scores (optional for most programs) once.   

You can request to transfer up to six units of doctoral coursework completed at another institution that meet the requirements of the EDL program. Contact your academic advisor in the EdD program office to learn more. 

GRE scores are neither required nor accepted for admission at USC Rossier.

Callah Darmali

Associate Director, Office of Admission and Scholarships

• [email protected]
• (213) 205-0609

5 Best Personal Statement For Masters In Education Example

Writing a personal statement for masters is harder than average. Because people expected that the person whose pursue master degree has above average capability. For this reason, you could get burdened with this paradigm. That’s why you could learn by looking for a personal statement for masters in education example .

Things to Know on Personal Statement for Masters in Education

By looking at some personal statement for masters in education examples, you could get more understanding regarding the matter. Also, pursuing further education need high motivation. Thus, you shouldn’t let something trivial like writing for an essay ditch you from what you want. So, you have to utilize all the sources you can get your hands on to help you. So, here are some things you could get from getting an example in some personal statement for masters in education:

1. Compose a Good Structure

When browsing, you could look for the personal statement for masters in education example printable and print them. That way, you could come up with a better understanding of the matter. Then you can come up with a good structure on how you should write yours. Also, by getting your hands in many examples, you could differ on the good ones over the bad. By doing that, you would know on the dos and don’ts. Thus, you could write a flawless personal statement by using good traits and avoid that bad.

2. Avoid the Common Phrases

Reading your share of examples on personal statement for masters in education would make you spot the cliché phrases and overused words. That way, you could avoid them. The reason is that the cliché and overused ones would turn the personal statement as average. It’s a waste to submit for an average personal statement, as it wouldn’t standouts among others. Thus, your chance is only average to get accepted.

3. Give Understanding on What to Write

Another advantage by reading some examples is you will understand the matter. As reading is one-third of the things you have to do in learning, then you’ve covered some of them. In no time, you could become an expert in writing a personal statement. Remember, that you’re applying for your master degree. Thus, the admission committee would expect more from you.

4. Not to Redo the Same Mistakes

Also, by reading the examples would point you on what the common mistake in writing ones. That way, you could avoid the same mistakes that other people did in the examples you had read. Although it’s not your experience, you could say you get the secondhand experience from others. Thus, you don’t need to make the mistake yourself to know what to avoid.

5. Create a Standout Personal Statement

By utilizing all the mentioned advantage to learn from the examples, you could build a standout document. By that, you can compose an exceptional personal statement for your master degree. Also, having a good look from the example could lead you in writing yours. By applying what you learned from others, you could build your essay impeccably.

Personal Statement for Masters in Education Example

And having a standout personal statement means the chance to get picked could be higher. Because the admission committee would remember you through, the personal essay you submitted. From there, they could recommend you for the spot. Also, by writing the standout essay, it’s your way in saying that you are serious in pursuing a master degree in education. To get more inspiration, you could look for the examples below.

Aside from the printable ones, you also could download the personal statement for masters in education example PDF files. That way you could study from your mobile gadget without you need to print the documents. Thus, you could get more reference in building the personal essay. So, you could write a flawless personal statement for your application.

You May Also Like

5 Free Templates of The Best Personal Statement Layout

How To Make Personal Statement Dentistry (With 15 Free Templates)

20 Awesome Personal Statement Medicine Examples

• Postgraduate taught degree courses
• Postgraduate taught tuition fees
• Pre-masters for international students
• Funding your postgraduate taught studies
• How to apply for a postgraduate taught degree
• Create your own research project
• Find a PhD project
• Funding your research degree
• How to apply for a PhD or research degree
• How to make a PhD enquiry
• Support while studying your PhD or research degree
• Undergraduate degree courses
• Foundation year programmes
• Undergraduate tuition fees
• Customise your degree
• Funding undergraduate studies
• How to apply
• Choose your halls of residence
• Apply for accommodation
• Guaranteed accommodation
• Your accommodation options
• International and pre-sessional students
• Postgraduate accommodation
• Couples and students with children
• Renting privately
• Our accommodation areas
• Privacy notice
• Terms and conditions
• Fees and contracts
• Southampton
• Sports facilities
• Sports clubs
• Watersports centres
• Avenue Campus
• Boldrewood Innovation Campus
• City Centre Campus
• Highfield Campus
• University Hospital Southampton
• Waterfront Campus
• Winchester Campus
• What's on
• Clubs and societies
• Sports teams
• SUSU places
• Representing you
• SUSU support and advice
• Living costs
• Academic and mental health support
• Support for disabled students
• Part-time work
• Health services

Education Management and Leadership (MSc)

Education Management and Leadership (MSc) starting September 2024 for 1 year

About this course

Become a clear, confident and comprehensive educational leader with our Masters in Education Management and Leadership pathway. Learn about professional development with strategies to overcome challenges faced by leaders in education all over the world.

This educational leadership course is for teachers and those working in administrative positions in education who are looking for the leadership and research skills to make a positive change. Learn about professional development with strategies to overcome challenges faced by leaders in education all over the world. You’ll learn how to identify opportunities for improvement within an educational institution, making decisions based on research and with a focus on outcomes.  

Leaders in education are expected to introduce continuous change within their organisation, you’ll understand how this impacts an academic institution or school and the people within it. To give you versatility in the profession, we look at a variety of learning environments within the public and private sector, as well as how educational leadership theories can be used by both teachers and leaders in schools, and educational practitioners outside of schools.   During this MSc educational leadership course, you’ll learn how to: 

• examine different teaching and learning methods 
• conduct reliable education research and reflect upon emerging research 
• apply your learning of leadership theories to your practice  
• assess contemporary issues in the area of educational leadership 
• examine core management practices to educational institutions 

You’ll learn about policies and research on a national and international level. During the course, you'll collate and evaluate the research you’ve found in order to communicate outcomes in a clear and convincing way.

We offer 3 pathways on our MSc Education degree. 

Your other MSc Education pathway options are:

• Education  - you'll learn teaching & learning methods, and how to conduct & analyse educational research.
• Education (Practice and Innovation)  - study different teaching and learning methods and learn how to conduct and analyse educational research in the fields of innovation and inclusive practice.

As a research-led University we undertake a continuous review of our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. As a result, this course may be revised however, any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Find out why, when and how we might make changes .

Course lead

Dr Ran Peleg is a Lecturer in Science Education within the Southampton Education School and a member of the MSHE (Mathematics, Science and Health Education) research group.

Ran’s work focuses on different genres aimed at enhancing science learning such as the use of theatre, drama, storytelling and games.

Ran holds a BA in Natural Sciences and an MEng in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cambridge. His PhD in science education from the Technion focused on learning science in informal (free-choice) environments, specifically museum theatre.

He has a keen interest in:

• chemistry education 
• innovation in teaching and learning 
• theatre, drama and storytelling in science education 
• the role of narrative in learning 
• educational escape room games 
• immersive experiences in learning and teaching 
• STEM and STEAM 

“The MSc in education provides many diverse pathways which are perfect for any individual looking to gain or enhance their understanding about educational issues that really matter to them.” Nicholas Marco-Wadey, 2018 graduate

Learn more about this subject area

Course location

This course is based at Highfield .

Awarding body

This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.

Download the Course Description Document

The Course Description Document details your course overview, your course structure and how your course is taught and assessed.

Entry requirements

You’ll need a 2:1 degree, and will need to supply evidence that you have appropriate experience in education.

Find the  equivalent international qualifications  for your country.

English language requirements

If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:

IELTS score requirements

We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.

Pre-masters

If you don’t meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

If you don’t meet the academic requirements, you can complete a pre-master's programme through our partnership with ONCAMPUS. Learn more about the programmes available .

Got a question?

Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email:  [email protected] Tel:  +44(0)23 8059 5000

Course structure

During this course, you'll study the following:

• 3 compulsory modules
• 2 pathway modules
• An optional module

The first semester sets out the theories of leadership to help you to sustain school improvement.You'll also learn about learning theories and how and when to use key research methods to develop good research practices.

In your second semester, you'll learn about managing education institutions and choose between learning about education and policy from a global perspective and learning about the social context of education and lifelong learning. You'll also prepare for, and write, your dissertation, which should focus on an area of educational leadership and management.

You can also attend a non-assessed enrichment programme, including study skills workshops, attendance at our professional themes lectures and research seminars.

Want more detail?  See all the modules in the course.

The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Find out why, when and how we might make changes .

Year 1 modules

You must study the following modules :

Education Research: Practice and Methods

This module will introduce you to the content and structure of the dissertation and prepare you for designing and undertaking a small-scale research project in education. The sessions will focus on helping you formulate appropriate research problems and q...

Leadership in Education

The module will provide an introduction to theories of leadership, leadership in the field of education, teacher instructional leadership for capacity building and leadership for learning to sustain school improvement.

Learning and Teaching

The content of this module will typically draw on a range of research and will focus on examining various aspects of learning and teaching including: - Personal perceptions about learning and teaching. - Past and current theories/models about learni...

MSc Dissertation

The dissertation builds on work undertaken across other modules and provides you with an opportunity to undertake a piece of independent research in a chosen topic. Normally, your dissertation will be individually supervised.

Management in Education Organisations

As you progress to more senior roles in your school or educational institution there is a need to develop your skills and knowledge in the area of management. In this module you will focus on understanding the principles of management, applying these to e...

Understanding Education Research

Educational research is a wide-ranging field that draws upon many different disciplines and methodologies. This introductory module aims to help you navigate this complex field by providing an overview of the common paradigms and methodologies that you ar...

You must also choose from the following modules :

Education and Society

The module provides an understanding of the relationship between education and society. This includes the ways in which education systems reflect broader economic, political, social and cultural structures and values; how these inform education policy; th...

Globalisation and Education Policy

In recent decades globalisation has impacted national education policies in industrialised, emerging and developing economies. This module will look at the different ways in which some education systems in different regions have changed their policies and...

Learning and assessment

Through group work you'll collaborate with other students to discuss research articles, produce a group report or presentation.

You'll also work on research and case-studies analysing research designs, taking part in decision making and problem-solving activities within the topics of each module you study.

You’ll be assessed by a combination of the following methods:  

• written assignments
• academic posters
• research project reports
• dissertation

Explore course modules for full details of learning and assessment.

Dissertation

The dissertation builds on work undertaken across other modules and gives you an opportunity to take on a piece of independent research in a chosen topic. Normally, your dissertation will be individually supervised. The length of the dissertation will be between 15,000 and 17,000 words.

Academic Support

We can support your learning needs throughout your studies through an induction programme and individual support in study skills. You will also get a personal tutor to support your academic development.

Students who have completed the MSc in educational leadership and management have gone on to become educational practitioners, educational officers or senior academic leaders within their institutions both in the UK and internationally.

Careers services at Southampton

We're a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you throughout your time as a student and for up to 5 years after graduation. This support includes:

• work experience schemes
• CV/resume and interview skills workshops
• networking events
• careers fairs attended by top employers
• a wealth of volunteering opportunities
• study abroad and summer school opportunities

We have a thriving entrepreneurship culture. You'll be able to take advantage of:

• our dedicated start-up incubator,  Futureworlds
• a wide variety of  enterprise events  run throughout the year
• our partnership in the world’s number 1 business incubator,  SETsquared

Fees, costs and funding

Tuition fees.

Fees for a year's study:

• UK students pay £9,250.
• EU and international students pay £24,200.

Check fees for other versions of this course .

If you're an international student on a full-time course, we'll ask you to pay £2,000 of your tuition fees in advance, as a deposit.

Your offer letter will tell you when this should be paid and provide full terms and conditions.

Find out about exemptions, refunds and how to pay your deposit on our tuition fees for overseas students page.

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and any exams.

Find out how to  pay your tuition fees .

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. Explore:

• accommodation costs
• living costs
• budgeting advice

Southampton Education Postgraduate International Scholarship

A scholarship of £3,000 is available to international students studying for a postgraduate master’s in Education.

Find out more about the Southampton Education International Scholarship , including eligibility and conditions.

Other postgraduate funding options

A variety of additional funding options may be available to help you pay for your master’s study. Both from the University and other organisations.

Funding for EU and international students

Find out about funding you could get as an international student.

• Use the 'apply for this course' button on this page to take you to our online application form.
• Search for the course you want to apply for.
• Complete the application form and upload any supporting documents.
• Submit your application.

For further details, read our step by step guide to postgraduate taught applications .

Application deadlines

There are different deadlines for this course. Depending on which country you permanently reside in, applications are expected to close :

• Applicants permanently resident in China: Wednesday 29 May 2024 - midday UK time
• Applicants permanently resident in other countries: Wednesday 29 May 2024 - midday UK time
• Applicants permanently resident in the UK: Wednesday 3 July 2024 - midday UK time

We advise applying early as applications may close before the expected deadline if places are filled.

Our admissions process for this course means that we look at batches of applications together. We send offers to applicants on a continuous basis. Due to the high number of applications, we may not be able to make you an offer, even if you meet the course criteria.

Application assessment fee

We’ll ask you to pay a £50 application assessment fee if you’re applying for a postgraduate taught course.

This is an extra one-off charge which is separate to your tuition fees and is payable per application. It covers the work and time it takes us to assess your application. You’ll be prompted to pay when you submit your application which won’t progress until you've paid.

If you're a current or former University of Southampton student, or if you’re applying for certain scholarships, you will not need to pay the fee. PGCE applications through GOV.UK and Master of Research (MRes) degree applications are also exempt. Find out if you’re exempt on our terms and conditions page .

Supporting information

When you apply you’ll need to submit a personal statement explaining why you want to take the course. 

You’ll need to include information about: 

• your knowledge of the subject area
• why you want to study a postgraduate qualification in this course
• how you intend to use your qualification

You'll also need to submit two academic references. 

Please include the required paperwork showing your first degree and your IELTS English language test score (if you are a non-native English speaker) with your application. Without these, your application may be delayed.

What happens after you apply

You'll be able to track your application through our online Applicant Record System.

We receive a high volume of applications for this course. This means you may not receive a response to your application for up to 12 weeks.

Unfortunately, due to number of applications we receive, we may not be able to give you specific feedback on your application if you are unsuccessful.

Equality and diversity

We treat and select everyone in line with our  Equality and Diversity Statement .

Related courses

Art and Design

Education Online

Education practice and innovation.

Mathematics

Modern Languages

Physical education.

• View all courses
• Pre-sessional English courses
• Course modules
• Acoustical engineering
• Biomedical and medical engineering
• Civil engineering
• Every day I’m completely immersed in an environment that’s creative in all aspects
• Everything I learn feels so relevant, even If it’s a subject rooted in the past
• Maritime engineering
• Photonics and optoelectronics
• Social statistics and demography
• A missing link between continental shelves and the deep sea: Have we underestimated the importance of land-detached canyons?
• A seismic study of the continent-ocean transition southwest of the UK
• A study of rolling contact fatigue in electric vehicles (EVs)
• Acoustic monitoring of forest exploitation to establish community perspectives of sustainable hunting
• Acoustic sensing and characterisation of soil organic matter
• Advancing intersectional geographies of diaspora-led development in times of multiple crises
• Aero engine fan wake turbulence – Simulation and wind tunnel experiments
• Against Climate Change (DACC): improving the estimates of forest fire smoke emissions
• All-in-one Mars in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) system and life-supporting using non-thermal plasma
• An electromagnetic study of the continent-ocean transition southwest of the UK
• An investigation of the relationship between health, home and law in the context of poor and precarious housing, and complex and advanced illness
• Antibiotic resistance genes in chalk streams
• Being autistic in care: Understanding differences in care experiences including breakdowns in placements for autistic and non-autistic children
• Biogeochemical cycling in the critical coastal zone: Developing novel methods to make reliable measurements of geochemical fluxes in permeable sediments
• Bloom and bust: seasonal cycles of phytoplankton and carbon flux
• British Black Lives Matter: The emergence of a modern civil rights movement
• Building physics for low carbon comfort using artificial intelligence
• Building-resolved large-eddy simulations of wind and dispersion over a city scale urban area
• Business studies and management: accounting
• Business studies and management: banking and finance
• Business studies and management: decision analytics and risk
• Business studies and management: digital and data driven marketing
• Business studies and management: human resources (HR) management and organisational behaviour
• Business studies and management: strategy, innovation and entrepreneurship
• Carbon storage in reactive rock systems: determining the coupling of geo-chemo-mechanical processes in reactive transport
• Cascading hazards from the largest volcanic eruption in over a century: What happened when Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai erupted in January 2022?
• Characterisation of cast austenitic stainless steels using ultrasonic backscatter and artificial intelligence
• Climate Change effects on the developmental physiology of the small-spotted catshark
• Climate at the time of the Human settlement of the Eastern Pacific
• Collaborative privacy in data marketplaces
• Compatibility of climate and biodiversity targets under future land use change
• Cost of living in modern and fossil animals
• Creative clusters in rural, coastal and post-industrial towns
• Deep oceanic convection: the outsized role of small-scale processes
• Defect categories and their realisation in supersymmetric gauge theory
• Defining the Marine Fisheries-Energy-Environment Nexus: Learning from shocks to enhance natural resource resilience
• Design and fabrication of next generation optical fibres
• Developing a practical application of unmanned aerial vehicle technologies for conservation research and monitoring of endangered wildlife
• Development and evolution of animal biomineral skeletons
• Development of all-in-one in-situ resource utilisation system for crewed Mars exploration missions
• Ecological role of offshore artificial structures
• Effect of embankment and subgrade weathering on railway track performance
• Efficient ‘whole-life’ anchoring systems for offshore floating renewables
• Electrochemical sensing of the sea surface microlayer
• Engagement with nature among children from minority ethnic backgrounds
• Enhancing UAV manoeuvres and control using distributed sensor arrays
• Ensuring the Safety and Security of Autonomous Cyber-Physical Systems
• Environmental and genetic determinants of Brassica crop damage by the agricultural pest Diamondback moth
• Estimating marine mammal abundance and distribution from passive acoustic and biotelemetry data
• Evolution of symbiosis in a warmer world
• Examining evolutionary loss of calcification in coccolithophores
• Explainable AI (XAI) for health
• Explaining process, pattern and dynamics of marine predator hotspots in the Southern Ocean
• Exploring dynamics of natural capital in coastal barrier systems
• Exploring the mechanisms of microplastics incorporation and their influence on the functioning of coral holobionts
• Exploring the potential electrical activity of gut for healthcare and wellbeing
• Exploring the trans-local nature of cultural scene
• Facilitating forest restoration sustainability of tropical swidden agriculture
• Faulting, fluids and geohazards within subduction zone forearcs
• Faulting, magmatism and fluid flow during volcanic rifting in East Africa
• Fingerprinting environmental releases from nuclear facilities
• Flexible hybrid thermoelectric materials for wearable energy harvesting
• Floating hydrokinetic power converter
• Glacial sedimentology associated subglacial hydrology
• Green and sustainable Internet of Things
• How do antimicrobial peptides alter T cell cytokine production?
• How do calcifying marine organisms grow? Determining the role of non-classical precipitation processes in biogenic marine calcite formation
• How do neutrophils alter T cell metabolism?
• How well can we predict future changes in biodiversity using machine learning?
• Hydrant dynamics for acoustic leak detection in water pipes
• If ‘Black Lives Matter’, do ‘Asian Lives Matter’ too? Impact trajectories of organisation activism on wellbeing of ethnic minority communities
• Illuminating luciferin bioluminescence in dinoflagellates
• Imaging quantum materials with an XFEL
• Impact of neuromodulating drugs on gut microbiome homeostasis
• Impact of pharmaceuticals in the marine environment in a changing world
• Impacts of environmental change on coastal habitat restoration
• Improving subsea navigation using environment observations for long term autonomy
• Information theoretic methods for sensor management
• Installation effect on the noise of small high speed fans
• Integrated earth observation mapping change land sea
• Interconnections of past greenhouse climates
• Investigating IgG cell depletion mechanisms
• Is ocean mixing upside down? How mixing processes drive upwelling in a deep-ocean basin
• Landing gear aerodynamics and aeroacoustics
• Lightweight gas storage: real-world strategies for the hydrogen economy
• Long-term change in the benthos – creating robust data from varying camera systems
• Machine learning for multi-robot perception
• Marine ecosystem responses to past climate change and its oceanographic impacts
• Mechanical effects in the surf zone - in situ electrochemical sensing
• Microfluidic cell isolation systems for sepsis
• Migrant entrepreneurship, gender and generation: context and family dynamics in small town Britain
• Miniaturisation in fishes: evolutionary and ecological perspectives
• Modelling high-power fibre laser and amplifier stability
• Modelling soil dewatering and recharge for cost-effective and climate resilient infrastructure
• Modelling the evolution of adaptive responses to climate change across spatial landscapes
• Nanomaterials sensors for biomedicine and/or the environment
• New high-resolution observations of ocean surface current and winds from innovative airborne and satellite measurements
• New perspectives on ocean photosynthesis
• Novel methods of detecting carbon cycling pathways in lakes and their impact on ecosystem change
• Novel technologies for cyber-physical security
• Novel transparent conducting films with unusual optoelectronic properties
• Novel wavelength fibre lasers for industrial applications
• Ocean circulation and the Southern Ocean carbon sink
• Ocean influence on recent climate extremes
• Ocean methane sensing using novel surface plasmon resonance technology
• Ocean physics and ecology: can robots disentangle the mix?
• Ocean-based Carbon Dioxide Removal: Assessing the utility of coastal enhanced weathering
• Offshore renewable energy (ORE) foundations on rock seabeds: advancing design through analogue testing and modelling
• Optical fibre sensing for acoustic leak detection in buried pipelines
• Optimal energy transfer in nonlinear systems
• Optimizing machine learning for embedded systems
• Oxidation of fossil organic matter as a source of atmospheric CO2
• Partnership dissolution and re-formation in later life among individuals from minority ethnic communities in the UK
• Personalized multimodal human-robot interactions
• Preventing disease by enhancing the cleaning power of domestic water taps using sound
• Quantifying riparian vegetation dynamics and flow interactions for Nature Based Solutions using novel environmental sensing techniques
• Quantifying the response and sensitivity of tropical forest carbon sinks to various drivers
• Quantifying variability in phytoplankton electron requirements for carbon fixation
• Resilient and sustainable steel-framed building structures
• Resolving Antarctic meltwater events in Southern Ocean marine sediments and exploring their significance using climate models
• Robust acoustic leak detection in water pipes using contact sound guides
• Silicon synapses for artificial intelligence hardware
• Smart photon delivery via reconfigurable optical fibres
• The Gulf Stream control of the North Atlantic carbon sink
• The Mayflower Studentship: a prestigious fully funded PhD studentship in bioscience
• The calming effect of group living in social fishes
• The duration of ridge flank hydrothermal exchange and its role in global biogeochemical cycles
• The evolution of symmetry in echinoderms
• The impact of early life stress on neuronal enhancer function
• The oceanic fingerprints on changing monsoons over South and Southeast Asia
• The role of iron in nitrogen fixation and photosynthesis in changing polar oceans
• The role of singlet oxygen signaling in plant responses to heat and drought stress
• Time variability on turbulent mixing of heat around melting ice in the West Antarctic
• Triggers and Feedbacks of Climate Tipping Points
• Uncovering the drivers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease progression using patient derived organoids
• Understanding recent land-use change in Snowdonia to plan a sustainable future for uplands: integrating palaeoecology and conservation practice
• Understanding the role of cell motility in resource acquisition by marine phytoplankton
• Understanding the structure and engagement of personal networks that support older people with complex care needs in marginalised communities and their ability to adapt to increasingly ‘digitalised’ health and social care
• Unpicking the Anthropocene in the Hawaiian Archipelago
• Unraveling oceanic multi-element cycles using single cell ionomics
• Unravelling southwest Indian Ocean biological productivity and physics: a machine learning approach
• Using acoustics to monitor how small cracks develop into bursts in pipelines
• Using machine learning to improve predictions of ocean carbon storage by marine life
• Vulnerability of low-lying coastal transportation networks to natural hazards
• Wideband fibre optical parametric amplifiers for Space Division Multiplexing technology
• Will it stick? Exploring the role of turbulence and biological glues on ocean carbon storage
• X-ray imaging and property characterisation of porous materials
• Exchanges and studying abroad
• Postgraduate Taught Diversity Scholarship (Environmental and Life Sciences)
• Southampton Business School Postgraduate UK Scholarship
• Southampton Genomics Talent Scholarship
• Southampton History Patricia Mather and Helen Patterson Scholarship
• Southampton MA Holocaust scholarships
• Southampton Philosophy David Humphris-Norman Scholarship
• Southampton Physics and Astronomy Achievement Scholarship
• GREAT Scholarships 2024 – Greece
• Undergraduate scholarships for UK students
• Winchester School of Art Postgraduate Global Talent Scholarship
• Southampton University Corporate Civil Engineering Scholarship Scheme
• Merit scholarships for international postgraduates
• Merit scholarships for international undergraduates
• Scholarships, awards and funding opportunities
• Becas Chile Scholarship
• Chevening Scholarships
• China Scholarship Council Scholarships
• COLFUTURO Scholarships
• Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships
• Commonwealth Master's Scholarships
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships for high income countries
• Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
• Commonwealth Split-Site Scholarships
• FIDERH Scholarships
• Fulbright Awards
• FUNED Scholarships
• Great Scholarships 2024 – India
• Great Scholarships 2024 – Bangladesh
• Great Scholarships 2024 – Mexico
• Great Scholarships 2024 – Nigeria
• Marshall Scholarship
• Saïd Foundation Scholarships
• British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM
• Xiamen University PhD Scholarships
• GREAT scholarships for justice and law 2024 – Indonesia
• Scholarship terms and conditions
• Southampton Canadian Prestige Scholarship for Law
• Southampton Presidential International Scholarship
• Continuing professional development
• Lunchtime evening and weekend courses
• Summer schools
• Get a prospectus
• Archers Road
• City Gateway
• Erasmus Park
• Highfield Hall
• Orion Point
• Wessex Lane
• Research projects
• Research areas
• Geotechnical Centrifuge
• Maritime Robotics and Instrumentation Laboratory (MRIL)
• Collaborate with us
• Active Living
• Advanced Fibre Applications
• Advanced Laser Laboratory
• Advanced Project Management Research Centre
• Antibody and Vaccine Group
• Astronomy Group
• Autism Community Research Network @ Southampton (ACoRNS)
• Bioarchaeology and Osteoarchaeology at Southampton (BOS)
• Bladder and Bowel Management
• Cell and Developmental Biology
• Centre for Defence and Security Research
• Centre for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
• Centre for Digital Finance
• Centre for Eastern European and Eurasian Studies (CEEES)
• Centre for Empirical Research in Finance and Banking (CERFIB)
• Centre for Geometry, Topology, and Applications
• Centre for Global Englishes
• Centre for Global Health and Policy (GHaP)
• Centre for Health Technologies
• Centre for Healthcare Analytics
• Centre for Human Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration
• Centre for Imperial and Postcolonial Studies
• Centre for Inclusive and Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CISEI)
• Centre for International Film Research (CIFR)
• Centre for International Law and Globalisation
• Centre for Internet of Things and Pervasive Systems
• Centre for Justice Studies
• Centre for Linguistics, Language Education and Acquisition Research
• Centre for Machine Intelligence
• Centre for Maritime Archaeology
• Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Culture (CMRC)
• Centre for Modern and Contemporary Writing (CMCW)
• Centre for Music Education and Social Justice
• Centre for Political Ethnography (CPE)
• Centre for Research in Accounting, Accountability and Governance
• Centre for Research on Work and Organisations
• Centre for Resilient Socio-Technical Systems
• Centre for Transnational Studies
• Child and Adolescent Research Group
• Clinical Ethics, Law and Society (CELS)
• Computational Nonlinear Optics
• Cyber Security Academy
• Data Science Group
• Digital Oceans
• EPSRC and MOD Centre for Doctoral Training in Complex Integrated Systems for Defence and Security
• Economic Theory and Experimental Economics
• Economy, Society and Governance
• Electrical Power Engineering
• Environmental Hydraulics
• Gas Photonics in Hollow Core Fibres 
• Geochemistry
• Global Health (Demography)
• Global Health Community of Practice
• Gravity group
• Healthy Oceans
• High Power Fibre Lasers
• Hollow Core Fibre
• Human Genetics and Genomic Medicine
• Infrastructure Group
• Institute of Maritime Law (IML)
• Integrated Photonic Devices
• Integrative Molecular Phenotyping Centre
• Interdisciplinary Musculoskeletal Health
• International Centre for Ecohydraulics Research (ICER)
• Language Assessment and Testing Unit (LATU)
• Laser-Direct-Write (LDW) Technologies for Biomedical Applications
• Law and Technology Centre
• Long Term Conditions
• Magnetic Resonance
• Mathematical Modelling
• Medicines Management
• Molecular and Precision Biosciences
• Multiwavelength Accretion and Astronomical Transients
• National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC)
• National Centre for Research Methods
• National Infrastructure Laboratory
• Nature-Based Ocean Solutions
• Nonlinear Semiconductor Photonics
• Ocean Perception Group
• Operational Research
• Optical Engineering and Quantum Photonics Group
• Paediatrics and Child Health - Clinical and Experimental Sciences
• People, Property, Community
• Photonic Systems, Circuits and Sensors Group
• Physical Optics
• Primary Care Research Centre
• Product Returns Research Group (PRRG)
• Quantum, Light and Matter Group
• Silica Fibre Fabrication
• Silicon Photonics
• Skin Sensing Research Group
• Southampton Centre for Nineteenth-Century Research
• Southampton Ethics Centre
• Southampton Health Technology Assessments Centre (SHTAC)
• Southampton High Energy Physics group
• Southampton Imaging
• Southampton Theory Astrophysics and Gravity (STAG) Research Centre
• Stefan Cross Centre for Women, Equality and Law
• String theory and holography
• The India Centre for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development
• The Parkes Institute
• Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory
• Ultrafast X-ray Group
• Vision Science
• Work Futures Research Centre (WFRC)
• Support for researchers
• Faculties, schools and departments
• Research jobs
• Find people and expertise
• Why work with us?
• Collaboration
• Consultancy
• Commercialisation
• Use our facilities
• Connect with our students
• How we operate
• Make a business enquiry
• International students
• International Office
• Partnerships and initiatives
• Visiting delegations
• Visiting fellowships
• Departments

Educational Leadership

School of adult & continuing education.

Lincoln University’s Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in Educational Leadership/Principal Certification Program is designed to prepare qualified and effective K-12 school administrators and instructional leaders, produce effective K-12 school principals who can also serve as positive change agents in the community, and develop school leaders with the necessary skills and capacity to improve student learning based upon research, assessment and the implementation of best practices. The Educational Leadership program was developed in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s framework and guidelines for principal preparation programs. Candidates have the option of earning an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (research/non-certification track) or an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership with Principal Certification (certification track).

Program Detail

DELIVERY: Face-to-Face

ACCELERATED or TRADITIONAL: Both     

SCHEDULE: Weeknight Evening

LENGTH: 3 Semesters OR 4 Semesters (Certification)

PROGRAM CREDITS: 36 Credits OR 42 Credits (Certification)

TRACK: Certification and Non-Certification

ENROLLMENT CYCLES: Fall (August) and Spring (January)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 15 (Fall) and November 15 (Spring)

Kyle D. Morris, Class of 2018

Transitioning to Lincoln University for a Masters in Educational Leadership from Cheyney University was seamless. Being a Bond-Hill scholar removed the financial burden, and maintaining the intimate class size cultivated a sense of family. My time at Lincoln prepared me professionally and academically for my current doctoral program in Executive Educational Leadership. 

Degree: Master of Education in Educational Leadership

• EDU 631 Human Resources Management in Education                  
• EDU 632 Ethics in Educational Leadership and Practices
• EDU 634 School Law
• EDU 636 K-12 Educational Administration                             
• EDU 638 Curriculum Design and Instructional Improvement
• EDU 642 Supervision and Instructional in K-12 Schools
• EDU 647 School Finance and Fiscal Affairs
• EDU 656 The Principalship
• EDU 657 Instructional Leadership                                                                             
• EDU 658 School and Community Relations
• EDU 661 Research Methods in Education
• EDU 662 M.Ed. Ed Leadership Thesis Project OR EDU 663 Comprehensive Examination   

Principal Certification

Students must participate in a one-year internship (6 credits) with a mentor principal.  The placement must be in a traditional, charter, or private K-12 school.  Students are also expected to earn passing scores on the School Leaders Licensure Assessment. The principal certification curriculum consists of the following:

• EDU 659 Internship I (3 credits)                                     
• EDU 660 Internship II (3 credits)

Clearance Requirements

Students are required to maintain and provide state clearances as defined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) before matriculation.

• Federal Criminal History Record (FBI)
• Form PDE 6004: Arrest/Conviction Report and Certification Form 
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance
• Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Record
• Tuberculosis (TB) Test Documentation

Admission Requirements

• Submit a free  online application .
• Transcripts: Submit official transcripts for all accredited institutions you have attended and/or from which you earned credit.
• Personal Statement: In 300-500 words, address future goals based on the selected graduate program.
• Letters of Recommendation: Submit two (2) professional letters of recommendation speaking to your character and motivation to work in the education field.
• Résumé: A current professional résumé is required.
• Current Instructional I Certificate (Certification Track Only)

You are strongly encouraged to upload your supplemental documents to your  student portal . You may also email documents to  [email protected] or mail to:

Lincoln University School of Adult and Continuing Education Attention: Office of Admissions 3020 Market Street, Fourth Floor Philadelphia, PA 19104

Transfer Credits

The MED program will accept up to six graduate school credits in the field of Education from an accredited institution, providing each course is completed with a GPA of 3.0 or above.

Tuition and Fees

Lincoln University’s tuition and fees are set annually by the university and remain affordable and competitive.

2020–2021 Academic Year

• Pennsylvania Resident: $567 per credit hour
• Out-of-State Resident: $949 per credit hour

Learn more about tuition and fees online .

Discover federal and state financial aid options that may be available online .

Career Opportunities

Educational Consultant: Education consultants are independent contractors who may find short- or long-term assignments with government agencies, private schools, charter schools, public school districts, or various types of education-related companies.

Adjunct Professor: An adjunct professor is a part-time professor who is hired on a contractual basis.  Most institutions of higher learning hire adjuncts to teach in their various departments.

Coach: Coaching is a process that aims to improve performance and focuses on the present rather than the past or future.  Not only are there traditional coaches, such as in athletics, but there are coaches that support nearly every function that one encounters.  Examples include life coach, personal coach, leadership coach, executive coach.

Corporate Trainer: Training other professionals in a business setting is a way to use your presentation, communication, and leadership skills.

Event Planner: If you are a born planner and love coordinating experiences and projects, you can help make people dream for amazing, memorable events come true. Weddings, business conferences, and product launches are just a few types of events that you might help plan and coordinate.

Sales Manager: Sales professionals drive the revenue that helps businesses meet their growth objectives. Professionals with the right skills and educational background are aggressively pursued by organizations in every industry.

General Management: General management entails complete responsibility, including profit and loss  accountability, for the performance of an entire business or a business unit. A general manager can be the key leader of a company or the head of a division or department within a larger business.  They oversee individuals in charge of various areas and coordinate their activities for the good of the company. 

Director of Education (Private Schools/PreSchools/Non-Traditional Settings): Education directors choose and implement their school or organization’s curricula. They work in schools, colleges, art museums, businesses, and nonprofit organizations

Engagement Officer: Engagement officers typically work in the Office of Institutional Advancement for an institution.  Fundraising is the primary goal in this role.

Meet the Faculty

• Teresa Powell, Ed.M., M.B.A., Ed.D. – Chair and Assitant Professor
• Patricia Lewis-West, Ed.D. – Associate Professor
• Admasu Tucho, Ed.D. – Associate Professor
• Dr. LaToya Joseph – Assistant Professor

Apply Now Request More Information Contact Us

Questions? Please contact us!

Apply Bursar Campus Locations Financial Aid Forms Re-enroll Application Veterans

Office of Admissions

Adult-Learner Programs Graduate Programs How to Apply Request More Information

• Curriculum and Instruction Master's
• Reading Masters
• Reading Certificate
• TESOL Master's
• TESOL Certificate
• Educational Administration Master’s
• Educational Administration Certificate
• Autism Master's
• Autism Certificate
• Leadership in Special and Inclusive Education Certificate
• High Incidence Disabilities Master's
• Secondary Special Education and Transition Master's
• Secondary Special Education and Transition Certificate
• Virtual Learning Resources
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Video Gallery
• Financial Aid

Write a Compelling Graduate School Personal Statement

Writing a personal statement when applying to graduate school can be daunting. There are a lot of guides that dictate rules on structure, form and content that often do more harm than good. This post offers advice on how to write a personal statement rather than inflexible “rules” that may help you produce your best work by maintain your original voice. The universities are, after all, looking to hear from you.

• Just start writing. For many of us, writing a personal statement can be a torturous process to begin. Once we get in the swing of things, it become a lot easier, but that first sentence is a battle in and of itself. Try not to get too caught up on this first step. If you just start typing, you can always come back to the beginning to edit and refine your writing.
• Be honest, sincere and original. Universities receive thousands of applications every year and appreciate personal statements that reflect personality and sincerity. While it is always worthwhile to read personal statement guidelines, do not feel compelled to stick to a rigid form. If you think you have something interesting to add, or something that will help you stand out as a candidate for the program, add it!
• Be specific. Stay focused on your goals. A personal statement is supposed to illustrate your reasons for pursuing a certain program and it is important to build your narrative around that. Clearly show why you should be a part of this program and try not to get sidelined by tangential anecdotes.
• Monitor the logistics. Be concise and direct. Proofread! Avoid using long, run-on sentences and make sure you haven’t misspelled anything. Small mistakes leave big impressions and can be easily avoided with a little attention to detail.
• Project your enthusiasm. Above all, convey your enthusiasm for your intended field of study as much as possible. Whether this is through writing about your past experiences or by demonstrating a marked interest in a specific area of your field, an informed personal statement will make a strong impression.

Return to Blog

IMPORTANT DATES

KU Online M.S.E. Programs Application Workshop Tuesday, April 16, 6-7 p.m. CT | Register

STAY CONNECTED

Link to twitter Link to facebook Link to youtube Link to instagram

The University of Kansas has engaged Everspring , a leading provider of education and technology services, to support select aspects of program delivery.

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, retaliation, gender identity, gender expression and genetic information in the University's programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and is the University's Title IX Coordinator: the Executive Director of the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, [email protected] , 1246 W. Campus Road, Room 153A, Lawrence, KS, 66045, (785) 864-6414 , 711 TTY.

Browser does not support script.

Educational Leadership and Management MA

• Full-time: 12 months
• Part-time: Not available
• Start date: September 2024
• UK fees: £9,700
• International fees: £25,250
• Entry requirements: 2:1

Course overview

Our MA Educational Leadership and Management is designed for professionals in the education sector seeking to enhance their knowledge and skills in leadership and management.

Education is the foundation of any society, but leading an educational team or organisation can be complex. That's why our course aims to equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the challenges of leadership and management in a variety of educational contexts.

Through the analysis of the latest theories and issues, you will conduct research that drives development and enhances your professional practice, enabling you to make a positive impact within your classroom or educational organisation. Our course is ideal for those seeking to move into or progress in educational leadership roles.

Much of the research that influences this course is conducted by those teaching it. Their expertise and academic knowledge allows you to analyse different leadership approaches and explore how they could relate to your own practice. A key focus of the course is supporting practice-based inquiry and applying it to the way you work.

We also offer a distance learning version of this course - MA Educational Leadership and Management (Online)

We also welcome approaches from educational organisations looking for a bespoke programme for their staff.

Student profile

View our student profile to see what Afiya says about her experience on the course and how it has helped with her career.

Why choose this course?

in the world for education

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024

Learn from experts

who are internationally recognised for their research in this area

Over 100 years

of experience in the field of education

Excellent research

The majority of our research outputs are assessed as internationally excellent.

Research Excellence Framework

Course content

The taught element of this course is made up of four 30-credit modules, plus a 60-credit dissertation. It can be completed over one year full-time. 

Dr Kevin Richardson (contact for academic queries)

• Course structure
• Example timetable

Core modules

This module is designed to meet your varying needs. Such needs may have been identified prior to joining the course, through the process of self and organisational analysis, or through ongoing reflection on individual and organisational need throughout the course.

This module will address the nature and practice of leadership in education. It will look at six themes:

• Concepts of leadership
• Leadership qualities, behaviours and competencies
• Power and authority
• Organisational cultures and distributed leadership
• Professional development

The module will address the essential features of effective learning, as relevant to your sector by examining:

• the process of learning
• supporting learning (for example, through adults, peers and technology) both within and beyond the educational organisation
• an overview of approaches to improvement and raising achievement in educational organisations
• monitoring and evaluation of learning: the use of data, target-setting, monitoring

The content will involve you in active critical consideration of participating in and leadership of practitioner inquiry in relation to professional context mapping and workplace learning.

These processes will be achieved through:

• conceptualising different kinds of practitioner inquiry relevant to work-based understanding and development (purposes, processes, contexts, dilemmas, outcomes)
• examining a range of approaches to educational inquiry, with an emphasis on action research
• developing an inquiry into your professional context

This involves the researching and writing of a substantive piece of scholarship within the field of the course.

You will choose a topic in consultation with your course leader and an appropriate supervisor. The topic will normally be based on interests and skills you have developed in the course of the modules already studied.

You can  view an example PDF timetable , however this is subject to change year on year and your live timetable will be available via the online timetable system.

Learning and assessment

How you will learn.

• Group study

Your learning will be supported by:

• tutors with a breadth and depth of knowledge, understanding and skills developed through experience in the field
• interactive and collaborative teaching methods promoting shared enquiry
• emphasis on formative feedback to support you to successfully complete assessments
• access to extensive study materials from libraries and online sources

How you will be assessed

• Dissertation

Each 30-credit module is assessed by a 6,000-word written assignment. To complete the masters, you must achieve a pass of 50% on each assignment.

The 15,000-word dissertation is an original piece of work and should be related to one of the selected modules on an approved topic.

Contact time and study hours

Each module requires an equivalent of 30 hours of teaching, plus 270 hours of independent study, assignment preparation and tutorial support.

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.

• Home / UK students
• EU / International students

Alternative qualifications

Applicants with a 2:2 degree and three or more years full-time relevant professional experience in education-related positions can be considered. Relevant professional work experience includes those with experience in teaching or a role directly engaged with education.

Other requirements A personal statement is required that demonstrates both a clear understanding of the course and relevant motivation for pursuing educational leadership and management studies. Please outline clear aspirations for a leadership or management role within education or educational governance. This should include details of any professional experience that is relevant to the course in education or that can be applied to an educational setting.

Meeting our English language requirements

If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a presessional English course. Presessional courses teach you academic skills in addition to English language. Our  Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

For on-campus presessional English courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations. For online presessional courses, see our CELE webpages for guidance

Visa restrictions

International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

We recognise that applicants have a variety of experiences and follow different pathways to postgraduate study.

We treat all applicants with alternative qualifications on an individual basis. We may also consider relevant work experience.

If you are unsure whether your qualifications or work experience are relevant, contact us .

Recognition of other Learning (ROL)

If you have prior learning or experience at an appropriate level, you may apply for exemption from some of the credit requirements of the course. Applications for ROL should be made at the time of application for admission to the university and  at least four weeks before the start of the course . Applications for ROL are processed free of charge.  Late applications will not be considered.  Please visit the  School of Education ROL pages  for full information and how to apply.

Our step-by-step guide covers everything you need to know about applying.

Where you will learn

Jubilee campus.

Jubilee Campus has eco-friendly buildings, alongside green spaces, wildlife and a lake. 

This campus is home to our business, education and computer science schools, as well as a sports centre and student accommodation.

You can walk to  University Park Campus  in around 20 minutes or catch a free hopper bus. Nottingham city centre is 20 minutes away by public bus.

Additional information for international students

If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) .

These fees are for full-time study. If you are studying part-time, you will be charged a proportion of this fee each year (subject to inflation).

Additional costs

All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus. For more information, please check the equipment advice .

As a student on this course, we do not anticipate any extra significant costs, alongside your tuition fees and living expenses.

You should be able to access most of the books you’ll need through our libraries, though you may wish to purchase your own copies, which you would need to factor into your budget.

There are many ways to fund your postgraduate course, from scholarships to government loans.

We also offer a range of international masters scholarships for high-achieving international scholars who can put their Nottingham degree to great use in their careers.

Check our guide to find out more about funding your postgraduate degree.

• Careers advice
• Job prospects

We offer individual careers support for all postgraduate students .

Expert staff can help you research career options and job vacancies, build your CV or résumé, develop your interview skills and meet employers.

Each year 1,100 employers advertise graduate jobs and internships through our online vacancy service. We host regular careers fairs, including specialist fairs for different sectors.

International students who complete an eligible degree programme in the UK on a student visa can apply to stay and work in the UK after their course under the Graduate immigration route . Eligible courses at the University of Nottingham include bachelors, masters and research degrees, and PGCE courses.

Graduate destinations

Career destinations for School of Education graduates include education advisers, language tutors, primary/secondary teachers, vocational/industrial trainers and instructors and those working in the caring professions including counsellors.

A number of our graduates are already in employment while undertaking part-time study for professional development in their chosen career.

Career progression

87.8% of postgraduates from the School of Education secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual salary for these graduates was £26,130.*

* HESA Graduate Outcomes 2019/20 data published in 2022. The Graduate Outcomes % is derived using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time, postgraduate, home graduates within the UK.

Related courses

Educational leadership and management (online) ma, education ma, education (online) ma.

The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is a national grading system, introduced by the government in England. It assesses the quality of undergraduate teaching at universities and how well they ensure excellent outcomes for their students in terms of graduate-level employment or further study.

This content was last updated on Monday 11 March 2024. Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate, but changes are likely to occur given the interval between the date of publishing and course start date. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply.

• Enroll & Pay
• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Current Faculty

Educational Leadership & Policy (Ph.D.) Statement of Purpose

Please describe your interests and commitment to the goals and curriculum of the ELPS Ph.D. program. It is recommended that you address your personal and academic background and your scholarly and related professional goals. You also could explain a specific research interest or a faculty member with whom you want to work. It is important that you thoroughly address your preferred area of specialization in the ELPS program and explain reasons why you would be a good fit (e.g., education policy, social and cultural studies of education, higher education administration, and educational leadership).

In addition, please address any life experiences that have shaped your decision to pursue a doctorate, along with personal experiences or achievements that would help you contribute to the ELPS program; to KU’s mission for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusiveness; and to your professional aspirations once you complete the degree.