Curriculum and Instruction, Master of Education (M.Ed.) - Teacher Leadership Emphasis (non-teacher education certification): Program Admissions

The Curriculum and Instruction Masters of Education (M.Ed.), Teacher Leadership Emphasis supports already certified beginning teachers and experienced educators in developing a sound common grounding in aspects of teaching and inquiry. The program emphasizes advanced professional development studies, which supports experienced teachers as accomplished professionals and instructional leaders. Specializations include:

NOTE:  New students will not be admitted to the TLPL Teacher Leadership M.Ed. option in 2020, with the exception of TESOL and World Languages.  Prospective students might consider our M.A. option as an alternative.

Specific Program Option Goals 

  1. Support teachers’ integration of studies of subject matter, pedagogy, research and theory to build on their individual strengths and needs in relation to a vision of accomplished practice (e.g., National Board for Professional Teacher Standards) and to be responsive to school contexts.

  2. Promote teachers’ abilities to engage in the careful analysis of and reflection on their own and others’ teaching as a basis for continuing growth as a professional. 

  3. Develop teachers’ knowledge, abilities, and dispositions to engage in inquiry into curriculum, teaching, and students’ learning as a basis for sound decision-making in the classroom and for leadership roles in schools. 

  4. Enhance teachers’ understanding of topics and issues on practices and policies that support effective classroom practice, including courses that focus on student learning, assessment, diversity, inclusion, social justice, and/or technology. 

Program Flexibility 
This M.Ed. program is specifically designed to accommodate the academic teaching schedules of educators by offering flexibility for: 

  • Completion in two to five years, depending upon the course load each semester 

  • Candidates to conduct independent action research in their own instructional settings/classrooms 

  • Scheduling courses after school hours and in 3 to 6-week summer sessions 

  • Programs that are individually designed according to the needs and interests of each student.  

For information on graduate admission please visit Graduate Admissions. Select an area of interest from the various offerings in the College of Education to determine the admission requirements and deadlines.  If you are unsure of your area of interest you may request information by submitting an Inquiry Form.  

Please refer to the Guide to Applying for instructions on how to apply for graduate admission. International applicants, please visit the International admissions webpage for additional information.  If you have questions or concerns, we ask you to first review our list of  Frequently Asked Questions

For questions about the application process, or to check on the completion of your application, please contact Kay Moon, TLPL Graduate Coordinator, at (301) 405-3118 or kmoon@umd.edu

For questions related to the admissions process, prospective students may contact Kay Moon, TLPL Graduate Coordinator, at (301) 405-3118 or kmoon@umd.edu.  For academic advising on the M.Ed. with emphasis in teacher and leadership, please contact the appropriate program coordinator:

  • Art Education and Arts Integration: Dr. Margaret Walker
  • Elementary/Middle School: Dr. John O'Flahavan
  • English Literacy Education: Dr. Wayne Slater
  • History and Social Studies Education: Alison Jovanovic
    Email Address: ajovanov@umd.edu
  • Mathematics Education: Dr. Andrew Brantlinger
  • Reading Education: Dr. Ayanna Baccus
  • Science Education: Dr. Daniel Levin
  • TESOL, non-certification: Dr. Drew Fagan
  • World Languages, non-certification: Dr. Perla Blejer

Financial assistance for graduate study is generally divided into two categories: 

  • Merit-Based Assistance  and Need-Based Assistance  
    • Fellowships and Scholarships Loans  
    • Graduate Assistantships 

For more details about the various types of financial assistance offered by the campus please visit the Office of Student Financial Aid.

There are also a number of fellowships and scholarships offered through the College of Education, the University, and through external sources which may provide tuition support and/or living allowance. Students must apply for these awards on their own, but the links that follow provide valuable information on searching for fellowships and scholarships. 

For more information concerning fellowships and scholarships, please visit: 

The College of Education's Scholarship webpage 

The University's Scholarships webpage

The Graduate Fellowship Office webpage

Applicants are encouraged to contact the Hobson’s online application’s helpdesk for any technical issues.  

For questions related to the admissions process, prospective students may contact Kay Moon, TLPL Graduate Coordinator, at (301) 405-3118 or kmoon@umd.edu. For Program-specific questions, prospective students may contact one of the following program coordinators: 

Art Education and Arts Integration

Margaret Walker  
Phone: 301-405-8206 
Email Address: mwalker8@umd.edu 

Elementary/Middle School  

John O'Flahavan 
Phone: 301-405-3149 
Email Address: johno@umd.edu 

English Literacy Education 

Wayne Slater 
Phone: 301-405-3128 
Email Address: wslater@umd.edu 

History and Social Studies Education

Alison Jovanovic
Email Address: ajovanov@umd.edu

Mathematics Education

Andrew Brantlinger  
Phone:301-405-3151 
Email Address: amb@umd.edu 

Reading Education

Ayanna Baccus  
Phone: 301-405-1943 
Email Address: baccusa@umd.edu 

Science Education

Daniel Levin 
Phone: 301-405-8345 
Email Address: dlevin2@umd.edu 

TESOL, non-certification

Drew Fagan 
Phone: 301-405-4416 
Email Address: dfagan@umd.edu 

World Languages, non-certification

Perla Blejer 
Phone: 301-405-7091 
Email Address: pblejer@umd.edu