Enriching your Education Life
Are you a recent college graduate or professional looking to advance your career in education? Look no further than Ashland University’s highly regarded graduate education programs.
We respond to the career goals of professionals through:
- Alternative scheduling options, including fast-track courses
- A focus on highly practical knowledge and skills
- Dedicated faculty and graduate advisors to help you succeed
Graduate Education Program Benefits
Strengths of our graduate education programs include:
- Quality Programs. Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), our graduate program faculty are proven practitioners who provide a balance of theory and practice in the classroom.
- Convenient Locations. Programs are offered at the Ashland campus as well as regional centers located in Columbus and Elyria, Ohio. Courses are provided at the centers, online and in hybrid formats that combine face-to-face and online instruction.
- Personalized Attention. Each graduate student benefits from small class sizes, individualized attention and quality instruction.
College Credit Plus Teacher Credentialing Pathways
Enhance your career and enrich the educational journey of your students through teaching College Credit Plus courses. By becoming CCP credentialed, you help your students get a head start on college while enhancing your professional profile.
Program costs for CCP teacher credentialing may be eligible for coverage through Ohio's Teacher Credentialing Grant Program. We recommend checking with your school district or educational service center to inquire about funding availability.
M.Ed. Programs
Mastering Your Education
Are you a practicing educator looking to advance your career? If so, the Master of Education (M.Ed.) programs at Ashland University’s Dwight Schar College of Education might be for you. Our programs are among the largest programs in the state of Ohio. Each one is focused on enhancing your education to make you the best educator you can be.
The innovative M.Ed. Educational Leadership + Administrative License program features relevant topics that help you become an educational leader of the future. It’s one of the only programs in the nation that specializes in school safety.
The M.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction program features concentrations in:
The M.Ed. in Adult Education at Ashland University will help you advance the practice of learning and teaching to increase adult achievement.
Licensure Programs
Ashland University’s unique programs prepare educators for licensure in the state of Ohio. All programs that lead to licensure are accredited at the state and national levels.
A program for currently licensed teachers seeking to teach in grades K-12 with mild/moderate educational needs in a variety of settings. Rigorous coursework focuses on creating effective learning environments, special education laws and policies, teaching career and daily living skills, assessing and teaching children with mild/moderate educational needs, and more.
Do you already have a bachelor's degree? Through our Bachelor’s Plus initial licensure program, you can achieve your teaching license in as little as two years.
This license will help you expand your knowledge and skills in the area of educational leadership, and allow you to pursue a position in building leadership, perhaps as a building principal, assistant principal, or athletic director.
Are you an Ohio school administrator who wants to gain additional knowledge and skills in order to become an effective school district leader? Our post-master’s School Superintendent Licensure program is for you.
This license will help you expand your knowledge and skills in the area of educational leadership, and allow you to pursue a position in building leadership, perhaps as a building principal, assistant principal or athletic director.
Endorsement Programs
Enhance the Value of Your Degree
Grow your lifetime earning potential and complete one of Ashland University’s endorsement programs today!
The Gifted Intervention Specialist Endorsement prepares you to teach gifted and talented students, and supervise and improve programs for gifted and talented students in Ohio K-12 schools. Completing this 18-hour program will teach you the eight Ohio Department of Education Teacher Competencies and prepare you for the Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Gifted Education test (053).
Qualifies you to teach students under the provisions of the Ohio Third Year Guarantee. It consists of 15 semester hours of graduate coursework. You must have completed 12 hours of literacy coursework (undergraduate or graduate), including an approved phonics course, prior to beginning your program.
The Technology Director Endorsement is an 18-credit hour endorsement including an updated curriculum that is ISTE-accredited and aligned to professional technology standards. You will be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to teach technology applications. Ashland University students have a 100% pass rate on the OAE Computer/Tech I & II subtests.
This 15-hour Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Endorsement is tailored to prepare you to meet the needs of English Language Learners and students with limited English proficiency in the classrooms. The program will help you gain instructional knowledge, assessment skills, and a deep understanding of cultural and linguistic diversity.
Certificate Programs
This certificate in TESOL (12 credit hours) is for graduate students who plan to teach students abroad or adult ESL students. It is not designed for PK-12 teaching in the United States. The program also serves students with an undergraduate or graduate degree who are seeking specific training to improve their employment prospects where language, culture, and communication are concerned. Course content provides graduate-level instruction in the areas of: English language structure and usage, diverse linguistic learners; the processes of 2nd language learning, lesson, and materials development; and classroom methodologies and assessment in TESOL. No internship or state required exam for the certificate .
This certificate in Gifted (15 hours) serves students with an undergraduate or graduate degree who are seeking specific training to improve their employment prospects where teaching the gifted and talented is concerned. Course content provides graduate-level instruction in the areas of: the nature and needs of the gifted; curriculum development for gifted students; programs and supervision issues in gifted education; guidance and counseling of the gifted; and creativity studies for teachers of the gifted. No internship or state required exam for the certificate.
This certificate in Technology (18 credit hours) serves students with an undergraduate or graduate degree who are seeking specific training to improve their employment prospects where educational technology is concerned. Course content provides graduate-level instruction in the areas of: networking and technology infrastructure; instructional design for technology integration; the social, cultural and political aspects to technology use in education; designing and implementing professional development in technology; and organization and transformational change through technology. No internship or state required exam for the certificate.
Doctoral Program
Ashland University Hybrid Doctoral Program
With a Doctorate in Leadership Studies from Ashland University, the possibilities are endless.
Ashland University’s interdisciplinary Doctorate in Leadership Studies program is designed to enhance your leadership capacity. It combines theory and practice with individual mentoring and applied research to train you into a reflective, ethical and effective leader for maximized career opportunities.
Admission procedures for doctoral programs are designed to recruit the highest quality professionals, representative of a culturally diverse population. A comprehensive system, including both qualitative and quantitative measures, is used to assess personal characteristics, academic skills, communications and leadership. Acceptance into the doctoral program is by cohort and is based upon a competitive evaluation of applications.
The Doctoral Admission and Retention Committee reviews the credentials of each candidate. (See Admissions Requirements for a complete list of items needed to apply). Finalists who qualify will be invited for an interview with members of the Admission and Retention Committee. Interviews occur approximately 2-4 weeks after each application deadline.
All cohorts begin in May each year, however, prospective students can apply when it is most convenient for them. This allows students to begin taking cognate courses if they prefer to get a jump start.
Application Options
Applications for both the doctoral program in leadership studies are accepted on a rolling basis. Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview after a review of their application by the doctoral programs Admissions and Retention Committee.