MEd in Educational Leadership

Reimagining Professional Practice

Degree Description

The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program is a comprehensive and transformative Education Program that embraces a holistic and integral perspective throughout its learning structure. With a deep understanding of the central role education plays in the forming and development of culture, this program instills a sense of purpose and responsibility in aspiring educational leaders, preparing them for professional paths in coaching, facilitation, and leadership.

Focused on key contexts such as Developmental Coaching, Expressive and Movement Arts, Health Coaching, Collective Trauma and Social Healing, Transformative Leadership, Transformative Learning, and Organizational Development, this program goes beyond mere academic training. It recognizes that education cannot be limited to the transmission of information alone but acknowledges the need to develop the “vessel” of that information—the whole person, also. By nurturing this whole person perspective, our students have the opportunity to develop and grow on multiple levels, enabling them to respond to complexity challenges with grounded flexibility and creative problem-solving capabilities.

At the heart of this program is the understanding that education has the potential to create positive social impact with long-lasting and wide-ranging effects. Through transformative learning experiences, students are encouraged to question existing paradigms, challenge conventional wisdom, and explore innovative approaches to education to realize the positive impact they can have as educational leaders in the areas of Developmental Coaching, Expressive and Movement Arts, Health Coaching, and more.

This program equips individuals with the necessary tools and capabilities to support the development from their vocation to their profession, enabling them to make a lasting difference in the field of education and the world at large, especially in the context of Collective Trauma and Social Healing, Transformative Leadership, Transformative Learning, and Organizational Development.

The MEd in Educational Leadership program emphasizes the development of ethical leadership qualities and the promotion of diversity and cultural development. By nurturing the imagination, fostering self-awareness, and cultivating emotional intelligence, this program empowers individuals to become compassionate and empathetic educational leaders who can navigate complex challenges with integrity and wisdom. It recognizes the importance of human development, meaning making, and the integration of knowledge and values in the educational process. Through this comprehensive approach, the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program prepares individuals to become catalysts for positive change in the world, dedicated to creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all, with a strong focus on the professional paths of coaching, facilitation, and leadership.

A Life-Changing Scholarship Opportunity

If you've ruled out a graduate degree for financial reasons, think again. Meridian's Impact Scholarships go beyond what you may have come to expect from financial aid. Apply today and explore how a transformative graduate experience could accelerate your professional goals.

Apply for an Impact Scholarship

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"The result of the educative process is capacity for further education."

John Dewey

Educational Objectives

To cultivate leadership capacities that further professional engagement in education.
To develop creative inquiry practices and skills.
To develop competencies required to facilitate transformative learning with an understanding of human development across multiple domains of practice and levels of human systems.
To acquire competencies entailed in guiding human development in the context of cultural evolution and transformation.
To acquire the competencies entailed in developing curricula that promote diversity and generative processes within learning communities.

At A Glance

Applications Accepted:

Quarterly

Highest Degree Required:

Bachelors

Learning Formats:

Hybrid & Online

Program Length:

18-24 Months

Total Credits Required:

64 Credits

Cost Per Credit:

$676

Accreditation:

WASC

Graduation Requirements

Students are expected to complete 64 credits (640 hours).
Students are expected to complete a Creative Action Project (capstone).
Students have a maximum of five (5) years from their initial date of enrollment to complete this degree.

Admission Requirements

A Bachelor's degree is required for admission to Meridian's graduate degree programs.
Students submit an online application form along with documents such as official transcripts, a personal statement, and letters of recommendation. The Admissions Committee reviews all applications and invites select applicants to proceed to an interview. More information is available on the Application Process page.
All students are expected to be proficient in the English language as all instruction at Meridian is offered in English.

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Academic Structure

Meridian’s academic structure gives students the flexibility to navigate the University’s curricular architecture in ways that match their passions, professional goals, and other life commitments.

The structure is designed to serve a diverse student body, who live around the globe, have varied cultural and clinical visions for their careers, and are at different stages in their professional journey.

Students enroll in a degree program, can elect a concentration, and register for one or multiple courses each quarter. In addition to core courses for the specific degree program and anchor courses that represent the Transformative Learning intent of Meridian’s curriculum, students select elective courses that align with their Meridian concentration, background, and career path.

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Learning Formats

Meridian's graduate degree programs are offered in two formats, Hybrid and Online. Each quarter, students take one or multiple seven-week online courses. This schedule provides students with time between quarters to rest, engage, and prepare.

The University's multiple format options are designed to enable students to pursue their graduate education at a flexible pace, combining asynchronous coursework via the University's custom social learning platform, live course video calls with faculty, synchronous student community engagement, and optional onsite or online Transformative Learning Labs in-person.

Students can optionally select Transformative Learning Lab dates, locations, and formats based on their learning style, personal interests, and professional aspirations, if they choose to, based on availability of offerings.

Online Format

In Meridian's online learning format, students can complete 100% of their coursework degree requirements online, via Meridian’s unique online learning platform and faculty-led learning model. Meridian’s online format is designed to be highly engaging and deeply human. Students build connections with faculty and fellow graduate students while taking advantage of the flexibility built-in to the University’s online courses model.

Online Transformative Learning Labs are also optionally available (often multiple times a year), sometimes as a 3+ hour live class, and sometimes over multiple days.

Hybrid Format

Meridian’s hybrid learning format combines online courses with optional onsite Transformative Learning Labs which are one-week or less. By combining Meridian’s innovative online education methodologies with rich video calls and deep onsite connections, the hybrid format enables students to contribute locally and perceive globally.

When offered, Onsite Labs take place at Meridian’s San Francisco Bay Area Center and other University Centers, based on student interest and availability.

Concentrations Available

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Interested in learning more about the programs at Meridian?

Contact An Advisor »Attend an Info Session »

Introducing Unique Impact Scholarships

Available to Meridian University students worldwide, Meridian University's Impact Scholarships represent the University's commitment to supporting graduates to take transformative action in the fields of Business, Education, Leadership, and Psychology.

The Meridian Social Entrepreneurship Scholarship
The Meridian Developmental Coaching Scholarship
The Meridian Collective Trauma Transformation Scholarship

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Accreditation and Financial Aid

Meridian University is a degree-granting higher education institution accredited by the Senior Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). As an accreditor, WASC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. WASC is also an accreditor of the University of California, Berkeley, UCLA, and Stanford University.

Meridian is approved by the U.S. Department of Education for participation in the Federal Student Aid programs as well as by the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs for the training of veterans and other eligible persons.

The University is approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide form I-20 to eligible international students, enabling travel to and stay in the United States.

Meridian offers institutional financial aid to qualified international students.