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Online Master of Arts in Education
Keep ahead of the fast-changing classroom. Invest in your future.
Investing in your education is an investment in your students — and in your own future. The fully online Master of Arts in Education (MAED) at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota helps you grow as an educator while building knowledge and skills that can benefit you throughout your career.
Designed for working educators, the MAED, offered through the School of Education, helps you deepen your teaching practice and respond to the evolving needs of today’s students. You’ll strengthen your understanding of high-quality instruction, child development, and student success while gaining practical strategies to create socially and emotionally healthy learning environments where every learner can thrive.
Earning your master’s degree can also be an important step in your professional and financial growth. Many school districts offer salary lane advancement for advanced education, and earning your master’s earlier in your career may allow you to benefit from that investment for years to come.
At Saint Mary’s, our Catholic Lasallian mission is woven into everything we do. You’ll grow not only in knowledge and skill, but also as a compassionate, ethical educator prepared to lead with purpose in your classroom, school, and community.
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Customize your degree.
Curriculum and Instruction - Standard Program
Explore effective classroom management methods and culturally responsive teaching practices. Delve into curriculum design, considering diverse learners and designing unit plans aligned with the goals specific to your teaching content area. Additionally, compare tools for evaluating and assessing student performance, and discover strategies to deepen learning and develop higher-level thinking skills for all students.
Custom specialization for Educate Pathways Students Only
Through a partnership with Educate Pathways, Wisconsin teachers and administrators can apply credits from the Project Teaching, 10 Sped, and WiscAd programs toward the Saint Mary’s M.A. in Education program. Gain the skills and confidence to prepare for Wisconsin state licensure while saving time and money. Start in September, January, or May, and create a personalized completion plan with your program director.
Lasallian education
This concentration is open to participants of The Buttimer Institute of Lasallian Studies (Buttimer) and The Brother John Johnston Institute of Contemporary Lasallian Practice (JJI). Saint Mary’s is pleased to offer a scholarship for participants in the Buttimer and JJI program. Tuition for the Lasallian Education concentration (15 credits) is $100 per credit.
Participants will earn 15 graduate credits during their participation in Buttimer or JJI through completing additional requirements with a Saint Mary’s instructor. Participants must complete the 15-credit core curriculum of the M.A. in Education program to complete the degree.
Online M.A. in Education program highlights
- Online, asynchronous curriculum and instruction
- Gain relevant skills you can apply right away in your classroom, including classroom management, student support, and educational practice enhancements
- See if your district is part of our Trusted Partnership Program, offering scholarships through partnerships with numerous school districts.
What you’ll learn
- Supporting student growth and understanding child development
- Techniques to demonstrate educational leadership
- Curriculum, instructional design and assessment
- Effective classroom and learning environment management strategies
- Developing and analyzing assessments
- Enhance critical thinking skills to support teaching reasoning and information literacy
Information sessions
The right tools for the classroom.
Learn about how the online master’s degree program gave Rebecca Beaufeaux “more tools in her toolbox” to help children return to school after being virtual due to the pandemic.
Admissions to our M.A. in Education program
Ready to apply to our master of education program? Learn about taking the next steps.
General Requirements
- Applicants may apply for admission to master’s degree and graduate certificate programs at any time during the year.
- Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution and maintained an overall grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale.
- Applicants must demonstrate the language proficiency necessary for successful graduate coursework.
Prerequisite Coursework and Experience
No prior experience is necessary beyond an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution
GMAT and GRE Exam Scores
GMAT and GRE scores are not required.
Transfer Credits
Students may transfer a maximum of six semester credits earned before admittance upon recommendation of the program director and with approval of the dean.
All transfer credits are also subject to both graduate school and programmatic criteria.
English Language Proficiency
Students with transcripts from universities located outside of the United States, unless from a waiver country listed here, are required to take and pass English Proficiency testing.
Saint Mary’s accepts:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 4 (formerly 72)
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum score of 6.0
- Duolingo with a minimum score of 105
- International Test of English Proficiency (ITEP) with a minimum score of 4.0
- Pearson Test of English with a score of 51
- EIKEN with a minimum of Pre-1
- Manchester Exam with a minimum score of 360
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit the following:
1. Completed application form.
2. An official transcript(s) issued to Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota from the institution posting the applicant’s completed bachelor’s degree and other relevant transcripts documenting program prerequisites and potential transfer credits. (An official transcript is one that is sent to the university by the credit-granting institution.)
Saint Mary’s can order and cover the cost of transcripts from institutions that allow third-party requests for eligible degree-seeking applicants. Contact your enrollment counselor for more information.
Transcripts from countries other than the U.S. must be evaluated on a course by course basis by a university accepted evaluation service, such as World Education Services, Educational Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, One Earth International Credential Evaluators or any approved member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES.org) and be deemed equivalent to accredited U.S. university standards.
Application Materials should be directed to the Office of Admission
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
2500 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404
Or electronically: tcadmission@smumn.edu
Application Deadlines
Fall semester term 1 – August 1
Fall semester term 2 – October 1
Spring semester term 1 – December 1
Spring semester term 2 – February 1
Summer semester term 1 – April 1
Summer semester term 2 – June 1The priority application deadlines are listed but these are general as not all of our programs have a start every semester
Notice of Acceptance
You can expect to be notified about your acceptance approximately two weeks following your application completion date.
Explore options to finance your education.
We’re committed to making your investment in your graduate program as accessible and affordable as possible. Our counselors will guide you to find a financial aid plan that works for you. Explore all the ways to help pay for your master of education degree.
Course catalog
In addition to foundational coursework, you’ll take courses such as:
- How Children Learn
- Effective Instruction
- Creating A Healthy Classroom
- Reflection and Resiliency in My Life
See all the courses you’ll take and requirements in the catalog.
Careers
Our online M.Ed. degree program can help leverage your career and become a master teacher and educational leader.
Instructional coach
-Curriculum specialist
-Education consultant
-Lead teacher
-Professional development coordinator
-Discover articles on career outcomes and see how Saint Mary’s programs can help you reach your goals.
Visit the blogRelated programs
Discover the power to empower with Saint Mary’s advanced degree programs in both elementary education and secondary education.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will earning a master's degree increase my salary as a teacher?
Many school districts use salary schedules that recognize advanced education, meaning earning a master’s degree may qualify you for movement to a higher salary lane. Salary structures vary by district, so we encourage you to review your district’s salary schedule to understand how earning an MAED could affect your compensation.
When is the best time in my teaching career to earn a master's degree?
There’s no single right time, but earning your master’s earlier in your career may allow you to benefit from advanced education for more of your working years. You’ll also gain knowledge and practical strategies you can apply in your classroom right away.
Do I need to want to become a school administrator to earn an MAED?
No. The MAED is designed for educators who want to strengthen their teaching practice and expand their impact. You can apply what you learn directly in your classroom while building knowledge and credentials that can support your long-term professional growth.
What support services are available? Writing Centers, libraries, career help?
At Saint Mary’s, we want you to succeed, and we help you do so, inside and outside of the classroom:
Student Central: Your one stop for student services.
Library: Resources and services are available 24/7 to all students.
Writing Center: Offers virtual and face-to-face services to support students.
Career Services: Can help you develop your career-readiness skills at any point in your education.
Are there financial aid or scholarships available?
Yes, there are federal loan forgiveness programs for teachers, state programs, as well as financial aid and scholarships.
Is the master's program fully online?
Yes, it is fully online asynchronous with synchronous opportunities throughout the program.
Do I have to do a thesis or a research project?
As your final culminating project you will write an action research paper. This consists of an analysis of a district (or school) initiative and designing an appropriate classroom-level lesson for your students. Upon completion of your project, you will present your findings to your cohort.
Can I just do the specializations?
We offer a 15-credit graduate certificate in Mental Health in Education.
Is this master's program for someone looking to get their first teaching license?
No, if you are looking to get your initial teaching license as part of your master’s degree, please apply for our Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program.
Can I use Educate-WI courses toward my M.A. in Education at Saint Mary’s?
Yes! Through our partnership with Educate-WI, Wisconsin teachers and administrators can apply credits from the licensure pathway toward Saint Mary’s M.A. in Education program, including electives in 10 Sped, Wisconsin Administrator, Project Teaching, and WiscAd coursework.
News and Information from the School of Education
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Sources and Disclaimer
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupations Outlook Handbook, Management Occupations at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/home.htm
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, General and Operations Managers at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes111021.htm (visited May 13, 2024).
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupations Outlook Handbook, Management Analysts at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/management-analysts.htm (visited May 13, 2024).
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Project Managment Specialsts at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/project-management-specialists.htm (visited May 13, 2024).