Montessori Education and Leadership

The Montessori Education and Leadership Program is a master's level program that recognizes and acknowledges the graduate-level work done by Montessori teachers in their teacher education programs. The program offers credentialed teachers 15 graduate credits for their Montessori teacher education and offers a pathway through which Montessori teachers can achieve a Master of Arts in Education degree. This program is online and can be completed in a year.

Coursework includes support in critical inquiry and reflection, alongside scaffolded critical reading and writing practice, ending with an Action Research project. Through this program, you will deepen your understanding of Montessori pedagogy with an Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist lens. Your courses are taught by instructors who are Montessori trained. 

This program is suited for both classroom teachers and leaders in education. Throughout the program, you will choose areas of research that will further inform your work as an educator and continue the ongoing preparation of the Montessori Educator.

To be admitted to the Montessori Education and Leadership Program, the applicant must meet all graduate admission standards and procedures for the Master of Arts in Education Program, including having a GPA of 3.0 or above. In addition, the applicant must meet the following requirements:

1. The applicant must possess a valid Montessori credential for Infant/Toddler (ages 0-2.5), Early Childhood (ages 2.5–6), Elementary I (ages 6–9), Elementary I-II (ages 6–12), or Adolescent (12-18). This must be a full Montessori credential, not a provisional, temporary, or associate credential.

2. The applicant must have received his or her Montessori teacher education through the American Montessori Society, the Association Montessori Internationale, or another fully MACTE accredited Montessori Center.

3. The applicant must have had a verified baccalaureate degree upon entering the program.

4. The applicant's Montessori teacher education was not applied to any other degree or program besides his or her original Montessori credential.

Curriculum

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
EDUC 6210	Critical Studies in Montessori Education	3
EDUC 6220	Holistic Practices for Community & Self	3
EDUC 6230	Education Leadership	3
EDUC 6670	Introduction to Action Research	3
EDUC 6760	Advanced Action Research	3
EDUC 8920	Action Research Project	1
EDUC 7993	Montessori Certification Credit 1	6
EDUC 7999	Montessori Certification Credit	9
Total Credits		31

1 EDUC 7993 is added to plan two (2) times for a total of 6 credits

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Spring Term
EDUC 6210	Critical Studies in Montessori Education	3
EDUC 6220	Holistic Practices for Community & Self	3
Summer Term
EDUC 6670	Introduction to Action Research	3
EDUC 6760	Advanced Action Research	3
Fall Term
EDUC 6230	Education Leadership	3
EDUC 8920	Action Research Project	1
Total Credits		16

EDUC 7993 Montessori Certification Credit and EDUC 7999 Montessori Certification Credit are awarded for previous Montessori credential.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Summer Term
EDUC 6210	Critical Studies in Montessori Education	3
EDUC 6220	Holistic Practices for Community & Self	3
Fall Term
EDUC 6670	Introduction to Action Research	3
EDUC 6760	Advanced Action Research	3
Spring Term
EDUC 6230	Education Leadership	3
EDUC 8920	Action Research Project	1
Total Credits		16

EDUC 7993 Montessori Certification Credit and EDUC 7999 Montessori Certification Credit are awarded for previous Montessori credential.

Faculty

Faculty

Molly Wheeler
Program Director, Assistant Professor

Sarah Hassebroek, EdS
MAED Program Coordinator, Assoc. Professor

Sarah Streyle
Assistant Professor

Olivia Christensen, PdD
Adjunct Professor

Katie Kitchens, PhD
Adjunct Professor

John Branch, PhD
Adjunct Professor