Students who seek the M.Ed. degree with an emphasis in K-12 administration must have appropriate job-related experience to evidence familiarity with teaching or other student support roles (i.e., 2 years of classroom teaching or school counseling experience). The program is designed to prepare educational administrators and supervisors for a broad range of education-related elementary and secondary administrative positions. Applicants should check with the Hawaii DOE for additional requirements to become an administrator in the public schools.
Deadlines to apply:
Fall semester – March 1
Spring semester – October 1
To be notified as soon as the next application period opens, please fill out our “Request More Info” form.
Who should consider this program
Educators interested in working together with their schools and communities, creating innovative policies and programs towards positive student outcomes and results.
Common Careers
The program provides a solid foundation in preparing individuals for a broad range of education related elementary, secondary, and system level administrative positions.
Coursework
The MEd – K12 track is a 30-credit graduate program consisting of the following:
- EDEA 601 (core requirement): Introduction to Educational Administration (3)
- EDEA 602 (core requirement): Research in Educational Administration (3)
- Organizations (3), one minimum (EDEA 610: School community relations, EDEA 650: Organizational Leadership in Education, EDEA 652: Conflict Management, or EDEA 670: Teacher Development & Evaluation)
- Leadership (3), one minimum (EDEA 675: Introduction to Educational Policy Studies, EDEA 676: Politics of Education, or EDEA 680: Curriculum Administration)
- Legal & Fiscal (3), one minimum (EDEA 620K: Education Finance or EDEA 630K: Education Law)
- Seminar (3), one minimum (EDEA 775: Seminar on the Principalship, or any EDEA 780 seminar)
Select one of the following options:
- Plan A (Thesis): EDEA 700V(6) + Two Electives (6), OR
- Plan B(Project): EDEA 695 (3) + Three Electives (9)
Elective courses should be chosen in consultation with your advisor.
Admission & Application Requirements
University Admission Requirements
- Must have graduated from an accredited, four-year institution of higher education recognized by the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM), prior to beginning the program
- Undergraduate Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Transcript from each post-secondary institution attended.
- Additional considerations for International Students
- Applicants who are not native English speakers, or who have completed their degrees in a language other than English, may need to take the TOEFL or IELTS, or Duolingo (Academic) tests for admission. For more information view the Graduate Division website.
- International students who have been admitted are required to submit a copy of their Identification documents (i.e. Passport or Identification Card)
- International applicants need to show proof of sufficient funding to cover all educational and living expenses upon admission
- Given these additional materials needed for processing, we recommend international students apply at least one month prior to the application deadline.
Program Application Materials
- Academic and Professional References: List three (3) Academic or Professional References (name, role, email, and phone number). At least one reference must be an academic reference. Note: Formal letters of recommendation are not required.
- Statement of Objectives: The Department views the Statement of Objectives as highly important. Applicants are encouraged to produce a well-considered and compelling narrative that clearly articulates how the degree program can support and advance one’s professional and personal goals.
- Resumé or CV: For K-12 applicants, a minimum of 2 years teaching experience is required.
- (Optional) Letters of Recommendation: Although not required, if applicants would like to submit letters of recommendation, please consolidate into one file and upload.
