


Walden University
You can be a bigger inspiration. And you can start today.
At Walden, we believe that knowledge is most valuable when put to use in organizations, communities, and families. We offer over 40 online degree programs with more than 140 specializations and more than 40 concentrations, all designed to help professionals gain the knowledge they need to have a real impact in their lives and the lives of others.
Our advanced degrees are intended to advance the quality of life not just for the Walden graduate, but for everyone he or she encounters. Whether it be in business, community and charitable service or friendship, to make a difference in any life is to serve the greater good. Doing so doesn't just make you a better corporate citizen. It makes you a better corporate asset, a better neighbor and friend, a better person.
As an accredited institution with nearly 40 years of experience, Walden has graduated over 34,500 alumni, all of whom now have the credentials and desire to make a real difference and be a force for good.
To learn more about Walden degree programs and how we're helping adult learners make a positive change, submit your information in the form on the right.
You can make a better future. And you can start today.
The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership
The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership can give you a competitive advantage, enabling you to gain knowledge of education issues at the local, district, state, and national level, and apply quantitative and qualitative skills in developing multidisciplinary and collaborative problem-solving strategies.
As a Walden student, you will have an education partner who is recognized nationally for its commitment to education. In January 2008, Walden was ranked for a second time by U.S. News & World Report as having the largest online graduate program in education by enrollment.
Educational Leadership and Administration (Principal Preparation)
Walden University's Ed.S. in Educational Leadership and Administration program is designed to help you develop the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and experiences to become a licensed principal. Our curriculum is focused on preparing you to:
- Understand and manage complex educational issues.
- Assess, improve, and provide quality instructional programs.
- Recruit, hire, and retain school personnel committed to improving student learning.
- Create a shared strategic vision.
- Encourage and inspire students, staff, families, and the community to work together to provide a safe and secure learning environment.
This unique scholar-practitioner program, grounded in current research, provides students with opportunities to respond to authentic case studies, participate in school leadership experiences, work side-by-side with principal mentors, and develop the ability to impact social change.
The Ed.S. in Educational Leadership and Administration program and its curriculum is approved by the Minnesota Board of School Administrators as a principal preparation program that leads to P–12 Principal Licensure in Minnesota. Its curriculum is also aligned with the standards of the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC), the Educational Leadership Constituents Council (ELCC), and the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA).
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Doctoral Programs
Back to topA Walden Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) or Ph.D. degree can provide you with the skills and confidence to pursue your professional goals while giving you a solid foundation to strengthen your professional capabilities and effect change at every level of your organization and profession.
Ed.D. Specializations
Administrator Leadership for Teaching and Learning* – This specialization is designed for administrators who want to increase their ability to influence and transform their educational organization. The curriculum has been developed to focus on building a collaborative organization—a new and innovative model in administrator leadership.
Higher Education and Adult Learning – This specialization is uniquely designed to teach research skills within content-specific courses, allowing you to immediately apply knowledge to practice. The combination of core content, research skills, and your final doctoral study project leads to your development as an innovative and critical thinker who is prepared to examine, experiment, and reflect on practices that empower adults to be lifelong learners.
Teacher Leadership* – This specialization is designed for educators who want to continue teaching while assuming greater responsibilities in their school and community. It helps experienced master educators to effect change and improve student learning.
Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision
Gain the knowledge and experience to assume a leadership role in a clinical, community, nonprofit, academic, or research settings, or to work as a counselor educator. Reach a significant milestone in your career as you earn one of the most highly respected degrees in the profession. Study advanced teaching, supervision, and counseling skills and further develop your expertise in a relevant area.
Specializations
- General
- Consultation
- Counseling and Social Change
- Forensic Mental Health
- Nonprofit Management and Leadership
- Trauma and Crisis
Statement on Licensure: The Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision is not a licensure program and does not prepare an individual to become a licensed counseling professional.
Professional Accreditation: The Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision is not accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). However, the program was developed to be in line with national standards for counselor education. Since Walden's Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision is a new program, the university is not yet able to apply for CACREP accreditation. Students will be notified at such time if the program becomes accredited in the future.
General Program
Gain advanced individual and group-counseling skills, teaching and supervision competencies, and research skills. Evaluate the theory and practice of counseling through quantitative and qualitative research. Become equipped to model the highest ideals and ethics of the counseling profession as you prepare for a role as an educator and leader in the field of counseling.
Consultation
Learn to effectively apply consultation skills to improve individual, group, and organizational performance. Share your counseling skills and expertise as you solve problems and make recommendations in a range of settings, including primary and secondary schools, mental health agencies, higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, and business and industry.
Counseling and Social Change
Prepare for your role as an advocate and change agent for the counseling profession and your community. Learn to apply ethical practices and leadership skills for community, national, and international issues that affect the profession. Examine current trends and use prevention, intervention, and consultation models to respond to community needs for social change.
Forensic Mental Health
Develop the knowledge and skills to work within the legal and criminal justice systems. Gain the expertise to supervise trainees and provide traditional mental health services to individuals in a variety of forensic settings, including correctional institutions, juvenile justice courts, family courts, drug courts, and community-based nonprofit settings, such as group homes and agencies handling dispute resolution.
Nonprofit Management and Leadership
Build your knowledge of the history and types of nonprofit organizations. Learn how nonprofits operate, from finance and budgeting to volunteer and board management. Gain the skills required to work as a program leader, counselor, supervisor, consultant, volunteer, or board member in nonprofits, or to successfully interface with nonprofit organizations.
Trauma and Crisis
Apply theory and best practices related to trauma and crisis management working with individuals and groups recovering from the effects of trauma and crisis, such as natural disasters, violence, terrorism or war. Broaden your understanding of the models, leadership roles, and effective strategies to respond to crises as a counseling leader or manager. Learn the appropriate ethical and legal responses to individual, community, national, and international crises.
Ph.D. in Education Specializations
General Program – This specialization is intended for individuals whose professional practice and career goals cover a range of educational topics or are interdisciplinary, combining specific education subjects with complementary subjects from the humanities, or natural, social, and behavioral sciences.
Adult Education Leadership – This specialization is designed for educators who want to think broadly about the field of adult education, whether in community-based settings, schools, and government, or the private sector. The specialization guides students in understanding the interdisciplinary nature of adult education as a field of study, principles of adult learning and development, and the impact of adult educators on organizations and communities in which they work.
Community College Leadership – Students in this specialization will develop proficiency in knowing how individuals, particularly adults, learn most effectively; what tools and strategies best promote learning; and how educational systems and policies can be changed to promote the mission of the community college in today's society.
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment – This specialization provides in-depth, individualized research opportunities tailored to your academic discipline and student grade level, and one-on-one mentoring from professionals in your area of interest. It also offers research methods courses that will help you grow as a researcher-practitioner, both today and in the future.
Early Childhood Education – In this specialization, you will gain the expertise to lead in the creation and implementation of new program practices, apply emerging research on development in the early years, and conceptualize new paradigms for early learning.
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Educational Technology – This specialization enables you to support a diverse community of learners using technology and to effectively integrate technology into your curriculum. Designed with a strong emphasis on research, doctoral writing, and critical thinking, the curriculum not only helps you to be successful during the prospectus and dissertation process, but serves you well beyond the classroom by preparing you for grant writing and professional publication. Regardless of your chosen field, you will be well-trained professional in an ever-advancing technological age.
Higher Education – This specialization emphasizes proficiency in understanding the needs of a changing clientele and academic community, analyzing and implementing strategies to promote learning and to support development in higher education, and learning how systems and policies can be used to ensure organizational effectiveness and social change in postsecondary settings. Contexts for the study and practice of higher education include community colleges; private and public liberal arts colleges; distance-learning institutions; regional and state universities; proprietary, technical, and trade schools; state and federal agencies; and national professional associations.
K–12 Educational Leadership* – This specialization is designed to provide administrators a much-needed new model for advanced study in the field of educational leadership. This highly flexible, student-centered curriculum is designed to help create local, regional, and state educational professionals who can relate to diverse, multicultural K–12 and community-based school populations.
Special Education – This specialization will enable you to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to help you reach your professional goals in the special education field and to better assist your own students in the self-actualization process.
Self-Designed – Educators who are interested in pursuing an area that is not among the other Walden specializations currently offered may develop their own specialization with the approval of the faculty chair.
*Walden University does not offer a state-approved Ed.D. (Doctor of Education) or Ph.D. in Education program that is recognized for P-12 school administrator licensure/certification in Minnesota (Walden's home state) or any other state. Walden University makes no representation or guarantee that successful completion of Walden's doctoral programs, or coursework for graduate credit within any doctoral program, will permit a graduate to obtain state certification or licensure as a principal, assistant principal, or other type of K-12 administrator.
M.S. in Education
Back to topWalden University's M.S. in Education (M.S.Ed.) is an online degree program that focuses on increasing teacher and student success. The program's cutting-edge curriculum connects students with nationally recognized education experts, researchers, and scholars. Students gain access to leading technology, including electronic portfolios, podcasts, and Virtual Field Experiences™.
Students of teachers who hold a Walden M.S.Ed. degree with a specialization in Elementary Reading and Literacy made larger gains in reading fluency than students of non-Walden-Master's-educated teachers, according to a recent independent research study on Walden's M.S.Ed. program.*
In addition, M.S.Ed. alumni strongly endorse their Walden experience. More than 95% of M.S.Ed. graduates said earning their degrees at Walden enhanced their professional performance.†
Walden's M.S.Ed. program is offered through The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership, named for the former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. The college is the choice of more than 37,000 students and alumni. Walden also supports the teaching profession by offering more than $5 million in education scholarships for classroom teachers.
*Linking Teacher Learning to Student Achievement: An Evaluation of the Walden University Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership M.S. in Education with a Specialization in Elementary Reading and Literacy (white paper, Arroyo Research Services, April 2009).
†Based on Walden's 2007 graduate survey respondents.
Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org; 1-312-263-0456.
Prospective Alabama students: Contact the Teacher Education and Certification Division of the Alabama State Department of Education at 1-334-242-9935 or www.alsde.edu to verify that these programs qualify for teacher certification, endorsement, and/or salary benefits.
Prospective Washington state students are advised to contact the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction at 1-360-725-6320 or prof.educ@k12.wa.us to determine whether Walden's programs in the field of education are approved for teacher certification or endorsements in Washington state. Additionally, teachers are advised to contact their individual school district as to whether this program may qualify for salary advancement.
Specializations
- Adolescent Literacy and Technology (Grades 6–12)
- Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (Grades K–12)
- Educational Leadership (Non-Licensure) (Grades K–12)
- Elementary Reading and Literacy (PreK–6)
- Elementary Reading and Mathematics (Grades K–6)
- Integrating Technology in the Classroom (Grades K–12)
- Literacy and Learning in the Content Areas (Grades 6–12)
- Mathematics (Grades K–5)
- Mathematics (Grades 6–8)
- Middle Level Education (Grades 5–8)
- Science (Grades K–8)
- Special Education (Non-Licensure) (Grades K–12)
- Teacher Leadership (Grades K–12)
(Grades 6-12)
The value of technology in promoting adolescent literacy is one of the most exciting developments in the field of education today. In this specialization, you will develop cutting-edge expertise in the use of technology to motivate middle- and high-school students, enabling you to help them achieve higher degrees of literacy and achievement across all content areas. You will also learn how to help your students tap into the skills they use in their technology-rich lives outside of the classroom to improve their overall literacy.
MS in Education - Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
(Grades K - 12)
In this program you'll learn to incorporate standards without sacrificing content, student learning or your unique teaching style. You'll be empowered with practical skills to ensure your students' continued success not just on test day, but every day of the school year. This program offers a choice of learning formats designed to fit your needs--online or on campus.
MS in Education - Educational Leadership*
(Grades K - 12)
Walden's educational leadership program will help you become an effective school principal. Grounded in research and evidence of best practice, this innovative online program gives you the practical skills and knowledge to lead your students, teachers and school to greater achievement.
All course assignments and interaction with colleagues and faculty is online. Teachers taking two consecutive courses per semester may complete this program in less than two years.
MS in Education - Integrating Technology in the Classroom
(Grades K - 12)
This master's degree is designed for teachers who want to use technology as a tool to enhance and facilitate the learning process. You'll acquire proven strategies, new skills and effective techniques that will help you and your students succeed in an increasingly technology-driven world. Using video, software and the latest online web-based technologies, you'll learn to harness the power of today's technology in your classroom. You will complete your assignments and interact with colleagues and faculty entirely online.
MS in Education - Elementary Reading and Literacy
(Grades preK - 6)
Designed for teachers who recognize the importance of literacy as a key to success in all content area studies, this program provides practicing teachers with the tools to enhance and hone their expertise in reading instruction. The curriculum, based on the work of leading reading experts, focuses on strategies for literacy instruction, techniques for supporting struggling readers, guidelines for creating a successful classroom literacy program, and examines student learning styles and multiple intelligences. This program offers a choice of learning formats designed to fit your needs--online or on campus.
MS in Education - Elementary Reading and Mathematics
(Grades K-6)
This specialization is a 30-semester-credit program that offers teachers proven strategies to create classrooms that succeed in both reading and mathematics. Teachers enhance their instructional skills in reading while deepening their understanding of key mathematical concepts. They learn to foster literary and analytical skills in young learners using research-based strategies, proven diagnostic tools for struggling readers and techniques to motivate learners.
MS in Education - Literacy and Learning in the Content Areas
(Grades 6 - 12)
This specialization is designed to help content-area teachers improve their students' literacy skills. This degree program features research-based strategies to prepare struggling students for more complex, abstract and sophisticated learning in the content-area classroom. The program is based on the nationally accepted standards for teaching reading for the classroom professional as set forth by the International Reading Association (IRA).
MS in Education - Mathematics
(Grades K - 5)
This specialization in mathematics is designed for elementary teachers who want to strengthen their own understanding of foundational mathematical concepts, while motivating their students to improve their mathematic skills. This online program provides math content specific courses that align with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards as well as standard pedagogy.
MS in Education - Mathematics
(Grades 6 - 8)
This specialization is designed to help mathematics teachers demonstrate high competency in the content that they teach. They will also learn proven research-based strategies and real-world applications to improve student achievement in mathematics. The program aligns with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Principles and Standards for School Mathematics addressing both content and process standards.
MS in Education - Middle-Level Education
(Grades 5 - 8)
This master's program addresses the critical stage of young adolescent development. You will acquire assessment, curriculum and teaching strategies designed specifically for students ages 10-14, while examining the changes in a student's social, emotional, physical, intellectual and moral development. This program is faculty-directed and based on the National Middle School Association/NCATE-approved standards for middle-level teacher preparation. The program is available in the online format only.
MS in Education - Science
(Grades K - 8)
This specialization is designed to help science teachers build an understanding of core concepts through experiencing the scientific process first hand while completing hands-on, inquiry-based projects. After reflecting on their new knowledge, educators will consider implications for teaching. This program was created in collaboration with TERC, an educational research and development organization.
MS in Education - Special Education (Non-Licensure)
(Grades K - 12)
If you are an experienced special educator with the desire to enhance your skills by incorporating the latest developments in the field into your program, this specialization offers a path to continuing professional achievement. Walden's M.S. in Education with a Special Education specialization synthesizes the most current research in the arenas of neuroscience, assessment and scientifically based interventions so that you can determine best practices for student learning.
Teacher Leadership
(Grades K-12)
This specialization is for the classroom teacher who is passionate about making a difference in education. Discover how you can build upon your existing expertise with dynamic skills that can improve teacher retention and increase student achievement. Learn more about your leadership style, leverage the latest research to guide your decisions, and lead with greater confidence in your classroom and in your learning community.
Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology
This program will teach you to apply theory, research, creativity, and problem-solving skills to a variety of technology applications in order to improve performance. You will also learn how to develop the analysis, design, and evaluation skills to assess, create, and manage training materials. These skills combined will offer you the ability to support technological advancement and training in educational institutions and corporate training classrooms. Through your coursework, you will gain the experience needed to be efficient and effective using technology and multimedia tools.
Specializations
General Program
The General Program offers a core of instructional design, research, project management, and evaluation courses designed to give you a well-rounded education with direct application in the workplace. With a heavy emphasis on leadership, problem-solving skills, and hands-on experience, this specialization provides a solid foundation for success.
Training and Performance Improvement
Become a powerful force in helping your organization thrive. This specialization focuses on managing and delivering training and improving workplace performance through instruction.
Online Instruction
Though distance learning is not a new concept, using the Internet for delivering course content is. With the Online Instruction specialization, you will learn from an experienced leader in creating online content development and instructional delivery and how to productively and innovatively deliver courses or training modules using online delivery methods. You will gain effective strategies for engaging and teaching distance learners and be able to assess student-learning outcomes in online environments.
Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation Programs With a Master of Arts in Teaching degree
Walden University's Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership offers Minnesota state-approved* teacher preparation programs with an option to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree. This online program meets the educational requirements needed to teach in P–12 classrooms or other educational settings. If you have a bachelor's degree and a desire to teach, these programs are designed for you. Walden, a regionally accredited university, collaborated with national educational experts and master teachers to develop teacher preparation programs that truly reflect today's teaching experience.
Walden's practical online learning environment combines a distance-delivery format, featuring national educational experts sharing best practices in teaching, with actual hands-on teaching experiences in the classroom under the supervision of an experienced faculty mentor. Our unique curriculum allows you to apply what you learn in the program immediately.
Our teacher preparation programs include the following:
Post-baccalaureate program with Master of Arts in Teaching degree, offered in the following areas:
- Early Childhood Education
- Special Education, Emotional/Behavioral Disorders
- Special Education, Learning Disabilities
*Walden University's teacher preparation programs are approved by the Minnesota Board of Teaching for licensure in Minnesota. Walden's enrollment advisors can provide individuals with guidelines and other information about licensure. It remains the individual's responsibility to understand and comply with the out-of-state licensure requirements for the state in which he or she seeks to be licensed.
†Time to completion may vary by student, depending on individual progress.
B.S. in Child Development
Child Development – A Career that Makes a Difference
Early childhood, especially those years from infancy through preschool, is a time of great discovery, learning, and growth. This is a time when caring, well-educated adults can significantly impact children's success in school and in life. Whether you're interested in advancing your current career or wish to enter this rewarding profession, Walden can help you take the next step in achieving your goals through our non-licensure Bachelor of Science in Child Development.
Concentrations
Preschool – Explores the roles and responsibilities of the preschool professional, including ways to foster and enhance the development and learning of the whole child - cognitively, linguistically, socially, emotionally, and physically. Through seminar-style connections courses, you'll develop critical-thinking and writing skills as you link theoretical teaching to practical application.
Infant/Toddler – Examines the foundations of development and the importance of relationships to the social and emotional well-being of infants and toddlers as well as quality relationships and environments that foster growth in all developmental domains—social and emotional, cognitive/linguistic, and physical.
Dual Concentration (Preschool and Infant/Toddler)
Bachelor of Science in Instructional Design & Technology
Walden's online BS in Instructional Design and Technology program prepares you to design effective learning experiences and training programs. Whether you are working in higher education, corporate training or military and government training settings, you can benefit from this online degree program--one of the few of its kind in the nation Combining academic theory with practical, hands-on experience, this degree program can help prepare you to excel in a career in the fast-growing field of instructional design and technology such as Instructional Coordinator/Designer, Training and Development Specialist, Curriculum Designer, Course Editor, Desktop Publishing, Web Design or Multimedia Specialist.
Walden offers the following concentrations:
- General
- Business and Organizational Change
- Human Factors and Interface Design
Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies
Walden's BS in Interdisciplinary Studies gives you a unique opportunity to define your own course of study and gain exposure to a wide range of topics. This online degree program provides a solid academic foundation as it prepares you for a successful and satisfying career across many professions. Through the BS in Interdisciplinary Studies, you have the flexibility to select two areas of disciplinary focus from Walden's undergraduate majors. Additional experiences in a seminar, internship, study abroad or service learning, and two research-driven capstone courses help you broaden your capacity to answer questions, solve problems, and address topics that are too broad to be covered by a single discipline or profession in today's complex global society.
Specialization
- General
Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org; 1-312-263-0456.
Prospective Alabama students: Contact the Teacher Education and Certification Division of the Alabama State Department of Education at 1-334-242-9935 or www.alsde.edu to verify that these programs qualify for teacher certification, endorsement, and/or salary benefits.
Prospective Washington state students are advised to contact the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction at 1-360-725-6320 or prof.educ@k12.wa.us to determine whether Walden's programs in the field of education are approved for teacher certification or endorsements in Washington state. Additionally, teachers are advised to contact their individual school district as to whether this program may qualify for salary advancement.
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