Searching the Web for accredited educational leadership degree programs in Wisconsin? Well, the CAEP has only accredited one such master’s for “Badger State” natives at UW-Whitewater. In 2018, Education Week ranked Wisconsin 13th among the country’s best school systems. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction reports there are 421 districts with 2,216 schools statewide serving 858,833 children with 108,820 staff total. The largest ones are currently Milwaukee Public Schools, Madison Metropolitan Schools, Kenosha Unified School District, and Green Bay Area Public Schools. Funded for $5.63 billion, the public school system has a 93.9 percent attendance rate at a 14:1 student-teacher ratio. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wisconsin employs 8,810 education administrators with median pay of $98,860. Licensed teachers called to guide schools toward improved student outcomes should consider the following accredited educational leadership master’s degree in Wisconsin.
University of Wisconsin at Whitewater
College of Education & Professional Studies
Hosting the Wisconsin Early Childhood Education Conference for 40 years, the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater is a public, residential UW branch that’s educating 13,059 Warhawks from 30 countries in 170+ majors online or at the 400-acre Walworth County campus near Kettle Moraine Forest. UW-Whitewater was declared America’s 443rd best value in Money magazine, 42nd top online school on the U.S. News & World Report, and 91st coolest college by the Sierra Club. The College of Education & Professional Studies offers CAEP accredited educational leadership degree programs in Wisconsin ranked 250th nationally on Niche with record-high 81.9 percent retention.
MSE in Professional Studies with an Educational Leadership Emphasis
Chaired by Dr. John Zbikowski, UW-Whitewater’s MSE in Professional Studies grants 12 emphasis areas, including Educational Leadership and Higher Education Administration, for post-grads to focus their managerial acumen on the improvement of teaching. The 30-unit, GRE-optional curriculum satisfies the Wisconsin requirements for PK-12 principal licensure with 540 hours of classroom experience. On-site and online cohorts progress through rigorous 700-level courses like Supervision of Instruction and Public School Law to the capstone project. Master’s majors might also intern at Lakeview Elementary, join the AHEAD Chapter, earn the Arnold Lien Scholarship, teach abroad in Tanzania, mentor the Future Teacher Program, and research in the Inclusive Transition Education Center. Note the degree’s $56 application requires verifying a minimum 3.0 bachelor’s GPA and submitting two references.
Accreditation
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Winther Hall Room 2031
800 West Main Street
Whitewater, WI 53190
(262) 472-1101
education@uww.edu
Related Resource: Top 20 Best Master’s in Educational Leadership Online
The Learning Policy Institute warns that the U.S. teacher shortage jumped to 112,000 in 2018. Midwestern states like Wisconsin are particularly struggling to hire education professionals in rural schools. By the end of their third year, around 50 percent of principals leave their administrative role. High turnover plus predicted above-average job growth of 8 percent by 2026 will create many openings for master’s graduates. When looking for accredited educational leadership degree programs in Wisconsin, research the MSE in Professional Studies at UW-Whitewater.
