Master’s Degree Programs in
Educational Leadership

Whether you’re looking to transition into an educational leadership role or advance your existing repertoire of leadership skills, you can take a transformative next step in your career with a Bank Street master’s degree or advanced certificate. Join our collaborative and supportive educational community today. 

What Program Is Right for You?

Each of our programs are for educators who want to make an immediate impact, leading children, colleagues, and organizations to new levels of achievement. Choose from a variety of options below for a program that meets your interests and career goals. 

Graduate School workshop

Progressive Leadership (MSEd, EdM, Online, 31 credits)

  • Advance your understanding of educational reform by examining the strengths and possibilities of schools
  • Learn to instill systems-wide progressive values and practices in your setting to make instruction and learning more meaningful 
  • Build a strong professional network as you learn alongside dedicated pre-K – 12 educators

Student paying attention during leadership class

School District Leader Certificate (Online, 5–11 credits)

  • Closely examine a district using case studies to understand how districts are organized and how to approach reform
  • Explore the role of the superintendent and the school board as well as how to meet the needs of a special population
  • Be eligible for New York State certification as a School District Leader (SDL)
  • Graduates of other Bank Street leadership programs can complete this program with only five 1-credit courses

Graduate students listen during class

Early Childhood Leadership (MSEd, Online, 30 credits)

  • Refine supervision and professional development processes in pre-K and early childhood centers
  • Advance your program management, fiscal management, and organizational development and understand the key levers in transformational adult learning
  • Earn your School Building Leader (SBL) certification

Two students and a teacher in math leadership class

Leadership in Mathematics Education (MSEd, Online, 37 credits)

  • Learn to meet curricular, instructional, and assessment challenges in math education
  • Inspire colleagues and students to approach traditional mathematics concepts in engaging ways
  • Prepare for supervisory roles like principal, director, curriculum specialist, researcher, and more
  • Be eligible for New York State certification as a School District Leader (SDL)

Students learn during trip to a museum

Museum Studies: Learning and Engagement in Museums and Cultural Organizations (MSEd, Hybrid, 36 credits)

  • Strengthen the capacity of our museums and institutions to support vibrant, diverse learning communities
  • Learn to design innovative programming, educational resources, community engagement initiatives, and visitor programs
  • Understand what it takes to effect change in cultural and non-profit organizations with educational missions
  • Classes are online, and every other month, your cohort will meet in person in New York City for a weekend to explore museums and institutions (a total of five weekend meetings in each of the two years, plus one weeklong summer session)

Two graduate students in the library

Studies in Education

  • Individualized non-certification course of study across core areas or focused on an area of particular interest
  • Teaching & Learning Track (on campus): Core areas include human development, philosophy of education, curriculum development, and social context
  • Leadership Track (online): Core areas include development, administration, and policy
  • Fieldwork, on-site advisement, peer conference groups, and close collaboration with professionals
  • Prepares you for many professional roles, including advocating for children, designing environments for children, developing educational policy, and more

Our Approach

  • We’re for educators who want to spend every day face to face with the future.

    Bank Street holds a unique and highly regarded place in the world of education. We were trailblazers when we were founded in 1916—and our ideas, which were once radical, are widely practiced and accepted today. If you want to shape the future of education, this is where you start.
    Teacher smiling while two kids work
  • We’re for democracy and equity.

    Our commitment to democracy and social justice is at the heart of our innovative pedagogy and desire to help all learners, both children and adults, actively make sense of the world. Equity and equality are always in a Bank Street educator’s mind—we meet students “where they are” in their learning with strengths-based activities and socially, emotionally, and culturally appropriate support.
    Teacher and two students smiling
  • We're for sharing good ideas.

    For a small institution, our reach is broad. Our mix of graduate and continuing education coursework, research programs, and professional partnerships with school districts across the country aims to expand and improve educational opportunities for all students.
    Child smiles while painting with teacher

Financial Aid

At Bank Street, we believe education is an investment that will change your life—and the lives of the students you’ll work with. We’ll help you make it possible.

Every year, Bank Street’s Office of Financial Aid administers over $8.5 million in financial aid to students.  More than 50 percent of our students receive financial aid. Your individual financial status from the prior year is a key factor in determining your award. We encourage you to go through the financial aid process to find out what we can offer.

  • Do I qualify for financial aid based on my income?

    Your individual financial status from the prior year is a key factor in determining your award. Incoming students who earn up to $80,000 a year (or significantly more for students with families) are likely to qualify for a need-based scholarship at Bank Street. Our scholarship program makes the cost of attending Bank Street Graduate School of Education competitive with most other private schools in the New York region.

  • When should I apply for financial aid?

    You can apply for financial aid at the same time you complete your admission application. Filling out the FAFSA as early as possible is an important step for financial aid. Federal student aid, including scholarships, can significantly reduce your financial obligation without adding to student debt.

  • What types of scholarship opportunities are available for me?

    Our financial aid advisors would be happy to tell you more about the process and our many scholarship opportunities for new and continuing students, including external scholarships and program-based, diversity-oriented, public school-focused, and career changer scholarships, among others.

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Why Bank Street?

Leadership Expertise

Bank Street has a rich portfolio of work leading change efforts in schools and communities across the country in collaboration with schools, districts, programs, and policymakers.

Prepared for the Long Run

In a field that experiences high turnover rates due to underprepared teachers, Bank Street is proud that 87% of its graduates remain in the field of education and 87% feel more confident in their subject area than comparison teachers.

A National Reputation

Our graduates are highly regarded by schools, educational organizations, and other places of learning across the country. A degree from Bank Street will help you stand out as a forward-thinking educator and leader who is confident, well-prepared, and ready to thrive.


Bonnie Maloney, 2018 leadership program alumnus
Alumni Voices
I’ve built a toolkit of meaningful lenses and strategies for leadership that I’ve been able to apply to my work immediately. I learned to appreciate the deep complexity of the work that we do in schools, and to feel hopeful about the amount of change that is possible when we begin to think creatively and work collaboratively.
Bonnie Maloney, GSE ‘18

212-652-8722
gseenrollment@bankstreet.edu