Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation

This program prepares you to reimagine learning, from launching alternative education spaces to leading nonprofit or community-based initiatives. Through systems leadership coursework and an immersive externship, you’ll gain the tools to expand access to education and strengthen communities.

Upon graduation, you’ll be equipped to lead as a systems thinker, community collaborator and purpose-driven innovator. Nontraditional environments offer opportunities to implement inclusive, future-focused learning strategies.

The knowledge and skills you’ll develop

This program empowers you to launch and grow ventures that center on student and community needs. You’ll apply theory to practice through case studies, inquiry-based learning and critical reflection. The curriculum balances foundational leadership courses with electives and hands-on experiences that align with your goals. You’ll gain expertise in:

• Analyzing systemic challenges and leading adaptive change across educational ecosystems
• Building business models and sustainability plans for educational ventures
• Identifying and mobilizing community resources
• Launching ideas through social entrepreneurship
• Securing and managing grants and funding
• Navigating education policy and nonprofit leadership
• Understanding intellectual property in entrepreneurial contexts

Choosing the right educational leadership master’s program for you

ASU’s educational leadership master’s programs are built for those who want to drive change in learning spaces and improve student outcomes. The right program for you depends on your professional goals.

• MEd in educational leadership
  • This program is ideal if you’re passionate about reimagining education through entrepreneurial or creative work outside traditional school settings. You’ll focus on systemic innovation beyond a single school.
• MEd in educational leadership – principalship
  • This path is designed for aspiring principals and district administrators. Guided by a certified mentor principal in a yearlong internship, you’ll learn to support teacher and school success.

This program is designed to empower you to address critical sustainability challenges, advocate for ecological literacy and justice, and imagine a future where all people, communities and nature can thrive. Through transdisciplinary coursework, you'll gain the skills and knowledge needed to lead change through education in the face of ecological and social complexity. You'll learn how to enact critical and ecologically attuned pedagogies, influence educational policy and practice and change how people think about the future of education. This program provides a platform for you to harness your passion and drive, equipping you with the tools to become a changemaker in your community, school or education organization.

Connect and collaborate with peers at other universities and networks

Throughout this program, you'll have the unique opportunity to connect and collaborate with peers at other universities and networks, both nationally and internationally. This cross-institutional networking feature enriches your academic and professional journey, providing a platform for dynamic exchanges of ideas, cultures and perspectives. Engaging with a diverse international community not only expands your professional network but also deepens your understanding of global climate and sustainability education issues. By fostering collaboration and innovation, this aspect of the program prepares you for a global career, equipping you with the insights needed to address complex challenges from a multicultural perspective.

How does this program compare to a master’s in environmental education?

When comparing this program to a master's in environmental education, you'll find a distinct difference in perspective and focus. While environmental education delves deeply into understanding environmental systems, biodiversity and human impacts on nature, this planetary futures program takes a more holistic and forward-thinking approach. It not only addresses environmental concerns but also integrates technological, sociocultural and ethical dimensions of coexisting harmoniously with all beings—human and non-human—and the planet itself. This program aims to equip you with the ability to navigate and shape the future by understanding the role of education in sustaining intricate global systems.

Integrating principles from social work, nonprofit leadership, therapeutic recreation and physical education teaching methodologies, this program allows you to gain an appreciation for all individuals. The curriculum cultivates systems-level thinking, encourages a reimagining of health and disease management and informs the development of health programming. You’ll also learn how to leverage the social, physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions of wellness to enhance health and quality of life.

Upon completing the program, you’ll be prepared to design, implement and assess education and health promotion initiatives. Your work can lead you to help others adopt healthy lifestyles and a proactive approach to improving overall well-being.

The skills you’ll develop

This program focuses on building interdisciplinary skills and exploring theoretical perspectives from education and public service. Throughout your courses, you’ll gain the confidence to empower others to pursue proactive wellness and adopt healthy lifestyles. As a graduate, you’ll also be prepared to:

• Apply team-based interprofessional practice.
• Critique social issues facing community health.
• Design proactive and innovative solutions to address community health issues.

Who’s a good candidate for this program?

If your career goals include educating others on improving their health in community health programs, community organizations and schools, this program is ideal for you. You’ll develop interprofessional competencies in youth development, behavioral health, integrated health, education, recreation nonprofit management, leisure and community resources.

This program is interdisciplinary at its core. Individuals with bachelor’s degrees in any field can be excellent candidates if they’re passionate about making a positive impact on community well-being. Please note this program does not lead to professional teaching, social work or recreational therapy certification or licensure. These professions require additional education and training.

This early childhood special education teacher certification program teaches you how to support young children with exceptionalities and advance your understanding of early childhood education. You'll gain knowledge of child development theories, best practices and assessment methods. You'll also learn how to plan and implement effective interventions, monitor children’s progress and engage families collaboratively. Emphasizing the roles of family, community, collaboration and advocacy in early childhood special education, this program provides you with the knowledge, experience and certification needed to excel in this rewarding field.

Skills you’ll develop in this master’s program

Throughout this program, you'll develop a wide range of skills and competencies essential for working in early childhood education and special education settings, including:

• Collaboration with educators and parents.
• Design of inclusive instructional methodologies for various subjects.
• Development of research-based practices for typical and atypical behaviors in young children.
• Positive relationship building with children, families and communities.
• Remediation of learning difficulties.
• Support for child growth and development, including special health care needs.
• Support for language and literacy development.
• Use of a variety of assessment practices to evaluate young children's progress.

This teacher certification program also includes three professional placements: one in a birth-preschool setting and two in pre-kindergarten to grade 3 settings. You can choose between traditional or alternative certification routes. Traditional certification involves two internships and one student teaching experience, while the alternative route requires being hired as an early childhood teacher and completing two apprentice teaching courses, with an additional course or internship to meet requirements. These experiential learning opportunities will prepare you for a career in early childhood special education.

What candidates are a good fit for this early childhood special education teacher certification?

This early childhood special education master’s is ideal for candidates with a bachelor's degree in a field other than early childhood, special education or early childhood special education, who aspire to teach early childhood special education and obtain certification. If you're currently working in public or private preschools, elementary schools or early childhood education centers and you’re seeking certification or an alternative certificate, this program is well-suited for you.

Upon graduation, you'll receive an institutional recommendation for the Arizona Department of Education Early Childhood Special Education teaching certificate and will be prepared to sit for licensure exams, paving the way for a rewarding career in this field.

Throughout this early childhood special education degree, you’ll master the skills necessary to support and educate young children, including those with exceptionalities. You’ll also gain a deep understanding of child development theories and best practices, learn about both typical and atypical child development and the use of research-based interventions and develop skills in assessing and planning instruction for young learners. Your training will enable you to design inclusive, developmentally appropriate curricula and foster positive relationships with families and community organizations. These skills will prepare you for a variety of roles in educational settings that don’t require public school certification, enhancing your ability to support child growth and community collaboration effectively.

Who’s an ideal candidate for this master’s in early childhood special education?

You may be an ideal candidate for this program if you possess a bachelor's degree and are eager to deepen your expertise in working with children from birth to age eight or grade three. This program suits individuals currently engaged in educational settings, such as schools or nonprofits, where you interact with young children who are at risk or experiencing developmental delays. Additionally, you should have access to children within this age range in a professional or community setting to fulfill the practical requirements of the coursework.

This program isn’t suited for those who’ve already completed a teacher preparation program in early childhood or special education, as it covers similar ground. If you're looking to broaden your knowledge and skills in early childhood special education without pursuing teacher certification, this program is designed for you. Alternatively, if you’re interested in becoming certified, check out our Master of Education in early childhood special education – teacher certification program.

This master’s degree prepares you to become a leader in the higher education sector. In your courses, you’ll explore the intricacies of higher and postsecondary institutions, gain insight into the outcomes linked to earning a college degree, learn how to work with faculty and staff and develop supervisory skills tailored for the collegiate environment. Courses are taught by leading faculty who share your commitment to broad access, equity and community engagement within education.

Additionally, graduates will be prepared to support college-level students, staff and faculty in a variety of service areas, such as:

• Academic advising.
• Admissions.
• Athletics.
• Career services.
• Disability resources and services.
• Orientation.
• Residential life.
• Study abroad.
• Transfer student programs.
• Veterans and military service.

The skills you’ll develop

Through your coursework and a hands-on practicum experience, you’ll learn how to navigate the complex organizational processes at college campuses. You’ll also analyze the landscape of higher education globally. Upon graduation, you’ll be skilled in:

• Advising, supporting and developing students.
• Creating a learner-centered curriculum.
• Developing and understanding a budget for an organization.
• Leading within higher education administration.
• Understanding how to best support supervisees.

Who’s a good candidate for this master’s program?

Ideal candidates for this master’s in higher and postsecondary education program come from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds. Some already work in higher education and want to further their education, while others come to the field inspired by their own undergraduate experience and want to make an impact.

As a candidate, you should be interested in learning about the theoretical and practice-focused scholarship of how higher education works worldwide. You’ll graduate as a confident leader prepared for positions in higher education or an adjacent sector that serves college student populations.