Education

Entry requirements

The application for fall 2020 enrolment will be available on the HGSE website by fall 2019. The list below is provided for planning purposes but actual application requirements may change for the 2020–2021 academic year.

Competitive candidates need not have prior direct experience in an education setting though should have a clear conception of why they're pursuing a master's degree in education. In addition, "education” and “education-related" are broadly defined at HGSE and encompass all fields covered by the Ed.M. programs offered.

A complete application to the Ed.M. Program typically consists of the following:

• Online Application Form
• Statement of Purpose and Resume
• Three letters of recommendation (submitted through the online application system)
• Standardized test score(s): GRE
• Transcript(s) from each postsecondary institution attended (uploaded with the online application)
• $85 application fee (paid via credit card with the online application)
• Note that several Ed.M. programs have additional application requirements

Months of entry

August

Course content

The Ed.M. is a year-long intensive program for students who wish to study a particular field in education, acquire a general theoretical background for understanding past and future field experiences, or develop skills for use in professional work in education. Prior to arriving on campus, all students are invited to participate in “How People Learn,” an online course with an on-campus component addressing the foundations of learning and human development. The Graduate School of Education offers 13 different programs, including:

1. Arts in Education - Educating self-directed individuals who are interested in fashioning their own arts-related courses of study.
2. Education Policy and Management - Developing effective leaders by providing an atmosphere that promotes the understanding of diverse viewpoints from a wide range of disciplines.
3. Higher Education - Targeting those interested in higher education administration in a college or university or in policy and planning at a higher education association or agency.
4. Human Development and Psychology - Educating students interested in the development of children and adults and how knowledge of development can be applied to educational issues.
5. International Education Policy - Providing an environment for the investigation and discussion of practical approaches for improving the quality of education available to children from all backgrounds.
6. Language and Literacy - Combining research and practice in reading, writing, and language development.
7. Learning and Teaching - Sharing interests including: students and adults as learners, the preparation and professional work of teachers, the organization of schools, and the role of communities in learning.
8. Mind, Brain, and Education - Targeting students interested in connecting cognition, neuroscience, and educational practice, especially involving learning, teaching, and cognitive and emotional development.
9. Prevention Science and Practice/CAS in Counselling - Training prevention practitioners, school guidance and adjustment counselors, and applied researchers to improve the educational, social and emotional outcomes of children and adolescents.
10. School Leadership - Educating instructional leaders who will have the capacity, skills, and knowledge to create and sustain K-12 charter, district, and pilot schools that foster the learning and well-being of all children.
11. Specialized Studies - Allowing students to develop an interdisciplinary program of study that meets their specific academic and professional needs.
12. Teacher Education - Preparing individuals to become middle or secondary school classroom teachers in urban settings.
13. Technology, Innovation, and Education - Preparing students to contribute to the thoughtful design, implementation, and assessment of technology-enhanced educational innovations.

Fees and funding

British citizens who are – or will be – graduates of British universities should check out both Kennedy Scholarships and Frank Knox Fellowships.

Both of these awards offer full tuition and health insurance coverage and a generous stipend towards living expenses. They are offered annually in competition.

Please note that you will need to submit your application to either or both awards ahead of the deadline for your (totally separate and independent) Harvard application. Kennedy Scholarship and Frank Knox Fellowship applications are to be made online via their websites between mid-August and late-October in the same application season as you will submit your application to Harvard. Awards made at interview in London in January are provisional, pending confirmation of a place on the course.