Master of Education in Secondary Education

• 36 credits
• Program completion in 1-2 years
• Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• Fall, Spring, or Summer enrollment

• Graduate application
• Professional résumé
• Proof of a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 2.75 GPA or 3.25 in the last 60 credit hours, or 3.0 in the endorsement area
• 2 recommendations regarding applicant’s academic and interpersonal skills
• Undergraduate transcripts showing courses needed for licensure requirements
• Math competency as determined by the licensure program academic advisor. Common math competencies include SAT/ACT/GRE scores, Praxis math scores, and college-level math classes. For more information, please reach out to an Education faculty member.

International Students:
For university coursework completed outside the U.S., a course-by-course transcript evaluation is required from a NACES member evaluation agency such as World Education Services or Educational Credentials Evaluators.

Students for whom English is a second language must submit a recent official score of 96 from TOEFL, 6.5 from IELTS, or 58 from the PTE academic exam, or documentation of program completion at 1 of Marymount University’s language partners. For complete information about International Admissions Guidelines and language partner programs, visit our International Graduate Students page.

ED 537: Literacy Across the Curriculum (Secondary)

Overview of the language and literacy process as it applies to teaching in secondary schools. Emphasizes reading and writing in content areas, and instructional strategies to support students’ literacy development. Focuses on ways reading, writing, speaking, and listening are developed and used in learning discipline-specific curriculum.

ED 571: Effective Classroom Management

This course is designed to explore the principles and best practices of effective and culturally responsive classroom management techniques, individual intervention strategies, and classroom community building in developmentally appropriate ways within the PK-12 education setting. Students will also learn behavior management assessments, techniques, and interventions within the schoolwide, classroom, and individual settings, including functional behavioral assessment.

ED 538: Secondary Teaching Methods  

Examines research, theory, and pedagogical methods of instructional planning and delivery in today’s diverse classrooms at the secondary level. Historical and contextual factors of secondary learning are also examined.

From being able to teach American Literature to AP Biology, Marymount’s Secondary Education graduates are well-rounded and widely respected. Secondary Education master’s degree recipients are employed in school districts throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., and across the nation in positions that include:

• Math, Science, English, and Social Studies teachers
• Corporate trainer
• Educational consultant
• Curriculum developer
• Instructional designer
• Education policy and research roles

Annual salaries for secondary education teachers in the Washington, D.C., area rank among the top in the nation at $71,000-$94,000, according to 2021 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.

We are thrilled to welcome you to Marymount University’s School of Education, where our mission is to empower those who are committed to making a positive impact in schools, families, communities, and organizations. Are you eager to learn with purpose? Are you driven to educate with purpose? Are you ready to lead with purpose? If so, you’ve found the right place!

Our School is a vibrant community of dedicated teacher-scholars who are not only experts in their fields but also passionate and innovative educators. We create learning experiences that ensure all students succeed. For decades, our faculty and staff have advised, nurtured, and inspired students, all while remaining deeply committed to our mission of Preparing Educational Leaders for Diverse Learning Communities. Through transformative experiences, we aim to deepen your knowledge and skills, empowering you to enact positive change as critical thinkers and compassionate practitioners. Our programs are renowned for their small class sizes and the personalized attention students receive from our expert faculty. Graduates of our programs leave with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to make a difference, not only locally but across the nation and the world.

We encourage you to contact us with any questions or to request additional information about our programs, resources, or activities. Joining our vibrant community offers limitless opportunities for both your professional and personal development. We look forward to welcoming you to our School of Education!

Join us in making a difference!

Learn more about our faculty

“I had always wanted to teach history. Despite the obstacle of a global pandemic and the added responsibilities of getting married and having my first child, I found success in Marymount’s Education program. Thanks to all the amazing professors and their invaluable expertise, I became equipped to not only succeed in my professional life but thrive. Attending Marymount helped shape who I am today and inspires who I still hope to become.” – Aaron Lee, Class of 2021, World History Teacher at Washington-Liberty High School in Arlington, Va.

“I have very fond memories of my time in the master’s program in Marymount’s School of Education. I recall the faculty holding me to higher levels of expectation than I might have placed on myself, and the authenticity of my interactions with them. Still today, I quote their words of wisdom to my own students.” – Erick Johnson, Class of 2011, Head of School at the Howard Gardner School in Alexandria, Va.