Educational Leadership and Policy Studies AMP

All students must meet the Requirements for the Accelerated Master's Degree Pathways

Overview

An accelerated entry pathway into the Master’s Program in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (AMP-EDLP) affords opportunities for UVM undergraduates interested in the efficient linkage of their undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The AMP-EDLP allows UVM juniors in their spring semester to apply for admission to the graduate program. After acceptance into the M.Ed., students may take up to 9 credits of graduate-level courses at UVM toward both their Bachelor’s and M.Ed. The targeted audience are those undergraduates who seek advanced training and experiences towards the leadership of learning organizations and programs. 

Recruitment of students into AMP-EDLP would stem from five types of affiliated undergraduate programs:

1. Students interested in leadership positions in youth and adult recreation programs, intermural sports leagues, K-12 athletic program administration, and/or sports team management. Programs targeted include:

a. Coaching-(CESS)-Undergraduate Minor

b. Sports Management (CESS/Rubenstein)-Undergraduate Minor

2. Students interested in leading youth or adult groups through environmental curricula housed in state or national parks, curating educational exhibits in cultural or science museums, and/or administering youth camps. Programs targeted include:

a. Parks, Recreation and Tourism (Rubenstein)-Undergraduate Major

b. Environmental Studies (UVM)-Undergraduate Major/Minor

3. Students interested in pairing outdoor or environmentally based recreation programs with occupational, physical, or mental health therapies. These students have worked or envision working for organizations that lead youth or adults into wilderness or related environments in the pursuit of therapeutic goals. Programs targeted include:

a. Human Development and Family Studies (CESS)-Undergraduate Major/Minor

b. Social Work (CESS)-Undergraduate Major

4. Students interested in the leadership of and programming for community based learning centers. These centers might provide a range of educational, family, literacy and related support services for refugees, English language learners, and adult populations.

a. Education for Cultural and Linguistic Diversity-ECLD (CESS)-Undergraduate Concentration/Minor

b. Social Work (CESS)-Undergraduate Major

c. Community Development and App. Economics (CALS)-Undergraduate Major/minor

5. Students from social science fields like political science, economics, sociology and community development who seek foundational training at the graduate level towards careers in educational policy studies, administration, and analysis. Students who have partially completed or completed teaching Majors, but seek alternatives upon graduation will also be welcomed. Programs targeted would include:

a. Social science Majors (CAS)—Undergraduate Majors/Minors

b. Teaching degrees (CESS)-Undergraduate Majors

c. HDFS Program (CESS)

Specific Requirements

Requirements for Admission to Graduate Studies for the Degree of Master of education for Accelerated Students

Admissions to the accelerated entry program requires the following:

  1. Students who have earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 at the beginning of the 2nd semester of their Junior year will receive highest consideration for admission to the AMP-EDLP program.
  2. Completion of the Graduate College Accelerated Master’s Degree Permission Form.
  3. Completion of the EDLP M.Ed. Graduate College Application Form online, which includes a written essay that matches their undergraduate program of study, professional experience and professional goals with the M.Ed. in EDLP; 3 letters of recommendation.

  4. Applications will be reviewed by program faculty and finalists will be interviewed.

Minimum Degree Requirements for the Degree of Master of Education

Please see the EDLP M.Ed. Program page of this Catalogue.

AMP-EDLP students may take courses limited to those offered in the Core Curriculum of the Master’s program prior to the completion of the bachelor's, inclusive of: 

  • EDLP 6000 - Leading Learning Organization and any one or two of the following:
  • ​EDRM 6300- Intro to Applied Research 
  • EDLP 6008 - Inequalities in Education Policy
  • EDLP 6100 - Effecting and Managing Change  
  • EDLP 6200 - Collaborative Consultation.

In summary, AMP-EDLP students are expected to take 6 credit hours of EDLP core coursework during their senior year, but may take  a total of 9. A total of 30 credit hours are needed to earn the Master’s. The remaining core courses will be taken after completion of the bachelor's degree.

AMP-EDLP students are expected to maintain a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.00 in their EDLP coursework.

Once fully enrolled as a graduate student, AMP-EDLP participants must adhere to the same standards defined in the Catalogue as other students in the M.Ed. in EDLP.