For admission into this cohort, students must have completed a Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies or a Graduate Certificate in School Leadership at the University of Alberta - four courses (12 credits). They will complete the MES by taking six graduate-level courses (18 credits); four core courses and two electives.

Note: Any synchronous sessions are in Mountain Time (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada). Dates and times are determined by the course instructor.

Course Schedule

Summer Term I, three weeks in July, FULL TIME

EDSL 520 Foundations of School Leadership
Explore the foundational dimensions of school leadership including instructional leadership, fostering effective relationships, supporting the application of foundational knowledge about Indigenous Peoples, visionary leadership, leading learning communities, modelling continuous professional learning, developing leadership capacity, understanding the social context influencing schooling, and managing school operations and resources.

Fall Term, September - November (9 weeks)

EDST 510 Fundamentals of Educational Research ★3
Explores the findings of educational research, and works to apply the results of research to educational problems. Focuses on conceptualizing methods of educational research to specific and individual educational sites and issues.

Fall/Winter Terms, December to February (9 weeks)

EDST 514A and B Planning for Educational Change ★3
Explores how educational research can enhance educational change toward school improvement and focuses on utilizing appropriate research methods to create a site-based research proposal for a specific site.

Winter Term, March - April (9 weeks)

EDST 515 Applying Educational Research ★3
A supervised research assignment to develop and apply knowledge and skills related to data collection, data analysis techniques and research report presentation.

Spring Term, May - June (6 weeks)

EDSL 521 School Leadership: Theory and Practice

Hone leadership practices grounded in research to demonstrate mastery of Alberta's Leadership Quality Standard (LQS). Includes a job-embedded learning component in which participants visit, observe, and collaborate with a school leader or leadership team in a school setting of their choice, in which the Alberta Program of Studies is offered.

Prerequisite: EDSL 520 Foundations of School Leadership

Summer Term II, July - August

EDST 900 Program Synthesis ★3*
Explores the findings of educational research, and works to apply the results of research to educational problems. Focuses on conceptualizing methods of educational research to specific and individual educational sites and issues.

Ethics Requirement

In addition to the core and elective courses, all Master's students are required to take INT D 710: Ethics and Academic Citizenship.

• 6 hours
• Online
• Asynchronous
• Credit/No Credit

Students will be enrolled automatically in the summer or fall term. This requirement must be completed prior to taking EDST 515.

Grading

The program uses the University of Alberta's 4-point scale grading system. For more information about the University of Alberta grading system, see the grading system at the Office of the Registrar.

Domestic Tuition

2026-27 tuition for domestic students (Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents) is $1,549.00 per course (subject to change). Tuition is assessed each semester, by course.

Note: Tuition for these courses is listed at a higher rate in the Academic Calendar. However, the Faculty of Education will provide a bursary to keep the amount paid by domestic students consistent across all Professional Learning courses. If applicable, the bursary will be applied after the add/drop deadline. The amount of the bursary varies by program; it is not applicable to U of A staff, doctoral students or international students. All fees and bursary amounts are subject to change.

Additional Costs

• Non-instructional fees are assessed by the university
  Note: students can opt out of the Students' Union Health and Dental plans.
• Course readings - these costs are not prohibitive as most texts are available in digital format, and available to borrow from the University of Alberta library system; some may be used for more than one course.

Fees must be paid by the specific deadline for your starting semester. Please review this page for complete information and dates.

Because this is a part-time, course-based program, students do not qualify for University of Alberta scholarships.

• You may be eligible for funding through your local school division and/or the Alberta Teachers' Association.
• ARTA 101 Continuing Education Scholarship for active teachers who are current ARTA 101 Members (membership is free until you retire).
• Métis students may be eligible for funding through the Belcourt Brosseau Métis Awards.
• You may be eligible for funding through Alberta Student Aid (apply 60 days before the start of classes for best results).

Once you have finalized your application (see instructions below), you will be able to upload these required documents to the Graduate Studies Application Centre (GSAC). Having them ready in advance will expedite your application process.

1. A letter of intent (1-2 pages) outlining your reasons for pursuing a graduate degree and area(s) of interest as potential research topics. 

If you have not taken any other courses since you completed your certificate, the letter of intent is all you need to upload.

2. If you have taken other courses, you must provide scanned, up-to-date transcripts from any courses you've taken since you completed your certificate. Note: your application will not be processed until up-to-date transcripts from all post-secondary institutions are provided.

• Up-to-date is defined as transcripts dated or issued in the fall/winter session of the year of application (if currently registered) or within a year of the term for which you are applying (if not currently registered). For example, if you are a new student applying for the Fall term, the print date on your transcript must be no later than September 1 of the previous year.
• The transcript must be scanned legibly and in its entirety (front and back pages), including the transcript legend typically printed on the back of the transcript. Ensure that no information is cut off during scanning.
• The following are acceptable for uploading to the GSAC:
  • PDF copies of transcripts that have been mailed to you from the issuing institution, scanned front and back
  • PDF copies from Bear Tracks for U of A students
  • PDF copies from other institutions' student portals (must have the institution's URL clearly visible)
  • PDF copies from MyCreds (email to yourself, then upload).

Please review the Application Requirements for Academic Documents page to ensure that your transcripts meet ALL of the listed requirements.

When you receive your letter of admission from the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS), you will be asked to send official transcripts directly to them. Instructions will be provided in the letter.

This is a part-time, online program. International applicants are welcome, but admission will not qualify the applicant under the Canadian Study Permit and/or Post Graduation Work Permit programs. For more information, visit International Education + Enrolment's page on Immigration. If you are looking for full-time graduate studies, visit the Faculty of Education's Graduate Programs page.

For this program, international applicants must meet the minimum eligibility requirements as defined by the program. Check out our page on International Academic Requirements for information on application documents, academic requirements, and English Language Proficiency.

International Tuition
Tuition for international students is higher than for domestic students. See the information provided here: Programs with Non-Standard Fees for International Students (look for Master of Education in Educational Studies). 

Applications open on November 1 and close on March 31 annually.

Note: You must hold a Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies (GCES) - Structured Literacy and Reading Science from the University of Alberta to apply for this program. Students completing their certificate programs in winter term will be eligible to apply.

Application Process

When you click the Apply Now button below, you will be redirected to the Graduate Studies Application Centre (GSAC). 

1. If you are logging in for the first time, click 'Create Account'. You will receive a code to activate your account and log in.
   
   
2. If you are a returning user, click 'Login' to be directed to your previous applications.
   
   
3. Once you have logged in, click 'Start New Application' then 'Open Application'.
   
   
4. Complete the 'Personal Information' and 'Academic History' pages.
   Note: If you took courses after completing your graduate certificate, enter that information on the Academic History page (click 'Add School') and, once you complete the application process, you'll be able to upload your transcript. Remember, transcripts must be issued/dated within one year of the term for which you apply.
   
   
5. On the 'Program Selection' page, click 'Select a Program'. Enter the following to choose the Master of Education in Educational Studies:
   
   • Faculty = Education
   • Academic Unit = Educational Studies
   • Program = Master of Education (Course)
   • Area of Study = Structured Literacy and Reading Science (SLRS)
   • Course Load = Part Time
   • Intake = the year your program will start
   • Term = Summer
     • You must take a course in the term for which you apply, so be sure to choose carefully.
       
       
6. Program Specific Questions
   • indicate when you completed your GCES Structured Literacy and Reading Science
   • indicate whether you've taken courses since completing your graduate certificate
   • upload the Transfer Credit Form to receive transfer credit for previous graduate-level coursework (up to two courses may transfer in as electives).
     
     
7. Complete the rest of the application. If you have any financial support (scholarships, bursaries, etc.) be sure to include any deadlines for those applications. You will not have to pay the application fee.

You will upload your Letter of Intent once your application has been submitted - there will be a checklist item on your application in the GSAC.

Apply Now!

Yes. Each graduate-level course counts as 0.125 years on the TQS salary scale. More information is available here (see section 15.02).

How will a break in my studies affect my program?
In most cases, you have 6 years to complete the MEd. However, course availability is dependent upon sufficient enrollment. If you intend to interrupt your program for any reason, contact us to discuss your options.

What grading system does the program use?
These programs use the University of Alberta's 4-point scale grading system (graduate).

What if I don't quite meet all of the requirements?
Contact us to discuss your options.

What if I have already completed some graduate level courses?
You may receive transfer credit for up to six credits of graduate coursework (two electives). Transfer credit information is available here or contact us to confirm.