Masters in Education Program Rankings

The finest schools of education in the U.S. usually belong to the Ivy League schools and a few of the high powered public universities.  That does not mean, however, that the best programs for the Masters in Education are to be found in the highest ranked education programs.  The academic field of education is still sufficiently traditional that the doctorate program is weighed heavily in any rankings given to a school, whether by professional analysts or by peers.  Our selection of the best Masters in Education programs is based in part on the rankings found in the US News and World Report annual survey of U.S. universities and in part by the quality and diversity to be found in the MEd programs contained in those schools of education.  Some of the more traditional programs still have no MEd available; the sole graduate program is for a doctorate.

1. Columbia University Teachers College is one of the largest schools of education in the nation, with over 5,000 students enrolled.  The MEd program is a little difficult to decipher, because many of those degrees are offered in conjunction with another academic department.  The MEd in Secondary School Mathematics, for instance, is offered through the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology within the Teachers College.  It functions as a separate university within Columbia.  But the Teachers College offers an amazing number of graduate programs, with MEd options in Cognitive Studies, Measurement, Evaluation & Statistics, and International Education – three examples of programs that are rarely found elsewhere.
2. University of Oregon has a uniquely structured College of Education with some uniquely conceived graduate degrees.  The school has four divisions, three of which offer a graduate program with a education degrees.  The Masters of Science in Educational Methodology, Policy & Leadership is a masterful piece of academic design for aspiring school administrators and policy makers.  The Department of Special Education and Clinical Sciences offers a MEd in Special Education, in Early Intervention, and in School Psychology.  Under Education Studies there are two MEd degrees in Curriculum and Instruction, one for licensed teachers and one for non-teachers.
3. Vanderbilt University has also divided the Peabody College of Education into four departments, similar to those at the University of Oregon.  The degrees offered include a MEd in Special Education and a MEd in Child Studies, which is offered in collaboration with the Department of Psychology.  Other options include the MEd in Higher Education Administration, in Institutional Advancement, in Enrollment Management, in Higher Education Policy, and in International Higher Education.
4. Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy offers the Master of Science in Education in three categories.  The MS in Higher Education is part of the Higher Education Policy and Administration program within the school.  The MS in Education for K-12 offers degrees for Elementary Teaching, Secondary Teaching, and Advanced Teaching for students with a teaching credential.  The MS in Learning and Organizational Change includes focus on curriculum development and internal change management.
5. Johns Hopkins University provides all of its teaching graduate programs through the Master of Arts in Teaching degrees.  There is a Master of Science in Special Education with one specialization option for Severe Disabilities.  The Master of Science in Education has specialization available in School Administration & Supervision, Reading, Technology for Educators, and Educational Studies.  There is also a Master of Science in School Counseling.

Category: Colleges in USA , Online Degree Programs