Online Master of Arts in Teaching, Leadership, and Cultural Competency
As an educational professional, you hold great power over the future. Learn to create better student outcomes and take your teaching skills to a higher plane using research-derived, real-world-tested strategies, no matter where you live. The online Master of Arts in Teaching, Leadership, and Cultural Competency (MATLCC) from the University of Iowa can help you create a school environment that supports diverse students in meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow.
- Complete in as few as 20 months
- Start in Spring, Summer, or Fall
- 8-week courses
- Courses satisfy Iowa continuing education requirements
- No GRE
Better outcomes for your students and yourself
Create career options
Put your MA to work in the classroom, as an administrator or beyond.
Curriculum and convenience
Choose Iowa for our powerful curriculum and enjoy the convenience of online classes.
Cultivate academic growth
Center your educational career on improving learning experiences for all students.
Take your career and students further
Want to see how a master’s degree can help you teach better, lead more effectively and fuel your career? Complete the form to get a program brochure.
Get valuable insights into the online experience, learn more about the College of Education, and see where this degree can take you.
This will only take a moment.
First in the state
The University of Iowa is not only the first college founded in the state. We’re also proud to be ranked the #1 Best College in Iowa, and the #23 Best Online Master of Education by U.S. News & World Report.1, 2 With more than 175 years of innovative excellence behind us and a clear eye trained on the future, Iowa continues to lead in teacher education.
Positive Change Begins with You
Discover how you can create more welcoming and supportive schools, classrooms, and communities with our specialized curriculum. Learn how to meet students where they are and help them thrive in a program uniquely focused on cultural competency. Get the tools you need to address structural challenges in education from a major university that is a leader in educational research and practice.
Empower students to improve the future
Teach your students the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion as a foundational approach for 21st-century success. Learn about conceptual frameworks, strategies, and tactics that will help empower them and fuel your success as an educational professional.
The online MATLCC degree requirements include:
- 21 semester hours of core courses, encompassing current issues, technology, diversity and identity, and more.
- 9 semester hours of electives selected from these areas:
- English Language Learners
- STEM
- Talented and Gifted
- English Language Arts
- Additional topics
- 3 semester hours capstone school-based action research project
Depending on which electives you choose, you may be able to complete a large number of requirements toward State of Iowa endorsements in Talented and Gifted, STEM, or ESL. Candidates seeking the endorsement may need to complete additional coursework before applying to the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners.
The master’s program you would have created
That’s because world-class educators designed it to work for working teachers. The program prepares you with the hands-on skills and theoretical frameworks to teach effectively today.
Focused. Flexible. Fast.
Get your degree in as few as 20 months with 100% online coursework that fits into your schedule. Because you can keep teaching while you learn, you can quickly see how your new skills and techniques improve student outcomes.
Make meaningful connections
Our robust online learning platform and small class sizes allow you to make meaningful connections with peers and professors as you move through the program.
Core Course Highlight
Diversity and Identity in K-12 Schools
Develop a deeper understanding of how different students experience K-12 educational practices differently based on their backgrounds and identities. Trace how K-12 teachers can make pedagogical and curricular decisions that sustain and support their students and school community, cultivating flexibility and responsiveness. Engage in regular self-evaluation as a practicing teacher or education professional in this advanced seminar on issues in K-12 education.
Elective Course Highlight
Teaching and Learning for Global Perspective
Designed for practicing teachers, this course provides theoretical frameworks for global competence--the ability to understand global and intercultural issues and engage in appropriate and effective intercultural interactions.3 Educational strategies and resources for fostering global competence are included, and students create a standards-based curriculum project as part of the course.
Put your learning into action
Conducting School-Based Action Research
After you’ve completed your coursework, you will have the opportunity to create an action research project focused on how teachers or administrators can be change agents, helping to improve teaching and learning.
Prepare for national certification
We worked with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) in designing our MATLCC curriculum. When you graduate from this powerful online program for educators, you’ll be well prepared for the NBPTS Critical Reflection certification requirement.
Faculty for the Online Master of Arts in Teaching, Leadership, and Cultural Competency
Learn from expert instructors who are committed to the university’s values and to helping you succeed through coaching and support. Our faculty are highly networked scholars and researchers who can help you become the leader you want to be.
Laurie Croft, PhD
Clinical Professor, Talented and Gifted
Catherine J. Welch, PhD
Professor of Educational Measurement and Statistics
Gerta Bardhoshi, PhD
Associate Professor of School Counseling
Put your MA to work right away or go on for your PhD
Iowa’s MA in Teaching, Leadership, and Cultural Competency provides immediate career impact for licensed teachers and opens doors to educational leadership and administration opportunities. Your MA also puts you on a solid footing for doctoral work.
And, the National Center for Education Statistics has found that a master’s degree can boost your salary. Nationally and across professions, those with master’s degrees earn an average of 20% more than those whose highest degree is a bachelor’s.4
AN AFFORDABLE PRICE
Admissions Overview
We prefer that candidates for the MATLCC program have a teaching license or certification and a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4-point scale from a bachelor’s degree program that includes an educator preparation program for initial licensure.
Candidates who do not fit this description may still be admitted. Explore your options with an admissions outreach advisor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What services and support do I have access to as an online student?
- Remote access to UI Libraries’ subscription databases and research collections
- Research assistance by phone, email, or online meeting
- Book delivery (within the U.S.)
- Scanning and delivery of articles and book chapters
- Resource guides and recommendations for research tools
What are the technology requirements?
Is the University of Iowa accredited?
Can I apply if my GPA is lower than 3.0?
Will my degree indicate that I completed coursework online?
Does this program offer licensure in Iowa or any other state?
For more information, please see the University of Iowa's Professional Licensure Information web page.
Is the GRE or any other examination required?
Can I take the MATLCC courses out of sequence or start at a later date?
Can transfer credits from another college/university apply toward program requirements?
How are the courses delivered?
Do I qualify for financial aid?
Students with specific questions about financial aid may contact the Office of Student Financial Aid by email at financial-aid@uiowa.edu or by phone at 319-335-1450. For more information, visit the financial aid website.
Admissions Deadlines
Spring 2025 Term
Lead for equity and excellence with Iowa’s online MA in Teaching, Leadership, and Cultural Competency.
* Tuition and fees are subject to change.
- Retrieved on November 20, 2024, from https://premium.usnews.com/best-colleges/ia
- Retrieved on November 20, 2024, from usnews.com/education/online-education/university-of-iowa-OEDU0796/education
- Retrieved on November 20, 2024, from globalcompetence4educators.org/global-competence.html
- Retrieved on November 20, 2024, from nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cba/annual-earnings