The M.A. in Community and Teacher Leaders is different from other programs because it allows students to:

  • Enroll in an affordable cohort model master's program
  • Complete a master's degree in approximately a year and a half
  • Have the option to enroll in a teacher leader endorsement only sequence that consists of five courses (15 credit hours). This option is offered to students who have earned an M.A. already and a license to teach in Illinois. 
  • Engage in a program that was intentionally designed for developing community and teacher leaders alongside one another
  • Take classes in a variety of formats (hybrid, evening, Saturdays) with Educational Foundations (EDFN) faculty and community based leaders
  • Select electives university wide courses, depending on the student's interests and needs
  • Transfer graduate credit earned outside Northeastern Illinois University
  • Gather data and present research findings that are of interest to the student 
  • Focus on how community impacts learning and how the teacher leader needs to resource the community to increase effectiveness

Students enrolled in the M.A. in Community and Teacher Leaders will:

  • Create connections between communities and schools in an effort to form partnerships that benefit all members of the neighborhood (students, teachers, parents/guardians, families, and community businesses and residents)
  • Build a working knowledge of social justice and critical theory as it relates to curriculum development, schooling, and leadership with schools and/or communities
  • Connect theory to practice and develop as future community and teacher leaders sensitive to how multiple identities, social location, and circumstances impact youth, educators, and neighborhoods

The M.A. in Community and Teacher Leaders (MACTL) program values diversity, relationships, partnerships, and coalition building among educational settings and the community. The completion of the M.A. in Community and Teacher Leaders prepares students to listen, communicate, collaborate, and serve as agents of change and inclusiveness as it relates to schools and communities.  

WHAT STUDENTS DO WITH A MACTL DEGREE

Students will be able to pursue a multitude of options including:

  • Teacher leaders
  • Educational outreach coordinators
  • Department chairs
  • Coaches
  • Professional developers
  • Administrators in community agencies and businesses
  • Community organizers and activists
  • School and community-based researchers
  • Leaders/developers of non-profit organizations
  • School board leaders
  • Curriculum developers
  • University employees
  • School and community based mentors
  • Union leaders
  • Leaders of school improvement committees

Those who hold an M.A. in Community and Teacher Leaders also can pursue a doctorate degree.