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For those with a teaching heart who enjoy helping others develop a deeper understanding of the Bible and the principles of Christian faith, the Master of Education (MEd) in Educational Administration with an Emphasis in Christian Education may be a good fit for you.
This master’s degree from Grand Canyon University is a licensure program designed for teachers or administrators interested in careers as Christian educational leaders in the pre-K–12 setting.
If you enjoy teaching others to embrace the life-changing power of God’s Word and seeing how the life of Christ can transform lives, we invite you to explore this program further.
Further your Christian teacher training with our advanced programs that are tailored to deepen your understanding of theological principles and enhance your capacity for meaningful engagement within faith-based communities and contexts.
The principles of this Christian education leadership program are designed to instill the essential skills and knowledge needed to emerge as a transformative leader in your community and church, fostering human flourishing within educational environments. Furthermore, this program can lay a foundation for pursuing licensure in education-related fields.
All Educational Administration Emphases
This program aims to help prepare you to serve as an educator in Christian schools and various educational contexts, emphasizing the harmonization of faith and learning throughout your teaching practice. You will be taught strategies to integrate faith seamlessly into your educational environment.
Geared toward Christian teacher training, this master’s program provides a solid foundation in the following skills:
Curriculum theory and development
Assessment data analysis
Crisis and change
School law
Finance
Management
Character development
You can expect a rigorous academic experience that emphasizes the combination of faith and learning. By offering this online master’s degree in educational administration, you can complete the majority of your coursework on a more flexible learning schedule while maintaining your current responsibilities.
In addition, you will complete three clinical internships for a minimum of 300 hours in an approved pre-K–12 school setting. This is designed to help prepare you for Christian education administration in multiple school settings, including Christian schools that require state licensure or certification.
Our faith-integrated curriculum courses focus on handling ethical concepts ranging from legal requirements that are specific to the Christian school-to-school governance and court decisions that govern Christian schools.
Emphasis is placed on:
Knowledgeable faculty will teach you the educational administration skills necessary to apply appropriate and critical inquiry strategies, such as inductive and deductive reasoning, analysis, evaluation and synthesis, and how they align with our Christian worldview.
You’ll be instructed how to become an educational leader who examines a school’s mission and vision to promote the Christian Worldview. Through data use, design technology, implementation and evaluation, strong emphasis is placed on developing your leader characteristics, modeling and advocating for ethical behavior, while promoting a Christian community and worldview.
Educational administration with a focus on Christian school finance is a vital component of this master’s degree, contributing to schools and institutions in helping to ensure they have the resources for effective education delivery.
This master’s degree covers education and Christian school finance topics, such as:
Explore ethics, best practices and legal requirements unique to Christian education administration in this master's degree. Emphasis is focused on ethical decision-making.
Upon completing the MEd in educational administration, you can expect to engage in evaluating relevant laws and court decisions affecting Christian schools, along with opportunities for personal spiritual growth and character development, including the following:
This program will teach you how to embrace your critical role in creating and sustaining a positive school culture and shared vision in Christian education leadership positions. While being presented with diverse settings, contexts and leadership situations, you have the opportunity to learn the necessary skills to manage and cultivate positive relationships with students, families and the community that promote success.
Experienced faculty will guide you toward achieving equitable, respectful and responsive leadership styles that can help prepare you to meet the needs of all individuals, regardless of their background or differences. Through cultural competency training, differentiated instruction strategies and creating a supportive learning environment, you can work toward becoming a leader who creates a welcoming and inclusive environment where all individuals feel valued, respected and are given an equal opportunity to succeed.
This master’s degree program empowers teachers and administrators to deepen their knowledge and refine their leadership skills in Christian pre-K–12 education.
You will be presented with the chance to graduate prepared for a variety of careers, including one in education and childcare or school administrators (preschool, daycare, K-12 and postsecondary levels).
Graduates of this program may also go on to pursue careers that involve:
Designing curriculum
Leading churches
Guiding congregations in their spiritual lives
Fostering youth faith foundations
This degree can lead future educators into Christ-centered educational experiences and careers that consider the principles of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). This degree can help you work toward ACSI accreditation if this is a goal.
Additionally, the College of Education at GCU is a member in good standing with the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP). GCU has also been institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1968. Visit our university accreditation page for information about the HLC and how it can serve you.
Deciding which master’s degree to pursue is a big decision and commitment. To help make your decision easier, GCU has provided answers to your most frequently asked questions.
Courses in advanced Christian education are typically designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of Christian education, as well as the skills and knowledge necessary in the field. For instance, this MEd is designed to help you reflect on personal spiritual formations and character development, analyze best practices for the structure of Christian schools, and articulate ethical and professional behavior when dealing with the funds, governance and structure of a school’s environment.
Starting a Christian education program can be a fulfilling way to share your faith with others and make a positive impact in your community. By focusing your MEd studies on Christian education, this can be a pathway to educating others with faith-integrated curriculum. Once you have your degree, you’ll want to define your mission and goals, choose a curriculum, gain necessary approvals (i.e., location) and start planning for your career journey. With the right planning and dedication, sharing your faith and helping others grow in their spiritual journey can provide several benefits.
Christian education in schools can offer an education that helps you grow academically, morally and spiritually. They can offer several benefits, including:1
Although both programs may share some common elements, they are distinct in their focus and the type of knowledge and skills they emphasize. This Master of Educational Administration with an emphasis on Christian education focuses on the administration of educational institutions, particularly those with a Christian mission and philosophy. It includes courses on:
In addition, our MA degree in Christian leadership focuses specifically on leadership within a Christian context, including ministerial ethics, practical theology and leading through conflict. This degree program typically includes courses in leadership theory, management philosophies and biblical hermeneutics and does not lead to licensure.
Deepen your knowledge, refine your leadership skills and make a lasting difference in Christian pre-K–12 schools.
If you are seeking licensure/certification, please refer to the Accreditation and Compliance/State disclosures link for the specific program of interest’s website for your location and/or employment state licensure requirements, per 34 CFR 668.14(b)32 and 668.43(c).
This degree, offered by the College of Education, is a regionally accredited program approved by the State of Arizona. It aligns with the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL, 2015) led by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA, 2018).
1 Cornerstone Christian School. (2019, Aug. 29). The (Priceless) Benefits of a Christian Education. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
Up to 12 credits or 1/3 of the total program requirements in transfer (whichever is less)
Credits: Fill out the Lopes Eval to find out what will transfer
Admission Requirements (Master's)
OR 2.5+ Unweighted GPA and
Admission requirements may differ based on degree level, program and modality, or transfer status. Some programs of study may require a higher GPA and/or other qualifying criteria for admission. Please review full admission and program requirements in the University Policy Handbook.
* Degree must be from an accredited college or program that has been approved by GCU.
** Combined verbal/quantitative, after August 2011 (1,000 combined verbal and quantitative, prior to August 2011).
