Division of Education & Leadership

Our programs teach you to lead in education and organizations, activate your creative energy with intellectual challenge, engage research and a variety of practical experiences.

Shenandoah University’s Division of Education and Leadership offers master’s and certificate programs in leadership. Also offered are programs in education that meet Virginia Department of Education requirements for licensure. All programs are inquiry-driven, problem-oriented and focused on public education foundations through course requirements, internships and field research.

Undergraduate Education Programs

While most other universities offer a Bachelor of Arts or Science, Shenandoah’s program is a Bachelor in Education — putting the focus on the expertise being developed and the career field graduates will pursue. The degree focuses on developing content expertise and expertise in how to teach that content to others.

You’ll complete coursework necessary to earn Virginia licensure, and spend 300-500 hours gaining hands-on classroom experience.

There are many ways to become a teacher at Shenandoah! Whether you’re a high school student choosing a major, a graduate student, or a working professional we will work with you towards your Virginia Teacher Licensure. 

Become an educator in elementary, middle, or high schools. You may also earn your special education endorsement.

A strong component of the Bachelor of Education Program is a partnership with local schools where education students meet for class lectures and work directly with students and teachers in the school setting. Students begin observing in classrooms early in the program and advance to working as tutors, teaching large and small groups, and conducting classroom research.

PSC Initial Teacher Licensure programs allow you to complete coursework necessary to earn Virginia licensure, and gain hands-on classroom experience student teaching. This coursework can be adapted for teachers who were provisionally licensed.

The Career Switcher Program provides an alternative pathway into teaching for individuals who have not completed a teacher preparation curriculum but have considerable life experiences, career achievements, and academic backgrounds that could be relevant for teaching in grades 6 – 12.

If you currently hold a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university and have at least three years of full time work experience or its equivalent, the Career Switcher program may be for you!

At Shenandoah, we develop leaders who develop other leaders. Be an Administrator. Be a Business Leader. Be a Community Leader.

Study in leadership at Shenandoah University offers learners the opportunity to think deeply about, examine, understand and challenge problems facing educational and other public organizations. The programs are organized around a core of leadership and inquiry courses, complemented by courses in the learner’s concentration and emphasize the application of theory to real world problems and lived experiences.

Education & Leadership News

Photo of KidWind event

Shenandoah University Holds KidWind Coach Training Session

Shenandoah Education Students Participate In Hands-On Lessons Related To Renewable Energies

Child wearing fake elephant trunk on his nose and teacher wearing a "Read" T-shirt share an Elephant and Piggie book for parents in an elementary school classroom at a Camp Read A Lot in the summer of 2025.

Shenandoah University Makes Reading Fun

With the help of the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, Shenandoah makes an impact by focusing on the joy of reading through special programs like Camp Read A Lot, the Children’s Literature Conference and more

Stock photo of a female-identifying teacher wearing a blue top and white pants leaning against a child-sized desk at the front of an elementary school classroom filled with student studying at their desks.

Grant Program Creates New Pipeline for Principals

Shenandoah University’s Teacher Licensure Program Chosen To Participate In Select Group

Accomplished Faculty Mentors Make The Difference

Our accomplished and caring faculty serve as mentors beyond the classroom. As a team, they prepare you to serve as a compassionate educator, critical thinker and ethical leader. You’ll benefit from small class sizes that enable faculty members to provide individualized attention and nurture your academic and professional development.

DEL Staff

From registration and enrollment through preparing for licensure, the Division of Education and Leadership staff are a valuable resource for our students.

Be a Teacher. Be an Administrator. Be a Business Leader. Be a Community Leader.

Today’s educational and organizational environments require well-educated, capable and caring professionals. Our graduate programs are rigorous and competitive. They’re flexible and designed for busy, working adults.

Shenandoah University’s Division of Education & Leadership prepares practitioner-leaders by offering programs of study that conform to the following principles: practicing in a spirit of collaboration; thoughtful examination of the foundations, current contexts and future possibilities of the fields of study; encouraging proactive, problem-centered philosophies of educational and professional practice; producing graduates who will be knowledge-driven, competent decision-makers whose thinking is informed by reflective practice; and preparing caring, capable and reflective teachers, administrators, human services and public sectors practitioners.

Our master’s and doctoral programs are unique in their emphasis on the application of theory to real-world problems and lived experiences. Administration and Supervision Licensure and Teacher Education Licensure programs have each earned accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).