Graduate Programs
Shenandoah University offers master’s and certificate programs that meet Virginia Department of Education requirements for licensure. Programs are inquiry-driven, problem-oriented and focused on public education foundations through course requirements, internships and field research.
Leadership Degrees
Education Degrees
Undergraduate Education Programs
Shenandoah is proud to offer 7 Bachelor of Education programs and 7 Special Education Add-on Endorsements—More than any other private university in Virginia!
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.
I want to be a Teacher
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.
I Am A High School Student
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.
I Have Earned A Bachelors Degree & Need to Work Towards Licensure
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.
I Have Earned A Bachelors Degree & Work Experience
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!
I want to be a Leader
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.
School of Education & Leadership News
Children’s Literature World Shares Its Talents in a Time of Crisis
A host of talented, giving, dynamic authors, illustrators and educators have graced the Shenandoah University Children’s Literature Conference over its 35 years of existence. And now, as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many past ... Continue Reading Children’s Literature World Shares Its…
SOEL Student and Alumni Accomplishments
Students and alumni of Shenandoah University's School of Education and Leadership are sharing and being recognized for their scholarship and expertise. Richard J. Reeves Doctor of Professional Studies: Organizational Leadership program student ... Continue Reading SOEL Student and Alumni Accomplishments
Getting Youth Excited About Science
This semester, nine Shenandoah University students are teaching hands-on science lessons as part of a partnership with local elementary school students. Through their Reasoning Skills I: Science class, Shenandoah students run a Maker Engineer Lab at ... Continue Reading Getting Youth Excited About Science
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.
SOEL Staff
From registration and enrollment through preparing for licensure, the School of Education and Leadership staff are a valuable resource for our students.
At Shenandoah, we develop leaders who develop other leaders.
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 School 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).
Explore SOEL
- Career Switcher Program
- Teachers For Tomorrow
- Leadership Studies
- Research & Social Analysis
- Office of Education Outreach
- Office of Education Licensure
- Accreditation
- Center for Leadership in the Public and Nonprofit Sector
- Children’s Literature Conference
- Shenandoah Valley Writing Project
- Claude Moore Center for Literacy