Invest your summers in an intensive and impactful educational experience that prepares you for a lifetime of leadership.
The Klingenstein Center's Two-Summers Master's Degree Program is a five-semester graduate program that allows you to maintain your current employment in your independent or international school while earning your degree. You'll attend five weeks of classes in each of your two summers at Teachers College, Columbia University and engage in project-base coursework in the academic year between the summers and in the fall semester after the second summer.
As part of a diverse cohort of aspiring leaders you'll engage in classes, case-studies, affinity group work, and peer-coaching and mentoring in a supportive community.
Each summer, you'll explore meaningful coursework with renowned faculty, as you examine the practice of leadership through an interdisciplinary approach that centers social-emotional learning, the science of learning, and diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, and belonging. The carefully-curated core curriculum examines key aspects of independent and international school leadership such as change leadership, systems thinking, organizational psychology, research methods and data-informed decision-making, ethics in education, non-profit finance, school marketing and communications, education law, educational technology, and mind brain education.
During the year between the two summers, you'll conduct applied research to address a problem of practice in your current school as your practicum project. Supported by a small group of your classmates, a Klingenstein alum mentor, and a Teachers College faculty member, you'll employ the theories you've learned, learn about a new aspect of your school, and give back to your school community while completing this coursework.
You'll engage in a transformational journey as you synthesize what you've learned in your courses, through interview school leaders, in conversations with your cohort and with alumni, and through ongoing guided reflection about your own leadership and philosophies. You'll capture this in your Capstone, a learning e-portfolio that is both a tangible artifact of your learning and a guide for your future practice.
As you graduate, you'll have built new capacities for leadership and gained new connection to a worldwide network of Klingenstein Center alumni who are dedicated to making a positive impact on the world through education.
Applications for the Summer 2021-2023 Cohort have closed. To be notified when application open for the 2023-2025 cohort, please fill out the Contact Us form.
Associate Director of Admissions & Enrollment Management
Connect with Latoya to learn more about Klingenstein programs and application processes via the Contact Us Form or at 212-678-6666.
The GRE is not required. However, students who plan to apply for the Dual-Degree MA/MBA program will be required to take the GRE or GMAT for admission to Columbia Business School or INSEAD.
The program awards a Master of Arts in Private School Leadership (32 credits) from Columbia University's Teachers College. Students with previous master's study may be able to apply transfer credits to earn a Master of Education degree (60 credits).
An M.A. degree is awarded upon completion of a 32-credit program at Teachers College. No transfer credits from previous graduate work outside Teachers College can be applied to the M.A.
Students with previous graduate work can earn an Ed.M. degree by transferring a maximum of 28 qualified credits. Students are required to complete the Teachers College process for review and approval of transfer credits. Please note that only graduate courses which have been (1) completed with grades of B or higher, (2) submitted on an official transcript from a regionally accredited institution, and (3) granted/assigned credit on the transcript of that institution, may be considered for transfer credit.
No. An interview is not a part of the application process. While the Klingenstein Center usually welcomes visits from prospective students, Teachers College is still developing policies for on-campus visitors following our return to in-person courses in Fall 2021. Please email us to arrange opportunities to learn more about Teachers College and the Klingenstein Center.
Yes. It is fine to submit additional letters of reference from colleagues and Klingenstein alumni who know your work from a variety of perspectives. You are required to submit two letters with your application and may send a third letter through the online application system.
Yes. International applicants are encouraged to carefully review the International Applicants section of the Teachers College Admissions website.
Applicants generally receive notification in March following their application. Notifications of admissions decisions are sent via email by the Teachers College Office of Admissions. If you have questions or concerns about the timing of your admissions decision, please contact the Klingenstein Center.
Yes. Housing is available for full-time summer graduate students through the Office of Residential Services, Teachers College, Columbia University. Applicants are encouraged to apply for on-campus housing as as the application opens. Visit the Summer Conference Housing page for more information about applying for on-campus housing. Visit our Living in NYC page for information about the Morningside Heights neighborhood and campus resources.
Yes. Teachers College offers grants, scholarships, federal loans, and federal work-study programs.
As part of the application for admission, students are able to request to be considered for scholarship funding. All applicants are encouraged to apply online for financial aid through the Teachers College Office of Financial Aid. Eligible students may also apply Federal Financial Aid through Teachers College.
Thanks to alumni support of the annual Scholars Fund and the generosity of foundations and the Klingenstein family, many students receive aid from scholarship funds earmarked for Klingenstein Center students. Klingenstein Scholarships are merit-based. To gain access to the Klingenstein Center funding, you must complete the Teachers College Financial Aid application.
The cost of tuition and fees is for the 2021-2023 estimated at $60,000. This cost is divided into five equal installments for each semester of the program. This cost does not include housing, travel, books, or other incidentals. An exact amount for tuition and fees for the 2023-2025 cohort will be posted when it becomes available.
Priority deadline: November 1, even-numbered years
Final deadline: January 15, odd-numbered years
The Klingenstein Center is part of Teachers College, Columbia University. Candidates who wish to apply to master’s degree programs submit an application via the Teachers College Admissions Office. Applications require an application form, transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate level studies, a resume, essays, two letters of recommendation, and payment of an application fee.
Applications for the Two-Summers Master's Degree Program are currently closed. To be notified when the application for the 2023-2025 program open, complete the Contact Us form.
Candidates must
Candidates with questions about their eligibility should contact the Klingenstein Center.
Applications for the 2021-2023 cohort are closed. The next available cohort will begin the summer of 2023 and will graduate in the spring of 2025.