Which M.Ed. is right for me?

Undecided on which master's program to pursue? Take our quiz

This quiz can be used as one tool of many to assist you in choosing which UIC M.Ed. would be best for you. We also encourage you to talk to the faculty who lead these programs, attend an info session, and/or email edmasters@uic.edu to help you in your decision process.

Choosing a Master's Program Heading link

Do you want to earn an Illinois teaching license (PEL) as part of your master's degree? * Required
Select "Yes" if your career goal is to become a teacher in a school classroom and you do not have a license to teach.
- Yes
- No
Are you a licensed teacher in Illinois? * Required
Select "Yes" if you already have a Professional Educator License (PEL).
- Yes
- No
Are you seeking endorsements to your license/PEL? * Required
- Yes
- No
Master's Programs with Licensure
For those students who want to earn a Professional Educator License (PEL) along with their master's studies
You can read more about the Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) on the ISBE website.
What do you want to teach? * Required
- I want to teach young children (up to Grade 3)
- I want to teach High School Science
- I want to teach Special Education
- None of the above
Is your bachelor's degree in one of the sciences? * Required
Examples include Biology, Chemistry, Pre-Medicine, Engineering, Physics, Environmental Science, Computer Science
- Yes
- No
Suggested program(s) for you:
The Master's of Early Childhood Education would be a great fit for you. You do not need previous experience in education to apply to this program. In this program you will earn a license to teach children from birth to Grade 3 with the option to add other teaching endorsements like ESL/Bilingual and Special Education.
The Master's of Science Education (Strand A) would be a great fit for you if you have a bachelor's in one of the sciences or the equivalent coursework. Applicants who have at least 18 hours of completed coursework in the sciences may be accepted.
If you did not major in one of the sciences during your undergrad program, the licensure track (Strand A) of MEd Science Education requires applicants to have at least 18 hours of completed coursework in the sciences to be accepted. Students may complete science deficiencies while earning the graduate education degree.
Visit the MEd Science Education How to Apply webpage for more information.
The Master's of Special Education (Group 1) would work best for you. You do not need a previous background in education and you will earn a license (PEL) and the LBS I endorsement as part of the program.
If none of the above options interest you, you might want to look outside of the College of Education. Our college offers 3 licensure programs at the master's degree level: Early Childhood Education, Special Education, and Science Education.
However, UIC's College of Liberal Arts & Sciences offers Secondary Education (high school) licensure programs at the master's level in
- English
- History
- Math
- Spanish
See the list of all of UIC's licensure programs.
Master's Programs without Licensure/PEL
For those students who do not want to earn a teaching license (PEL) and who are seeking opportunities to do research and/or broaden their skills and knowledge in a certain topic in education
Why are you looking to pursue a master's in education? * Required
Please choose your top answer out of all the options below.
- I want to work with young people in non-school environments like nonprofits and community centers
- I want to study a broad range of topics in education with lots of flexibility to choose my courses
- I want to improve my quantitative research skills, including statistics & assessment
- I want to start or advance my career in higher education (working in colleges & universities)
- I want to study the policies and/or social movements that influence urban public schools (K-12) and the communities they serve
- I'm interested in studying topics in Special Education but I don't want to earn a license or endorsements
- I'm interested in studying topics in reading, learning, language and culture but I don't want to earn a license or endorsements
- I'm interested in science education for non-school settings like museums and nonprofits
Suggested program(s) for you:
The Master's of Educational Policy Studies is a great fit for students interested in at least one of three focus areas related to K-12 education: Educational Leadership and School Improvement, Education Policy and Policy Analysis, and Social Justice and Education.
The Master's of Educational Studies is housed in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, but allows you to take courses in all four UIC Education departments. You can choose an area of emphasis or design your own course of study if you don't see an existing program that satisfies your needs.
This program is also popular with international students interested in studying education in the US but aren't looking for a US license or teaching credentials.
The Master's of Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics & Assessment (MESA) is specifically for people who want to improve their quantitative research skills in education and the social sciences.
There is an on-campus version of the program as well as a fully online option offered through UIC Extended Campus
The Master's of Language, Literacies & Learning is a good fit for students who are not teachers and/or are not seeking a license or endorsements, but who want to study and conduct research in topics related to language learning and literacy in multicultural and multilingual classrooms.
The Master's of Science Education (Strand B) emphasizes science education in urban settings for those working at, or interested in, not-for-profit science-related museums and organizations.
The Master's of Special Education (Group 4) would be a good fit for you. Students in Group 4 do not earn a license or endorsements so they can exclusively focus on their coursework and research. This option is popular with international students who plan on working in Special Education outside of the US.
The Master's of Urban Higher Education is a great fit if you already work in colleges & universities or you want to start a career in higher education. Whether your interest is student affairs, leadership, or institutional research, this program prepares you for a successful career in higher education.
The Master's of Youth Development is a great fit if you want to study youth (approximately ages 8-22) but don't want to limit your studies to what happens inside schools and classrooms. Youth Development draws from the field of Educational Psychology and focuses on the personal growth and well-being of young people regardless if they are in school or not. Youth Development is also a great choice if you want to work for educational programs at nonprofits, community centers, and/or government agencies that serve young people.
Subsequent Endorsements (for licensed teachers)
For those students who already have a PEL, but wish to add subsequent (additional) endorsements through their master's program
Which endorsement are you most interested in pursuing? * Required
Please select your first choice of endorsement - the one that you want to earn the most during your master's program. Students are able to add multiple endorsements during their master's program.
- Early Childhood Education (birth to Grade 3)
- ESL or Bilingual Education
- Middle Grades (5-8) English/Language Arts
- Middle Grades (5-8) Science, Social Studies or Math
- LBS I Special Education
- Reading Specialist (*2 years of full-time teaching experience required)
- Reading Teacher
Choose the second endorsement you wish to pursue in addition to ESL or Bilingual * Required
- I want the ESL or Bilingual Endorsement ONLY
- Early Childhood Education
- Middle Grades (5-8) English/Language Arts
- Middle Grades (5-8) Science, Social Studies or Math
- LBS I (Special Education)
- Reading Specialist
- Reading Teacher
Do you plan to teach or are you currently teaching Reading, English or Language Arts? * Required
- Yes
- No
Suggested program(s) for you:
The Master's of Early Childhood Education offers the Early Childhood Education (Birth to Grade 3) Endorsement to licensed teachers, as well as other teaching endorsements like ESL/Bilingual and Special Education (LBS I).
The Master's of Educational Studies allows students to take a broad range of classes to satisfy endorsement requirements. Students in this program who already have a PEL can earn the following endorsements:
- ESL or Bilingual
- Middle Grades
- Reading Teacher
- LBS I (Special Education)
The Master's of Language, Literacies & Learning would be a great fit for you. Students in the program who already have a PEL can earn the following endorsements:
- ESL or Bilingual
- Reading Teacher or Reading Specialist
- LBS I (Special Education)
Although we have several master's programs offering the ESL/Bilingual endorsements, the Master's of Language, Literacies & Learning offers the most courses and the largest focus on multilingual and multicultural classroom reading, learning, and speaking.
The Master's of Special Education (Groups 2 or 3) would be a great fit for you. Licensed Illinois teachers in all fields can earn the LBS I & as part of this program. They also have the option to earn the ESL or Bilingual Endorsement, or the Early Childhood Special Education Approval.
Send me more information
Master's in Early Childhood Education * Required
- Send me more information about this program
Master's in Educational Policy Studies * Required
- Send me more information about this program
Master's in Educational Studies * Required
- Send me more information about this program
Master's in Language, Literacies & Learning (LLL) * Required
- Send me more information about this program
Master's in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics & Assessment (MESA) * Required
- Send me more information about the ON-CAMPUS version of this program
- Send me more information about the ONLINE version of this program
Master's in Science Education * Required
- Send me more information about this program
Master's in Special Education * Required
- Send me more information about this program
Master's in Urban Higher Education * Required
- Send me more information about this program
Master's in Youth Development * Required
- Send me more information about this program
Name * Required
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Email * Required

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Which M.Ed. is right for me?

Choosing a Master's Program Heading link Copy link

Master's Programs with Licensure

Suggested program(s) for you:

Master's Programs without Licensure/PEL

Suggested program(s) for you:

Subsequent Endorsements (for licensed teachers)

Suggested program(s) for you:

Send me more information

Choosing a Master's Program Heading link