A History of Innovation and Commitment to Education
The Lesley University Graduate School of Education, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, currently has over 30,000 alumni from across the nation who have graduated from its many Master's, certificate, and advanced degree programs. It grew from the Lesley School, which began in 1909 as a school for kindergarten teachers, and continues today with a focus on PreK-12 education. We are proud of our long-standing tradition of producing highly qualified and effective teachers who are in high demand by principals and superintendents.
We believe in innovation. Our first online courses were offered in 1996, and our first off-campus programs, delivered outside of New England, began in 1984. In subsequent years, we expanded our national offerings to 23 states, where cohorts of students took our programs in an intensive weekend format. Completely online programs have followed.
Our mission statement states, in part, that we "believe learning is a collective endeavor that involves students, educators, families, and communities, and thrives in rich, flexible, creative environments." We are committed to the core values of democracy, equity, community, inquiry, professionalism, and leadership.
We also believe in life-long learning, meeting the diverse needs of our learners, continuous improvement, and giving our best to our students every day. Our coursework is demanding, but allows our students a direct link from our classroom to their classroom, and provides them with deep content knowledge and pedagogical skills.
Big Enough and Small Enough
Though we have many students, our class sizes are small and our faculty are committed to constant attention, assessment, and feedback. Students know they are known, and understand that they will be heard. Based in Cambridge, but with teaching sites in 23 states, we have thousands of alumni across the nation, and provide many networking opportunities.
Across the Continuum
Our program offerings meet you where you are, helping you to move forward in whatever way you need: initial licensure, professional and post-licensure, readiness for advanced practice, and professional development. We offer three Ph.D. in Educational Studies programs.
A Wide Array of Programs
We have programs in many subject areas, from literacy to special needs to arts integration and technology, as well as programs at various levels, from PreK-2 to High School.
The School is home to the following academic divisions: Creative Arts in Learning; Language and Literacy; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math; Special Education; Teaching, Learning, and Leadership; and Field Placement and Professional Partnerships.
It also houses four centers: the Center for Reading Recovery and Literacy Collaborative, the Center for Mathematics Achievement, the Center for Special Education, and the Program Evaluation and Research Group.
Better Teachers Learn at Lesley