TEACHING EXCELLENCE
 ONLINE MASTER OF SCIENCE

Customize curriculum to your professional goals while you improve your teaching practice and advance your career with a master’s in teaching degree at Mercyhurst University.

Tailored to your passions, our completely online master’s degree meets your — or your district’s — interests while fulfilling ACT 48 requirements. Designed for K-12 educators, you can enhance your skills as a master educator and gain practical experience. 

Core courses focus on evidence-based pedagogy, professional development, and educational scholarship to prepare you for success in the classroom and your career. You’ll earn a master of teaching degree that can improve your teaching practice — and boost your salary.

This flexible master of science in teaching provides you a personalized path to PDE endorsements, the PDE ELL specialist certificate, or PDE Principal Certification. If you want one of the fastest and most flexible programs in the region, look to Mercyhurst.

Program Overview

  • Options: Master’s
  • Location(s): 100 percent online coursework; school-based clinicals
  • Credits: 30
  • Duration: Minimum 12 months
  • Cost: $894 per credit; $27,620 total (special rates available for veterans and Pennsylvania teachers)
  • Deadline: Rolling admissions
  • Start term(s): Summer (preferred), Fall, or Spring semester
  • Careers: Educator

Improve Your Teaching Practice

Increase Your Salary

Finish in 15 Months

Why a teaching master’s degree from Mercyhurst?

Are you driven to enhance your teaching practice through a practical-based master’s program? Do you want to grow professionally and increase your salary? If so, the Mercyhurst master of teaching degree is for you.

Earn a master’s degree in teaching and principal certification.

Our online teaching master’s degree program is a 30-credit degree for certified teachers in grades K-12. It provides a fast and customizable path to a master’s degree. The transfer-credit friendly program offers an expedited timeline so you can finish in just 15 months. In addition, you may elect to include the six courses required for the Principal Leadership Certificate.

Take coursework that fits your schedule.

We offer full 16-week courses and mini 6- to 8-week courses so you can adjust your course load to fit your life. Our rolling admission lets you start your master’s in teaching program when it’s best for you. Start in May, take your heaviest course load in the summer, then finish the following May.

Maintain balance while you earn your master of teaching degree.

Our personalized program lets you work independently yet feel supported. You won’t have to choose between the work you love and earning your master of science in teaching. Plus, you won’t have to take classes that don’t fit your goals. You will take only the courses that make you a better educator or principal.

Get reimbursed for your teaching master’s degree!

Whether you’re a novice or experienced teacher, you’ll see a solid return on investment from a master of teaching degree or principal certification. Our tuition is competitively priced to match most school districts’ reimbursement policies. Best of all, it positions you for continued professional growth and future salary increases.

We welcome and support veterans.

Providing a supportive and engaging experience for veterans, service members, and their dependents earned Mercyhurst the designation of being a Purple Heart University. The honor recognizes our efforts to provide services to veterans and their families. The Purple Heart Scholarship is awarded to a veteran who was wounded in combat and is enrolled in online teaching master’s degree programs.

What can you do with a Mercyhurst master’s degree?

Our master’s in teaching degree programs let you fulfill Act 48, continuing education or professional education requirements, prepare for leadership roles, and increase your salary. You can receive PDE endorsements and enrich students’ lives through Teaching Leadership, Instructional Coaching, Online Design, as an ELL Program Specialist, or by earning your Autism Endorsement.

Mercyhurst Master of Teaching graduates earn titles of: 

Mercyhurst Teaching Excellence graduates earn titles of: 

  • Certified Teacher
  • Counselor
  • Department Chair
  • Instructional Coach
  • Principal
  • Superintendent

Career outlook with a Master of Science in Teaching degree.

The teaching master’s degree provides numerous options for professional growth and career enhancement. As a graduate, you’ll enhance your CV, build your skills as a master educator, and increase your salary potential. You can also advance into principal leadership. 

Course Requirements

The master’s in Teaching Excellence is a 30-credit (minimum) program. All students complete a set of five core courses, which focus on the theoretical underpinnings of education, innovative pedagogy to meet the demands of diverse learners, and analysis and conduction of educational research:

  • EDSE 500 Foundation of Pedagogy & Practice
  • EDSE 610 21st Century Literacies
  • EDU 670 Internship
  • EDSP 502 Educational Research
  • EDSE 676 Thesis

The remaining five courses for the master’s (15 credits minimum) can be fulfilled through:

Admissions Requirements

To apply for the master’s in Teaching Excellence, please provide the following:

  • A completed (free) online application
  • All official transcripts from accredited higher education institutions
  • A personal statement of 300-500 words outlining the student’s personal, professional and educational goals
  • A resume or curriculum vitae
  • One recommendation from a supervisor, teaching colleague, or college faculty member (requested electronically via a widget in the application)

Get started on your master of teaching degree!

Enhance your teaching practice with the Mercyhurst master’s degree in teaching.

Apply Today

Submit your online application today for the online teaching master’s degree programs at Mercyhurst University. 

Explore Financial Aid

Earn an affordable graduate teaching degree with competitive per-credit costs. Special rates are available for veterans and Pennsylvania teachers. To learn more, visit our Graduate Cost and Financial Aid webpage or contact us at grad@mercyhurst.edu or 814-824-3351.

Request More Information

Complete this brief form to get request more information about the master of teaching program at Mercyhurst University.


Contact Us

Amy Burniston, Ph.D., Ed.D.
Chair, Department of Education
Office: Hirt 300D
Phone: 814-824-2437
Email: aburniston@mercyhurst.edu

Colleen Hordych
Assistant Director, Graduate Admissions
Phone: 814-824-2297
Email: chordych@mercyhurst.edu