Forbes recently ranked Dordt University’s Master of Education (M.Ed.) in School Leadership program as one of the 10 best online master’s in educational leadership programs of 2024.
According to Forbes, Dordt’s Master of Education in School Leadership program covers “the latest development in management and leadership theory, delving into school specifics and preparing graduates to lead teams of their fellow educators.” The ranking highlighted that Dordt offers notable courses such as collaborative leadership and instructional leadership.
When Director of the School Leadership Program Dr. Matthew Beimers found out that the School Leadership Program had received this recognition from Forbes, he felt surprised by joy as well as humbled and grateful for the commitment of the staff and faculty who provide high-quality support and teaching for the candidates in the program.
“When we do exit interviews with our School Leadership graduates, a few themes consistently emerge,” he says. “Graduates tell us that our faith really is integral to everything that we do—we take that seriously at Dordt, and they see clear evidence of that. They also tell us that the program provides many hands-on experiences; as much as possible, we want our students to be prepared to sit in the school leadership seat when the time comes.”
“It doesn’t get more real-world than tackling your actual leadership challenges in your coursework.”
Dean for Online, Graduate, and Partner Programs Joe Bakker says that his favorite feature of the School Leadership program is that students choose real challenges in their schools to work on in their graduate program assignments. “It doesn’t get more real-world than tackling your actual leadership challenges in your coursework,” Bakker says.
Beimers also points out that students appreciate the professional learning community they develop and the friends they make through Dordt’s program, even though the Master of Education in School Leadership program is fully online.
“Graduates are also grateful for the level of care that they receive from Dordt professors—they are thankful that we understand they are working professionals, and we do our best to support them as they balance their professional and personal lives with their graduate studies,” adds Beimers.
“With any Dordt program, our greatest goal is to fulfill our mission to equip students ‘to work effectively toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life,’” says Dr. Leah Zuidema, vice president for academic affairs. “But we also want to be able to do that in a way that puts the value of that program in front of people who might not otherwise know about Dordt. Forbes has a broader reach than we do in that way, and they also consider what’s industry standard when creating their rankings.”
According to their methodology, Forbes “scored 253 accredited, nonprofit colleges offering online M.Ed. in educational leadership programs in the U.S. using 16 data points in the categories of credibility, affordability, student outcomes, student experience, and application process.” They utilized reliable resources such as Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDs), school and program websites, and more to create their rankings.
“To be able to have that outside look at best practices within online and graduate education helps to offer extra assurance that Dordt provides a high-quality program as we’re seeking to fulfill our mission,” adds Zuidema.
