Ed.D. Programs in Montana

Earning a Doctor of Education Degree in Montana

Two Montana public research universities in our school listings have doctoral programs in education: MSU and UM. Both are CAEP-accredited institutions with funding opportunities for Ed.D. students. Both can help with the Class 3 Administrative License. And both have developed hybrid Ed.D. programs in educational leadership that mix online coursework with face-to-face classes and field experience requirements. But they’re not the same.

• MSU has chosen to take part in the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED); it has research centers in rural education and bilingual & multicultural education; and it does a great deal of outreach work.
• UM operates Specialty Units in trauma, safe schools, and preschool learning (just to name a few) and it’s been a partner with Missoula County Public Schools in the 21st Century Teaching & Learning Initiative.

Feel free to match their expertise to your interests! Once you have an Ed.D. in mind, skim through our career section. We’ve highlighted sources of MT employment & wage data, noted where K-20 administrative jobs can often be found, and provided links to job boards. You may also wish to browse through the list of educational leadership associations (e.g. SAM) and decide which conferences & training programs are worth the investment.

Doctoral Education Funding in Montana

Internal Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards

For this section, we’ve focused on institutional aid—doctorate in education funding that comes from the university itself. The Office of Financial Aid and the Graduate School will have further info and instructions on federal aid, student loans, and external scholarship sources.

Montana State University – Bozeman

The College of Education, Health and Human Development (EHHD) has instructions on applying for EHHD Scholarships; specifics are outlined in this list of Department of Education Scholarships. On the Ed.D. in Curriculum & Instruction program page, MSU states that it offers tuition support to a limited number of residential students. Ask the program coordinator for details.

The Graduate School also has a useful section devoted to Funding & Fellowship Opportunities for Graduate Students, with details on general fellowships, assistantships, and travel awards. Native Americans who are residents of Montana should check out the Washington Fellowship. Tuition/Fee Waivers may also be available to MSU faculty & staff (but not dependents).

University of Montana – Missoula

The College of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS) has a section devoted to CEHS Scholarships, including departmental awards. There are a number of scholarships available for doctoral students in Educational Leadership and Teaching & Learning, but there are fewer Counselor Education awards. You can view all UM scholarships in the UM Scholarship Portal. Plus UM offers a faculty/staff tuition waiver.

The Graduate School also has a useful section on Tuition & Funding, with info on Graduate Scholarships & Fellowships, loans, and assistantships. In the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, UM states that Teaching Assistantships are incredibly competitive, due to limited positions available at both the master’s and doctoral level. Contact the Ed.D. program coordinator for more information.

Note: If a university name is missing from the list, we didn’t find specific examples of Ed.D. funding beyond private & federal loans and external aid.

School Administration Licensure Requirements in Montana

Class 3 Administrative License & Endorsements

Montana’s Office of Public Instruction (OPI) handles licensure for public school educators & administrators. Class 1 & Class 2 licenses are issued to teachers. Class 3 Administrative Licenses are issued to educational leaders and come in a number of endorsements:

• Superintendent
• Principal (K-12; Elementary; Secondary)
• Supervisor
• Special Education Supervisor

We’ve provided a brief summary of principal & superintendent licensure requirements below, but the OPI’s section Administrative Licenses has complete details on all endorsements. It’s important to note that you’ll have a choice of two pathways for principal & superintendent endorsements:

• Pathway 1 always involves the completion of a professional educator preparation program from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Pathway 2 requirements are particularly relevant to out-of-state applicants.

If you’re considering Pathway 1, the OPI has a list of Montana Board of Public Education Approved Educator Preparation Programs (EPP). You’ll notice that both MSU’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and UM’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership lead to Class 3 licensure.

Note: Principals and superintendents who wish to work in those positions while they’re earning the Class 3 License can still apply for an Internship or Class 5 Provisional License. See the section on Class 3 Administrator’s License – Superintendent and Principal.

Class 3 Administrative License: K-12, Elementary or Secondary Principal Endorsement

All applicants for principal licensure, regardless of their pathway, must complete at least three semester credits of college courses in Montana school law, including special education law, and the free online course: An Introduction to Indian Education for All in Montana.

Pathway 1: Traditional

In the traditional pathway to principal licensure, you must:

• Hold a master’s degree in educational leadership from an accredited professional educator preparation program or a master’s degree in a subject related to education from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Complete an accredited professional educator preparation program as defined in ARM 10.57.102. This should be aligned with the endorsement for either elementary, secondary, or K-12 principals.
• Have a minimum of 3 years of teaching experience with a standard, unrestricted license.

Pathway 2: Non-Traditional

You’re also allowed to apply for principal licensure if you:

• Have completed a non-traditional principal program.
• Hold a current, standard, unrestricted out-of-state administrator license.
• Have completed 5 years of successful administrative experience while appropriately licensed and assigned.

Class 3 Administrative License: Superintendent Endorsement

All applicants for superintendent licensure, regardless of their pathway, must complete at least three semester credits of college coursework in Montana school law, Montana school finance, and Montana collective bargaining and employment law. Plus the free online course: An Introduction to Indian Education for All in Montana.

Pathway 1: Traditional

In the traditional pathway to superintendent licensure, you must:

• Hold an education specialist, master’s, or doctoral degree from an accredited professional educator preparation program as defined in ARM 10.57.102 or a master’s degree in education leadership from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Complete a minimum of 18 semester graduate credits in a school superintendent preparation program; 12 credits must be beyond the master’s degree in education leadership.
• Have a minimum of 3 years of teaching experience as an appropriately licensed teacher.
• Have completed at least 1 year of successful administrative experience while appropriately licensed and assigned.

Pathway 2: Non-Traditional

You’re also allowed to apply for superintendent licensure if you:

• Have completed a non-traditional educator preparation program.
• Hold a current, standard, unrestricted out-of-state administrator license. 
• Have completed 5 years of successful administrative experience while appropriately licensed and assigned.

Educational Leadership Jobs in Montana

Educational Leadership Career Outlook

For a 10,000-foot-view of the career territory, consult the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It tracks employment & salary data for elementary & secondary school education administrators and postsecondary education administrators and provides job & wage maps by state and metropolitan area. Hover over an area in Montana to view data points (e.g. “Employment per 1,000”).

Employment numbers tend to reflect population. There aren’t many Montana K-12 administrators, but there are more jobs in the eastern part of the state than the western. You can peer into the performance of schools and districts using OPI’s Growth and Enhancement of Montana Students (GEMS). Use the Side-by-Side Comparison tool to decide which schools might be worth the job application.

Employment numbers are also low for Montana postsecondary education administrators, but they’re best in the southwestern corner of Montana—think of MSU and its location in Bozeman. The Montana University System (MUS) issues its own Data & Reports on public higher education in the state, including comparison dashboards. As research universities, MSU and UM are always big employers in the state. Check out MSU’s section on Faculty and Staff Data.

Educational Leadership Salaries

Wage data for four types of MT education administrator—including preschool administrators—are listed in State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for Montana.

When you take into account the cost of living, annual mean wages for Montana K-12 administrators are fairly respectable—often better than Idaho but worse than Wyoming. The GEMS section on School Staffing also contains School District Employee Compensation reports for public school educators.

Wages for Montana postsecondary education administrators are often in the lowest wage bracket compared to the rest of the country, losing out significantly to Wyoming and North Dakota. The Chronicle of Higher Education provides general summaries of Faculty Salaries in Montana colleges & universities. MSU is almost always the most generous employer, followed by UM and Montana Tech.

Educational Leadership Job Boards

Traditional job sites (e.g. Indeed, HigherEdJobs, SchoolSpring, etc.) will have job postings for Montana school administrators and educational leaders. But there are also state-specific job boards that are worth a glance.

• SAM maintains a database of Employment Opportunities for K-12 administrators, including superintendents, principals, special education administrators, and other job categories (e.g. business managers).
• MASBO posts Job Announcements for Montana school business officials (e.g. business managers).
• MTSBA advertises Montana Superintendent Openings.
• MUS provides links to Job Opportunities at all MSU, UM, and community college campuses.

Educational Leadership Organizations in Montana

Educational Leadership Associations

• Montana Association of School Business Officials (MASBO): MASBO members are dedicated to improving efficiency in the specialized field of school business management. The association offers voluntary certification and it’s a state affiliate of ASBO International.
• Montana Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (MASFAA): MASFAA members serve the needs of students, institutions of higher education, government agencies, and private funding sources through the coordination of plans and programs for student financial aid. It’s a state affiliate of NASFAA.
• Montana Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (MTASCD): MTASCD supports teacher leaders, administrators and curriculum professionals in their quest for improved educational practices. It’s a state affiliate of ASCD.
• Montana Rural Education Association (MREA): MREA members are involved in all aspects of the K-12 public education system in rural Montana, including legislative concerns and research.
• Montana School Boards Association (MTSBA): MTSBA is a private non-profit membership organization that represents the state’s public school board members. Almost all of Montana’s elected school districts belong.
• School Administrators of Montana (SAM): SAM represents the interests, aspirations, and professional leadership of 1000+ Montana administrators. It has six affiliate associations (see below).

SAM Affiliate Associations

• Montana Association of County School Superintendents (MACSS): MACSS helps Montana county school superintendents respond to local needs and advance their professional and educational leadership.
• Montana Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals (MAEMSP): MAEMSP provides professional development, mentoring, networking, and recruiting services to Montana elementary & middle school educational leaders. It’s a state affiliate of NAESP.
• Montana Association of School Superintendents (MASS): MASS members work toward continuing improvement in educational procedures, techniques, administration, supervision, and public relations. It’s a state affiliate of AASA.
• Montana Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP): MASSP acts as the voice of Montana leaders who are engaged in the administration and supervision of secondary schools or teach courses in education at institutions of advanced learning. It’s a state affiliate of NASSP.
• Montana Council of Administrators of Special Education (MCASE): MCASE membership is open to educators who administer, direct, supervise, and/or coordinate a program, school, or class of special education for exceptional children or members of a college faculty whose major responsibility is the professional preparation of administrators of special education. It’s a state affiliate of CASE.
• Montana Educational Technologists Association (META): META enables technology leaders to share tech solutions & best practices in education, grow professionally, and influence educational decisions at the school, district, state, and federal level. It’s affiliated with COSN.

Note: State and national educator organizations often have funds & scholarships available for continuing education (e.g. Ed.D.). Check the website and ask about opportunities.

Educational Leadership Events in Montana

Educational Leadership Conferences

• MACSS Fall Conference: MACSS hosts this two-day conference for Montana county school superintendents and educational leaders in September.
• MAEMSP/MASSP Montana Principals Conference: Montana K-12 principals and school administrators can attend this three-day joint conference in January.
• MASBO Conferences: MASBO organizes a number of events and regional workshops for Montana school business officials. The annual Summer Conference & New Clerk Academy usually takes place in June.
• MASFAA Annual Conference: MASFAA’s annual three-day conference for student financial aid administrators typically occurs in March.
• MASS/MCASE Fall Conference: This joint two-day event in September brings together Montana superintendents and special educators.
• MASS Spring Conference: This day-long summit for Montana superintendents includes breakout sessions, an MT-PEC Day of Advocacy debrief, awards, and more. It occurs in March.
• METAtechED Conference: Geared toward Montana’s educational technology leaders, this is a two-day conference in March.
• MTASCD Summit & Practice Meetings: MTASCD’s annual July summit is held in conjunction with the SAM Administrators Institute. MTASCD also hosts short Best Practice training meetings in various locations throughout the year.
• SAM Administrators Institute: This annual three-day event in late July includes clinic sessions, keynote speeches, and leadership summits.

Educational Leadership Training

• MASBO Mentor Program: MASBO mentors provide support, assistance, and guidance to newcomers or individuals changing positions within the Montana school business profession.
• OPI Learning Opportunities Portal: OPI’s database contains a calendar of workshops and training events for K-12 educators from the OPI and other professional learning providers. You can Search the Catalog by job type (e.g. administrator).
• SAM Leaders Professional Learning Program (LPLP): SAM’s virtual and face-to-face program is comprised of one-to-one mentorship, online training resources, collegial learning networks, and more.