An online master's degree designed for educators and policymakers who are committed to equal opportunity in education.
We’re here because we believe education has the power to serve our communities and address society’s challenges.
This fully online Urban Education, M.S.Ed. program is designed for individuals who are already working full-time in educational settings. Grounded in research-based frameworks of teaching and learning, the program offers a flexible, innovative pathway to advanced study. It also represents the first fully online degree offering at Penn GSE.
Rolling Application Deadline
Fall Entry Term
Full or Part-Time Enrollment Format
10 Courses
2 Years Duration
Online Modality
The online Urban Education, M.S.Ed. program at Penn GSE provides solid academic training and professional mentoring necessary to create effective teachers, researchers, educators, and community advocates who are interested in the distinct needs of children and families in high-need contexts.
Designed with working professionals in mind, courses are structured to accommodate busy schedules, allowing students to advance their careers without compromising their current responsibilities.
The program emphasizes inquiry, reflection, and applied research, culminating in a master's thesis. This rigorous approach equips graduates to become reflective educators who actively center student voices, foster strong relationships, and engage learners effectively. By empowering teachers as intellectual leaders and innovators, the Urban Education, M.S.Ed. program prepares graduates committed to equal opportunity in urban educational settings.
Application Requirements and Deadlines Tuition and Fees Financial Aid
Penn GSE’s fully online Urban Education, M.S.Ed. program offers a flexible, practice-based path for professionals committed to equity in urban education. With a rigorous curriculum and thesis component, it’s ideal for educators, advocates, and leaders seeking to advance their impact—without pausing their careers.
Penn GSE’s fully online Urban Education, M.S.Ed. program offers a flexible, practice-based path for professionals committed to equity in urban education. With a rigorous curriculum and thesis component, it’s ideal for educators, advocates, and leaders seeking to advance their impact—without pausing their careers.
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | Location: Online
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | Location: Online
Equal access and opportunity are foundational principles of the online Urban Education, M.S.Ed. program. Faculty integrate cutting-edge research with practical strategies to help students critically examine structural inequities in education. The program emphasizes asset-based perspectives and culturally responsive teaching practices that honor the strengths and experiences of urban communities.
Through coursework, students explore the complex relationships among schools, communities, and systems of governance, gaining a deeper understanding of how educators can address systemic barriers and advocate for transformative change—particularly in urban settings.
Students learn to engage with local communities through an asset-based lens and apply inquiry-driven methods to real-world challenges in urban education. Core courses encourage deep reflection, intentional planning, and informed action, while examining the dynamic interplay between human agency and systemic oppression.
The online Urban Education, M.S.Ed. shares the same curriculum as the Urban Teaching Residency, M.S.Ed. program. For information on courses and requirements, visit the Urban Teaching Residency, M.S.Ed. program in the University Catalog.
We are here to help! Contact the Program Director, Nicole Mittenfelner Carl, mittenfe@gse.upenn.edu.
Our schedule is designed with working professionals in mind. Our courses meet online, asynchronously and synchronously, with the option of taking some classes on campus. Our master’s program can be completed in just two years.
| Year 1: Fall Semester | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Contemporary Issues in Urban Education | 1.0 CU | Intensive, One-Month Fall Course | 2 evenings a week, one month only (August) |
| School and Society | 1.0 CU | 1 evening a week; Oct.-Dec. | |
| Outside of the Schoolbox | 1.0 CU | Synchronous & Asynchronous; Oct-Jan | |
| Year 1: Spring Semester | |||
| Racial Literacy | 1.0 CU | Intensive, One Month Fall Course | 2 evenings a week, synchronous (January) |
| Politics of School Reform | 1.0 CU | 1 evening a week; February-May | |
| Culturally Responsive Pedagogy | 1.0 CU | 1 evening a week; February-May | |
| Year 2: Fall Semester | |||
| Research Seminar | 1.0 CU | Preparation for completion of the Master's thesis | 1 evening a week |
| M.S.Ed. Elective Course (500 and above) | 1.0 CU | Note: Courses outside of UTR are more expensive (UTR courses are identified by using EDTF) | Depends on course |
| Year 2: Spring Semester | |||
| Urban Education Capstone Writing Seminar | 1.0 CU | Master's Thesis Completed | 1 evening a week, Jan-May |
| M.S.Ed. Elective Course and above | 1.0 CU | Depends on course | |
The University of Pennsylvania is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (267) 284-5000. www.msche.org. The MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the US Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Information about Penn’s accreditation with MSCHE is available here.
To make a complaint to MSCHE, visit this website.
For more information about Penn’s accreditation status, visit the Penn Provost website.
Alumni of the Urban Education, M.S.Ed. program are working as skilled teachers, leaders, researchers, community advocates, and policymakers who are committed to promoting equal access to education and making an excellent education a reality for all children.
A graduate degree from Penn GSE opens up whole new worlds, intellectually as well as professionally. If you are a passionate, innovative, impactful leader—or aspire to be one—Penn GSE is the place for you.
Do you have questions about the application, financial aid, or requirements? We're happy to help!
With funding from the Neubauer Family Foundation, the program was created in direct response to the School District of Philadelphia’s call for targeted support in Algebra 1 instruction.
On May 17, in the Palestra, Penn GSE commemorated the achievements of the roughly 600 master’s and doctoral graduates at this year’s Commencement ceremony.
This spring, those honors include three Spencer Foundation grants, the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, and more.
Professor of Practice Andrea Kane emphasizes the importance of educators and school leaders engaging with themselves, each other, and their school communities to navigate district policies, state laws, and complex or controversial topics in the classroom.
Educators and scholars explored how educators can model democratic engagement while honoring student voice and diverse perspectives.
The recent graduate of Penn GSE’s Urban Teaching Residency shares her classroom at Muñoz-Marin Elementary in North Philadelphia.
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Funded by the NSF, the Create AI workshop aimed to empower students and teachers to build, not just use, AI.
