Wisconsin Education Licensure Programs

About the Wisconsin Education Licensure Programs

Wisconsin education graduate education licensure programs prepare educators to lead with purpose in their schools and communities. 

Graduates develop the knowledge, skills, and ethical foundation needed to make informed decisions, advocate for student success, and promote equitable learning opportunities for all. They understand the importance of staying current with emerging research, instructional practices, and educational trends. At Viterbo University, you'll strengthen your impact as an educator, refine your instructional practice, and gain the tools to become a catalyst for positive change.

Quick Facts

Degree Options
Cross-categorical Special Education (WI 2801)
Director of Instruction (WI 5010)
Director of Special Education and Pupil Services (WI 5080)
Principal (WI 5051)
Reading Teacher (WI 1316)
Reading Specialist (WI 5017)
School Business Administrator (WI 5008)
Superintendent (WI 5003)
Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure (Non-Degree)
College/School

School of Education

Delivery

Online

Duration

Dependent in program

Start Terms

Fall, Spring, Summer

Credits Required

Dependent on program

Cost per Credit

$505–705, Dependent on program

Admissions Counselor

Magy Kellog
admissions@viterbo.edu
608-796-3028

Schedule a Call

School of Education Faculty and Staff

Ready to get started?

Request Further Information

Master of Arts in Education

About the Master of Arts in Education

Designed for the working teacher, our program prepares Wisconsin educators to become transformative leaders in today’s evolving classrooms.

Coursework integrates servant leadership, social justice, and educational equity while exploring innovative instructional techniques, classroom management strategies, and assessment. Flexible options allow you to customize your emphasis or pair your degree with a licensure or certificate to maximize your time and investment.

Option 1: Master of Arts in Education Generalist 

Earn a master's degree and have considerable choice in selecting courses that will meet your individual needs and interests.  

  • 15 credits of MA core coursework (6 courses) 
  • 15 credits of elective courses 

Option 2 (*recommended*): Pair your master's degree with a licensure or certificate 

Earn both a master’s degree and a licensure in one program to maximize your time and money.  

  • 12-16 credits of MA Core coursework 
  • 16-33 credits of licensure/certificate specific coursework

Why study this program at Viterbo?
Master of Arts in Education

Designed to Maximize Your Time and Money

With Viterbo's MAE program, you can customize your degree by adding a licensure or certificate pathway. Although these options require additional credits, completing them alongside your master's degree can be more efficient than returning to complete a separate program later. The result: a streamlined educational experience and multiple credentials that help you advance your career.

Education Teacher Computer

Convenient

Courses are offered in a variety of modalities, depending on your area of focus. These include online, face-to-face, hybrid, and asynchronous. 

Students

Relevant

We regularly evaluate our curriculum to remain current on educational changes and needs. 

Outside party

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Proseminar Information Admissions Information

School of Education Faculty and Staff

Ready to get started?

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Doctor of Education in Ethical Leadership

About the Doctor of Education in Ethical Leadership (EdD)

Explore philosophies of leadership and apply ethical decision-making to foster diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizations.

Viterbo's Doctorate of Education in Ethical Leadership is a transformative, interdisciplinary program designed to develop and support leaders who can meet the demands of 21st century organizations.  

Program Highlights: 
  • Flexible program options
  • Made for working professionals
  • Cross-industry peer engagement
  • Comprehensive dissertation support

Quick Facts

Degree Options
Ethical Leadership (EdD)
Ethical Leadership (EdD) with Superintendent license
College/School

Dahl School of Business

Delivery

Blended (in-person and online classes), part-time or full time

Duration

3 years

Start Terms

Summer (preferred), fall, spring

Credits Required

48-51

Cost per Credit

$760

Admissions Counselor

Magy Kellog
admissions@viterbo.edu
608-796-3028

Schedule a Call

Why study this program at Viterbo?
Professor working on whiteboard

Flexible Program Options

Our post-master's EdD, designed for working professionals, can be completed full- or part-time. Required courses are online in fall and spring semesters and blended in the summer semester, with a short La Crosse residency. (Some superintendent courses also meet in person in fall and spring.) Create a plan of study that works best for you.  

Student and professor talking

Cross-Industry Peer Engagement

Your classmates will come from many work and life experiences—education at all levels, business, health care, and nonprofits. You will learn from each other as well as from interdisciplinary coursework.

Student

Comprehensive Dissertation Support

You will receive faculty support on your dissertation throughout the program. Research coursework scaffolds the dissertation process, meaning you can start exploring your dissertation early in the program. Your research can be applied, investigating a problem of practice in your leadership world. 

Students

Find Out More

EdD in Ethical Leadership Learning Outcomes D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership

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Ethical Leadership (EdD) with Superintendent license

Overview

The superintendent track of the EdD in Ethical leadership brings together Viterbo University's expertise in servant leadership and education to instill ethical leadership in education to support our future administrators. Graduates of this track will receive their EdD in Ethical Leadership and the coursework and practicum necessary for the Wisconsin (WI 5003) Superintendent licensure.

Candidates must possess a principal licensure for admission.

  • Credit hours: 51
  • Location: La Crosse, WI
Policy

Admissions Criteria

Applicants must have earned a master's degree from an accredited program, with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA, and hold an administrative license.

Policy
Grades
Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all coursework, with no individual grade lower than a C.

Attendance
Each course syllabus will detail the asynchronous and synchronous components of the course. If synchronous components (either online or in person) are required and a student is unable to attend a class, the student must contact the instructor and take responsibility to meet the class objectives (including possible written make-up work). All EDUL courses, as well as ETHL-729, have required on campus, in-person components.

Completion
All requirements for the degree must be completed within seven years.

Transfer Credit

Up to 12 credits of graduate-level coursework may be transferred to Viterbo University. Credits must be above and beyond the requirements of a previously earned degree, from a program that was not completed, or from a non-degree granting program (e.g. licensure). Credits must meet equivalency requirements on an Ethical Leadership EdD course (i.e. analogous learning outcomes). Students may be asked to provide course syllabi to show the equivalency. To be considered for transfer, a grade of "B" or better must have been earned. Transfer credits must be from an accredited institution of higher education and completed within the last seven years. Coursework older than seven years may be credited based on individual review of the coursework. Requests to transfer credits must be made in the student's first semester. Please contact the Program Director if you have previously completed a WI state Superintendent license.

Dissertation

All students will complete a dissertation prior to graduation from the EdD program. During the program students are prepared with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully accomplish a dissertation. Each student will select a faculty mentor and a committee to help with the process. A final copy of the dissertation will be submitted to the program director and archived in the Viterbo University Todd Wehr Memorial Library.

Learning Outcomes

  • Analyze and apply leadership theories to inform ethical practice and solve problems of practice

  • Practice ethical reasoning skills (including self-reflection, problem-solving, collaboration, and change facilitation) based in knowledge of ethical theories

  • Promote and assess diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts and power-sharing across differences in their organizational settings

  • Articulate complex ideas through oral and written communication

  • Conceptualize, produce, and disseminate scholarly research in leadership studies that fosters equity, organizational growth, or change

  • Engage in leadership praxis (action and reflection) for the common good with a social justice orientation

  • Develop and support intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.

  • Develop the professional capacity, practice, and professional community of school personnel to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.

  • Effectively manage school operations and resources to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.

Addendum

The Ethical Leadership EdD was approved by the Higher Learning Commission in April 2022.

Graduate Education Licensures and Certificates

Viterbo's graduate education licensure and certificate programs prepare educators to be leaders in their schools and communities. Graduates recognize their obligation to engage in ethical decision-making. They are advocates for best practices in education, student centered instruction, and equity in education. Our graduates understand the importance of remaining current and relevant in educational practices and trends. Viterbo University will revolutionize your instructional practices and prepare you to be an agent for change.

Questions about admissions?

Reach out to Mary Beth Sinniger with questions mbsinniger@viterbo.edu, 608-796-3095

Degree Level
Graduate

School Business Administrator (WI 5008)

Overview

A program that develops well-prepared and dedicated educators who are willing to work in tandem with other members of the administrative team to achieve educational excellence through their work. Our program focuses on School Business Administrators as being central to the successful operations of a school district through their development of being proactive decision-makers who bring together knowledge and experience to make the best decisions for district funding.

Policy

Admission

Admission Requirements for all Graduate Programs in Education (degree, license, endorsement, or certificate) include the following, but may include additional program-specific admission requirements:

  • A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA for 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution in order to be admitted in good standing
  • Earned teaching or administrative license
  • One academic reference contact required for Wisconsin and Iowa Educational Leadership programs

All requirements for any graduate program in education must be completed within seven years from the date of application to the graduate program. Coursework must have been taken within the last seven years from the date of application to be applied to program requirements, with the exception of Iowa Educational Leadership programs which is limited to five years.

A student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to complete any graduate program in education and a grade of C or higher earned in all Viterbo University coursework.

Students who have completed any Viterbo University graduate program within the last seven years may use up to 15 credits of eligible graduate level courses to satisfy the elective requirements for degree candidacy in the Master of Arts in Education Program

Students who have completed the Viterbo University Post-baccalaureate program within the last seven years may use up to fifteen credits of eligible graduate level courses toward the elective requirement for degree candidacy in the Master of Arts in Education Program

Transfer Credit

Master of Arts in Education and Educational Leadership

Upon acceptance, student may transfer up to six credit hours of graduate credit taken within seven years of application date to be applied to the MAE degree program.  Up to six credit hours taken within seven years of application may be considered for the Wisconsin Educational Leadership program for equivalent graduate courses. Up to six semester credit hours taken within five years of application may be considered for the Iowa Educational Leadership program for equivalent graduate courses.

Learning Outcomes
  • Mission, Vision, and Core Values. Effective educational leaders develop, advocate, and enact a shared mission, vision, and core values of high-quality education, academic success, and well-being of each pupil. 
  • Ethics and Professional Norms. Effective educational leaders act ethically and according to professional norms to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being. 
  • Equity and Cultural Responsiveness. Effective educational leaders strive for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.      
  • Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. Effective educational leaders develop and support intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.  
  • Care and Support. Effective educational leaders cultivate an inclusive, caring, and supportive school community to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being. 
  • Professional Capacity of School Personnel. Effective educational leaders develop the professional capacity and practice of school personnel to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being. 
  • Professional Community. Effective educational leaders foster a professional community of teachers and other professional staff to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being. 
  • Meaningful Engagement. Effective educational leaders engage families and the community in meaningful, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial ways to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being. 
  • Operations and Management. Effective educational leaders effectively manage school operations and resources to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being. 
  • School Improvement. Effective educational leaders act as agents of continuous school improvement to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.  
  • Teacher Standards. Effective educational leaders understand and demonstrate competence in the teacher standards under s. PI 34.002. 

Reading Specialist (WI 5017)

Overview

An online program that focuses on the social and political aspects of literacy, language variation, and the cultural and community influences on language acquisition and learning. Strength-based approaches to servant leadership, mentoring, coaching, and staff development emphasize positive change and contribution to the common good. Through a sociocultural lens, reading specialist candidates explore district literacy policy to identify and draw upon the literacies and strengths of the educators, parents, and the communities they serve.

  •  10-credits (3 courses) - fully online

Enrollment in the Reading Specialist  licensure only program requires an educational master's degree and the Reading Teacher 1316 license, otherwise it can be combined with the M.A. in Education as the area of emphasis for a total of 31 credit hours.

Policy

Admission

Admission Requirements for all Graduate Programs in Education (degree, license, endorsement, or certificate) include the following, but may include additional program-specific admission requirements:

  • A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA for 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution in order to be admitted in good standing
  • Earned teaching or administrative license
  • One academic reference contact required for Wisconsin and Iowa Educational Leadership programs

All requirements for any graduate program in education must be completed within seven years from the date of application to the graduate program. Coursework must have been taken within the last seven years from the date of application to be applied to program requirements, with the exception of Iowa Educational Leadership programs which is limited to five years.

A student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to complete any graduate program in education and a grade of C or higher earned in all Viterbo University coursework.

Students who have completed any Viterbo University graduate program within the last seven years may use up to 15 credits of eligible graduate level courses to satisfy the elective requirements for degree candidacy in the Master of Arts in Education Program

Students who have completed the Viterbo University Post-baccalaureate program within the last seven years may use up to fifteen credits of eligible graduate level courses toward the elective requirement for degree candidacy in the Master of Arts in Education Program

Wisconsin Reading Specialist License (WI 5017)

  • Possess a current Wisconsin Reading Teaching 1316 License
  • Demonstrated three years of regular full-time teaching experience
  • Have a master's degree in education OR be enrolled in Viterbo University's MAED program
  • Earn a passing score on the Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test, as required by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Transfer Credit

Wisconsin Reading Specialist License (WI 5017)

Graduate credits may not be transferred into this program

Learning Outcomes
  • Mission, Vision, and Core Values. Effective educational leaders develop, advocate, and enact a shared mission, vision, and core values of high-quality education, academic success, and well-being of each pupil. 
  • Ethics and Professional Norms. Effective educational leaders act ethically and according to professional norms to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being. 
  • Equity and Cultural Responsiveness. Effective educational leaders strive for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.      
  • Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. Effective educational leaders develop and support intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.  
  • Care and Support. Effective educational leaders cultivate an inclusive, caring, and supportive school community to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being. 
  • Professional Capacity of School Personnel. Effective educational leaders develop the professional capacity and practice of school personnel to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being. 
  • Professional Community. Effective educational leaders foster a professional community of teachers and other professional staff to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being. 
  • Meaningful Engagement. Effective educational leaders engage families and the community in meaningful, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial ways to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being. 
  • Operations and Management. Effective educational leaders effectively manage school operations and resources to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being. 
  • School Improvement. Effective educational leaders act as agents of continuous school improvement to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.  
  • Teacher Standards. Effective educational leaders understand and demonstrate competence in the teacher standards under s. PI 34.002. 

Reading Teacher (WI 1316)

Overview

An online program that brings educators from across the state to share and unite through a progressive, modern approach to teaching and learning. Educators will develop a deep understanding of authentic instruction and assessment that focuses on the students’ lived experiences, literacies, and funds of knowledge. Asset-based approaches to understanding the influences of Global Englishes, family and community literacies, and social justice will provide educators with the ability to design instruction and assessment, and create spaces of possibility for students.

  • 15-credits (5 courses) - fully online

The Reading Teacher licensure program can be taken as an area of emphasis as part of the MA in Education for a total of 30-credits (10 courses) - online culminating with a four day on-campus residency and graduation ceremony.

Policy

Admission

Admission Requirements for all Graduate Programs in Education (degree, license, endorsement, or certificate) include the following, but may include additional program-specific admission requirements:

  • A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA for 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution in order to be admitted in good standing
  • Earned teaching or administrative license

All requirements for any graduate program in education must be completed within seven years from the date of application to the graduate program. Coursework must have been taken within the last seven years from the date of application to be applied to program requirements, with the exception of Iowa Educational Leadership programs which is limited to five years.

A student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to complete any graduate program in education and a grade of C or higher earned in all Viterbo University coursework.

Students who have completed any Viterbo University graduate program within the last seven years may use up to 15 credits of eligible graduate level courses to satisfy the elective requirements for degree candidacy in the Master of Arts in Education Program

Students who have completed the Viterbo University Post-baccalaureate program within the last seven years may use up to fifteen credits of eligible graduate level courses toward the elective requirement for degree candidacy in the Master of Arts in Education Program

Wisconsin Reading Teacher License, PK-12 (WI 1316)

  • Possess a current Wisconsin Teaching license
  • Demonstrated two years of regular full-time teaching experience
  • Earn a passing score on the Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test, as required by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Transfer Credit

Wisconsin License (Reading 1316/ Cross-categorical Special Education)

Upon acceptance, student may transfer up to six credit hours of graduate credit taken within seven years of application date.

Learning Outcomes
  • Foundations of Reading/Literacy Development: Students will convey knowledge of the theories and research in early literacy to evaluate and integrate best practices.
  • Development of Reading Comprehension: Teachers will identify the multiple strands of skills and strategies that build comprehension in the K-12 learner.
  • Reading Assessment and Instruction: Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a variety of assessments and differentiate appropriately based on instructional needs.
  • Integration of Reading/Literacy Knowledge & Understanding: Students will implement authentic literacy instruction across the curriculum.
  • Standard Alignment: Students will identify curricular standards and determine best practices to implement for literacy instruction of the K-12 learner.
     

Cross-categorical Special Education (WI 2801)

Overview

An online program that brings educators from across the state together to learn best practices in the field of special education. Our classes view individuals with disabilities from a strengths-based model, and help educators work toward successful inclusion of individuals with disabilities. We focus on working with culturally and linguistically diverse families, empowering our educators to honor all abilities, and providing familiarity with local community resources.

  •  19–25 credits (7–9 courses)
  • EDUC 612 will be waived for applicants holding a lifetime license.
Policy

Admission

Admission Requirements for all Graduate Programs in Education (degree, license, endorsement, or certificate) include the following, but may include additional program-specific admission requirements:

  • A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA for 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution in order to be admitted in good standing
  • Earned teaching or administrative license

All requirements for any graduate program in education must be completed within seven years from the date of application to the graduate program. Coursework must have been taken within the last seven years from the date of application to be applied to program requirements, with the exception of Iowa Educational Leadership programs which is limited to five years.

A student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to complete any graduate program in education and a grade of C or higher earned in all Viterbo University coursework.

Students who have completed any Viterbo University graduate program within the last seven years may use up to 15 credits of eligible graduate level courses to satisfy the elective requirements for degree candidacy in the Master of Arts in Education Program

Students who have completed the Viterbo University Post-baccalaureate program within the last seven years may use up to fifteen credits of eligible graduate level courses toward the elective requirement for degree candidacy in the Master of Arts in Education Program

Wisconsin Cross-Categorical License (WI 2801)

  • Possess a current Wisconsin teaching license
  • Earn a passing score on the Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test, as required by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Transfer Credit

Wisconsin License (Reading 1316/ Cross-categorical Special Education)

Upon acceptance, student may transfer up to six credit hours of graduate credit taken within seven years of application date.

Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate proficiency in:

  • Philosophical, historical and legal foundations of special education
  • Characteristics of learners
  • Assessment, diagnosis, and evaluation
  • Instructional content and practice
  • Planning and managing the teaching and learning environment
  • Managing student behavior and teaching social interaction skill
  • Communication and collaborative partnerships
  • Professional and ethical practices

Demonstrate the ability to align instructional practices to academic standards

  • Viterbo Core Teaching Standards
  • Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Standards
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