Master of Education

MASTER OF EDUCATIOn PROGRAM Admission Requirements

All students admitted to the Master of Education online degree program will need to meet the same standards that applicants who enter the University of San Diego MEd programs do. Program admission standards are as follows. Should you have questions or concerns regarding any or all of these requirements, please contact an Enrollment Advisor to further assess your specific situation:

• Bachelor’s degree* with a GPA of 2.75 or higher from a nationally or regionally accredited institution; transcripts required from every college and university attended.
• Two years of prior teaching experience: send a resume of your experience
• Two letters of recommendation from academic or professional supervisors
• International applicants/English Language Exam Score
  • International applicants must submit an official score report from one of the following acceptable English proficiency exams (test scores must be no more than two years old from the time the applicant submits their online application):
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT exam: A score of 4.5 for all tests taken after Jan. 21, 2026, is required. Note: For TOEFL exams taken before Jan. 21, 2026, the minimum total score required is 83. 
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic exam: IELTS minimum score of 7.5.
  • Duolingo English Test: Minimum total score of 120 on Duolingo English Test.
  • For additional details on International Applicant Requirements, please see the separate “Are You an International Applicant?” section of the page.
• GRE score is optional
• No teaching credential required; however, participants will need access to a classroom of students throughout the program to apply their learning and complete the course assignments as well as their action research project
• Transcript and Credential Evaluations – An evaluation of degrees earned at institutions outside of the United States is required. Applicants must have their transcripts evaluated by World Education Services, Inc. (WES). A course-by-course report from WES must be submitted with your application before it can be reviewed. Evaluations from other agencies cannot be accepted.World Education Services (WES)
  P.O. Box 5087, Bowling Green Station, New York, NY 10274, U.S.A.
  www.wes.org

Please contact an enrollment advisor or use the chat feature on this page if you are interested but do not happen to meet all published admissions requirements. Our application review process always includes a holistic look at your experience and background, and we understand that a low undergraduate GPA or lack of professional experience is not necessarily indicative of your potential success in our program.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to regulations from the Department of Education, the University of San Diego is unable to enroll students in its online degree programs who reside in select states. Please view the list of states on the State Authorization Status & Compliance page. This restriction does not apply to applicants interested in a campus-based program.

General Admission Information and Requirements

Students are admitted throughout the year for admission into one of three semesters (Spring, Summer, and Fall). Each semester two courses are offered, with students focusing intensively on one course at a time – a total of 7 weeks for each course. Please see important upcoming calendar dates below.

Admission application packets are accepted on a rolling basis. A decision will be recommended by the Review Committee typically within 1 week from submission

ARE YOU AN INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT?

International applicants must meet additional requirements for admission, including: 

• A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam score of 4.5 for all tests taken after Jan. 21, 2026, is required. Note: For TOEFL exams taken before Jan. 21, 2026, the minimum total score required is 83. 
• A course-by-course transcript evaluation and report by one of the following approved agencies. No other transcript evaluation will be accepted for degrees earned outside the U.S.
  • World Education Services, Inc. (WES)
  • Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE)
  • International Education Research Foundation, Inc. (IERF)
  • Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. (JSA)
  • SpanTran: The Evaluation Company (SpanTran)
  • Foreign Academic Credential Service (FACS)
• If you are currently in the U.S. on an F-1 or M-1 student visa, you are not eligible to pursue the online section of our program, per U.S. immigration regulations.
• Verify that your country allows access to essential software like VPN or DUO, which is vital for seamless online access during your studies.