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Graduate Programs in
Program Evaluation

Critical
Roles.
Wide-Ranging
Opportunities.
Are you a professional looking to  assess the effectiveness of programs? Then you should become a program evaluation specialist.
As schools, colleges and universities, not-for-profit organizations, government entities, even private and public companies, seek to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of their projects, policies and programs, the need for credentialed program evaluation specialists will continue to increase.

The theoretical knowledge and practical skills acquired in our program evaluation program can be applied to a wide range of educational, social services, and business contexts. Graduates can serve as staff or consultant evaluators for assessment or accreditation bodies; support the effective, efficient management of not-for-profit institutions; evaluate government programs; and inform practice and policy decisions in any educational institution – K-12 or higher education – they may be working in.
PROGRAM QUICKVIEW OUR APPROACH THE WARNER ADVANTAGE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FACULTY SCHOLARSHIPS TRY US OUT RELATED PROGRAMS TESTIMONIALS CONTACT US
The Perfect Complement to an Existing Warner Graduate Degree Program . Learn More

Program Quickview

These programs in program evaluation focus on preparing students to collect, analyze, and use information to answer questions about projects, policies, and programs, with particular attention to program implementation, effectiveness, and efficiency in education and other institutional settings.

If you are interested in other educational leadership or research programs, check out our Related Programs.
Prerequisites:
  • A bachelor's degree.
Key Program Features:
  • Combining Theory and Practice: Includes a two-course sequence in program evaluation theories and practices, along with mini-courses focusing on research strategies to conduct surveys, interviews and focus groups, and using quantitative data analysis software.
  • Career-Related Experiences: Includes a group and an individual supervised practicum experience to enable students to gain real-life experiences in conducting program evaluations. 
  • Flexible: Program can be completed full time or part time, starting in any semester, allowing you to go at your own pace.
  • Online Courses: Enjoy the convenience of taking some courses online.
  • Supportive Environment: Engage with faculty and peers at the master’s and doctoral levels - both inside and outside the classroom.
  • Faculty Mentorship: Work with a dedicated faculty advisor to tailor the program to suit your academic and career goals.

Warner Programs in Program Evaluation


MS in Program Evaluation (EV2): 33 credits; for individuals in any profession interested in pursuing an advanced degree in the theory, methods, and practice of program evaluation; includes the opportunity to select electives specific to your career interests and needs.

Advanced Certificate in Program Evaluation (EV1): 15 credits or less; for individuals in any profession interested in developing foundational research and program evaluation skills, and for students seeking to support their current degree program with the knowledge and expertise in theory, methods, and practice of program evaluation.
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Opportunities to Complement/Combine with Another Program

While an Advanced Certificate in Program Evaluation is great on its own, it is also a helpful and marketable complement to an existing Warner program, especially the program choices below:

Doctoral Programs
Educators interested in conducting program evaluations for projects related to their area of specialization – as part of their job or as independent consultants – should strongly consider pursuing this advanced certificate as part of their doctoral program.

By choosing your electives strategically, you can earn an advanced certificate with as little as three additional credit hours (counseling doctoral students may require more).

To learn more, check your chosen Program of Study, or visit:
Master’s in Educational Leadership
Educational leaders will benefit from more in-depth knowledge and skills in program evaluation.

Warner offers a flexible master’s degree to prepare educational leaders who are not interested in New York State school certification (only required for administrative positions in K-12 public schools). This master’s program requires only one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study. By choosing your electives strategically you can also earn an Advanced Certificate in Program Evaluation with as little as three additional credit hours.

To learn more, visit Master’s in Educational Leadership.
Master’s in Education Policy
Program evaluation knowledge and skills are important to anyone interested in educational policy issues. An Advanced Certificate in Program Evaluation will be a very valuable, likely critical enhancement for students in our MS in Educational Policy.

Our master’s in education policy is designed for students interested in impacting preschool, K-12, and/or higher education at a systems level. In addition, this degree program is ideal for students already working in education or an education-related setting who want to understand better how policies impact their work and, more importantly, how their work can impact policy. This master’s program requires just three semesters of full-time study or two years of part-time study. By choosing your electives strategically, you can also earn an Advanced Certificate in Program Evaluation with as little as three additional credit hours.

To learn more, visit Master’s in Educational Policy.
Master’s in Higher Education
Today’s educational leaders and administrators in colleges and universities will greatly benefit from more in-depth knowledge and skills in program evaluation – whether they are working in student affairs or other areas of a higher education institution.

Our master’s in higher education successfully prepares students for leadership, administrative, and support positions within higher education institutions. This master’s program requires only three semesters of full-time study or two years of part-time study. By choosing your electives strategically, you can also earn an Advanced Certificate in Program Evaluation with as little as three additional credit hours.

To learn more, visit Master’s in Higher Education.
Programs Preparing K-12 School Leaders
Considering the ever-changing policies and goal to optimize the success of each and every educational program, K-12 school leaders will greatly benefit from a more in-depth knowledge and understanding of program evaluation – especially in helping them to make informed decisions about resourcing existing initiatives.

If you are pursuing a master’s program preparing for New York State Certification as a School Building Leader (SBL) and/or School District Leader (SDL) – or simply need a few additional courses to meet your SDL requirements of 60 credits of graduate coursework – we encourage you to use your electives so that they can also count toward an additional Advanced Certificate in Program Evaluation.

To learn more, visit Programs Preparing K-12 School Leaders.
Masters in Teaching Not Leading to New York State Certification
Warner offers several master’s degrees that prepare for teaching in settings other than U.S. K-12 public schools (where state teaching certification is required), with options to pursue various areas of specialization. These programs can be completed in one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study, and include several electives that could be used to take courses required for the Advanced Certificate in Program Evaluation.

Developing knowledge and skills in program evaluation could be especially useful to individuals interested in designing and developing new programs and initiatives within their educational organizations.

To learn more, visit Master’s in Teaching (Without Certification).


Contact admissions to speak with a faculty member that can help you better understand the program option that will best meet your career goals.

Our Approach

Preparing You to be a Program Evaluation Specialist.

The interdisciplinary nature of these programs provides students with a foundation in program evaluation theory and practice and the opportunity to gain important analytic skills through coursework in quantitative and qualitative research methods necessary for practicing program evaluation.

A distinguishing feature of our programs is the culminating master’s capstone project based on an independent program evaluation experience. This culminating experience enables students to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-life settings. Past students have completed independent evaluations in Rochester-area school districts, higher education institutions, and not-for-profit organizations.
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Learn More About Warner's Approach to Program Evaluation
The master’s program is designed with flexibility to allow students to draw widely from the resources of the Warner School in developing their own area of interest and expertise. Each student is assigned an advisor to help develop a coherent program of study that attends to the student’s specific interests and aspirations.

The advanced certificate is appropriate for individuals in all professions who are interested in program evaluation. The program consists of a three-credit introductory research methods course; three three-credit courses in evaluation methods and theories, one of which is an independent practicum; and three one-credit courses on data collection and analysis. The practicum is an opportunity for students to design, implement, and report the results of an independent program evaluation in a real-life setting. Past certificate students have completed independent evaluations in their workplace or in Rochester-area school districts, higher education institutions, and not-for-profit organizations.

The Warner Advantage

Preparing Graduates to Innovate, Advocate, and Elevate.

Warner will give you the highest-quality preparation and practice for managing the responsibilities of, or pursuing a career in, program evaluation.
  • Be challenged to become an innovator and a thought leader by learning the necessary skills and competencies to be an effective evaluator.
  • Leverage the reputation of a leading research university to give your degree even more recognition.
  • Utilize the supervised practicum experiences to develop and demonstrate your skills to prospective employers and/or doctoral-level programs.
  • Network with the best and the brightest peers at the master’s and doctoral levels.
  • Learn from an accessible, supportive faculty of researchers and accomplished practitioners who will prepare you to think critically and utilize theory and research skills to help organizations improve their programs and practices.
  • Leverage Warner’s relationships with a rich array of organizations in the Rochester region to find opportunities for practicum experiences and career opportunities upon graduation.
Our flexible programs are designed to meet the needs of working professionals as well as full-time students.
  • Our master’s degree program can be completed in only one year of full-time study, or longer if pursuing part time; completing an advanced certificate can require even less time.
  • Start the program in any semester and go at your own pace.
  • Take advantage of online and hybrid-online course offerings to reduce your trips to campus.
  • Customize your master’s program by choosing elective courses that align with your academic and career goals.
  • Are you a University of Rochester employee? Make sure you make full use of your tuition benefits.

     

Career Opportunities

Advancing Education and Your Career to the Next Level.

Graduates of our programs in program evaluation will be well prepared to assume staff or consultant positions across diverse industry segments. In addition, pursuing a degree or certificate in program evaluation concurrent with your current Warner degree program will significantly improve our graduates ability to influence and impact policies, projects, and programs executed by their school districts, institutions of higher education, not-for-profit organizations, or companies.

Recent graduates of our degree and certificate programs in program evaluation have secured opportunities as directors of evaluation and directors of research, analytics, and evaluation at not-for-profit organizations. Several regional K-12 school administrators have used the program to support their district leadership roles and better inform their decision making.
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Faculty

An Accessible, Supportive Faculty of Researchers and Accomplished Practitioners.

Scholarships

Making it Affordable to Make Warner Possible.

The Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester is pleased to offer a number of merit-based scholarships to eligible students who enroll in a graduate program on program evaluation.

Are You a UR Employee? Inquire about your tuition benefits. If eligible, up to 95% of your tuition costs can be covered depending on your position. Contact the UR benefits office at benefitoffice@rochester.edu.
 

Learn More About Scholarships
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Try Us Out

Get a Taste of What Warner Has to Offer.

Take A Course! You can experience the Warner Advantage as a non-matriculated student for a highly discounted price. Or we invite you to visit Warner and observe one of our program evaluation courses.

Contact admissions to arrange for a visit or learn more about opportunities for non-matriculated students.
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Testimonials

Meliora means 'Ever Better.' To our graduates, it means making a world of difference.

  • Jody Goodman, Program Director, UMass Amherst

    “As educators, it’s our job to make sure we’re giving students the knowledge to be successful when they move on in their life….Warner was the best grad school experience I’ve ever had because it prepared me extremely well to jump into my career, and I will forever be grateful for that.”

    Jody Goodman, Program Director, UMass Amherst

  • Shannon Walton, Sports Performance Counselor, Rochester, NY

    “I had a very unique situation. I wasn’t going down the typical path of a Warner student, and the school was just so flexible and supportive.”

    Shannon Walton, Sports Performance Counselor, Rochester, NY

  • Beatriz M. Folch-Torres, MD, Rochester, NY

    “It was more than I expected. Not only what I learned in the program, which I’ve been able to put into practice every day since, but also the connections I was able to make and the relationships I was able to form."

    Beatriz M. Folch-Torres, MD, Rochester, NY

  • Dawn Santiago-Marullo, Superintendent, Victor, NY

    "The most important thing I received there was the opportunity to be immersed in the study of education and leadership with very talented people, that think-tank mentality of being surrounded by the best of the best. The intellectual stimulation from both the staff and fellow classmates really did allow me to think about things differently."

    Dawn Santiago-Marullo, Superintendent, Victor, NY

  • Laura Van Laeken, Teacher, Midlakes, NY

    "The growth I’ve realized in myself is something I will be forever grateful for. I’ve learned to question, analyze, think and create in ways I never considered. I’ve changed as an educator and as a person."

    Laura Van Laeken, Teacher, Midlakes, NY

  • Jeremy Friedman, Research Associate, Harlem Children's Zone, New York, NY

    “When it came time to interview for jobs, it was very easy for me to talk about anything in the field, and that set me apart,” he says. “You name it, and I had at least one experience in it—largely due to Warner.”

    Jeremy Friedman, Research Associate, Harlem Children's Zone, New York, NY

Contact Admissions

The admissions team looks forward to assisting you as you explore graduate education at the Warner School. Please feel free to use the form below to contact us with any questions. You can also email us at admissions@warner.rochester.edu or call (585) 275-3950.


Application Deadlines

January 15
March 15
June 15
October 15


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