NLU in Florida

Earn Your Master's in Education in Florida and Online

MEd and MAT programs from NLU's Tampa campus, available online with evening classes on Eastern Time.

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Tampa campus since 1988 Online with live evening classes on Eastern Time 140+ years of excellence, 70,000 alumni Designed for working educators

Compare NLU's Florida education programs

Become a licensed teacher with a MAT or advance as an educator with an MEd. Compare NLU's Florida education programs and find your fit.

MAT Elementary Education

NLU offers Florida-specific MAT pathways designed to meet the state's teacher certification requirements.*

What you’ll learn

  • Earn Florida Professional Educator Certification, Grades K to 6
  • Florida Reading Endorsement built into the program
  • Florida ESOL Endorsement, or the required ESOL coursework, included
  • Includes Methods for Teaching Students with Disabilities (3 SH)

Where graduates go

  • Elementary School Teacher (Grades K to 6)
  • Kindergarten Teacher
  • Reading or Literacy Specialist
  • Elementary Math Specialist
  • Instructional Coach

103,800 Elementary and kindergarten teaching openings each year (BLS)

Choose this if You want to become a licensed elementary teacher in Florida.

Explore MAT Elementary Education

MAT Secondary Education

You already know your subject. NLU's M.A.T. adds the pedagogy, the clinical hours, and a path to Florida teacher certification in as few as 12 months, without making…

What you’ll learn

  • Earn Florida certification in your subject, Grades 6 to 12
  • Florida Reading Endorsement built into the program
  • Florida ESOL Endorsement, or the required ESOL coursework, included
  • Includes Methods for Teaching Students with Disabilities (3 SH)

Where graduates go

  • Math Teacher (Grades 6 to 12)
  • Science Teacher (Grades 6 to 12)
  • English Teacher (Grades 6 to 12)
  • Social Studies Teacher (Grades 6 to 12)
  • World Language Teacher

66,200 High school teaching openings each year (BLS)

Choose this if You want to become a licensed secondary teacher in Florida.

Explore MAT Secondary Education

MEd Educational Leadership

NLU's MEd in Educational Leadership is approved by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) for the Florida Educational Leadership certification.

What you’ll learn

  • Lead instruction that serves all student populations
  • Navigate school law, budgets, and operations
  • Manage and develop staff and school resources
  • Evaluate teachers and lead professional development

Where graduates go

  • Principal
  • Assistant Principal
  • Dean of Students
  • Instructional Leader
  • Activities or Program Director

20,800 Annual K-12 principal openings nationwide (BLS)

Choose this if You are an educator ready to lead a school or district.

Explore MEd Educational Leadership

M.S. in Counseling: School Counseling (Florida)

Earn your master's on the School Counseling track, aligned to the ASCA National Model and Florida's School Counseling Standards, with real-time Live-on-Line classes and a 600-hour supervised internship.…

What you’ll learn

  • Design comprehensive school counseling programs aligned to the ASCA National Model
  • Support PK-12 students' academic, career, and social-emotional development
  • Apply evidence-based counseling theories across individual and group modalities
  • Conduct assessments and use data to drive student outcomes

Where graduates go

  • School Counselor (PK-12)
  • College and Career Counselor
  • Academic Advisor
  • Student Services Coordinator
  • Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)

$65,140 Median salary, school and career counselors (BLS, May 2024)

Choose this if You are a licensed educator pursuing school counseling certification in Florida.

Explore M.S. in Counseling: School Counseling (Florida)

EdS School Psychology

NLU's NASP-aligned Ed.S. in School Psychology prepares you for Florida Department of Education certification as a school psychologist, through a low-residency format of virtual classes, weekend residencies, and…

What you’ll learn

  • Conduct cognitive, academic, and social-emotional assessments
  • Design and evaluate academic and behavioral interventions
  • Use data within a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS)
  • Consult and collaborate with teachers, families, and systems

Where graduates go

  • School Psychologist (PK-12)
  • Behavioral Specialist
  • MTSS or Intervention Coordinator
  • Assessment Specialist
  • Crisis and Mental Health Support

$94,310 Median, psychology occupations (BLS, May 2024)

Explore EdS School Psychology

MAT to become a teacher, MEd to advance

A quick gut check to point you to the right fit.

MAT Elementary Education

You want to become a licensed elementary teacher in Florida.

MAT Secondary Education

You want to become a licensed secondary teacher in Florida.

MEd Educational Leadership

You are an educator ready to lead a school or district.

M.S. in Counseling: School Counseling (Florida)

You are a licensed educator pursuing school counseling certification in Florida.

Alumni Stories

What I love most about NCE is the school's diversity and my interactions with intelligent, insightful classmates.
Abimbola Owoyemi M.A.T. in Elementary Education, National College of Education
The program helped me build self-awareness of my teaching style and analyze lesson effectiveness.
Kennan Daoudi M.A.T. in Secondary Education, '15
I watched good policies fail and great ones soar, all because of leadership that either centers students or forgets them.
Alper Turan Educational Leadership Doctoral Student, Class of 2025
Currently, I am an independent school psychologist who contracts myself to other school districts so they can remain compliant by completing monolingual evaluations despite the critical shortage of school psychologists in the state. My courses at NLU helped me with my profession, particularly with Applied Behavior Analysis and filling this need. Continuing my education has allowed me to apply direct services with at-risk populations, and interacting with students has been a profound experience.
Damien Antwine Ed.S. in School Psychology, Class of 2021

Why NLU in Florida

Tampa Since 1988

NLU's Florida campus, established in 1988 in Tampa, serves educators across the state, backed by 140+ years of preparing teachers and leaders.

Live Evening Classes, Eastern Time

Earn your degree online with live evening classes on Eastern Time, designed for educators who work during the day.

Designed for Working Educators

Programs built around the school calendar and the realities of the classroom, with advisors and faculty who have been there.

A Legacy in Education

The National College of Education is one of the oldest and largest schools of education in the country, part of NLU since 1886.

How it works

  1. Request information

    Tell us about you, your goals, and the level of study you are interested in. It takes about a minute.

  2. Talk with an advisor

    An NLU enrollment advisor reaches out to answer your questions and map a personalized plan for your education.

  3. Apply and get started

    Submit your application with help from your advisor, choose an upcoming start date, and begin moving toward the career you want.

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Next start date: September 21, 2026

Get Started

Take the First Step

No commitment required. An NLU advisor will reach out within one business day to answer your questions and guide your next move.

Take the First Step
  • No commitment to apply
  • Talk to a real advisor
  • Online and blended options
  • Financial aid available

* Completion of an NLU program fulfills the educational requirements for licensure/certification in most states. Because licensure requirements vary by state, students are encouraged to review the requirements for the state in which they intend to practice and consult with the Department Chair as needed. Students are also encouraged to contact the appropriate credentialing agency or licensing board from the state in which they plan to practice to determine if their NLU degree will qualify them for licensure or certification. See NLU's full state-by-state disclosures at nl.edu/consumer-information/public-disclosures-licensure-and-certificate.