ELHE
Educational Leadership & Higher Education
ELHE
Educational Leadership & Higher Education
Fulfilling our social justice mission, our Educational Leadership and Higher Education programs develop agents of cultural change—reflective practitioners committed to making schools more equitable.
The department of Educational Leadership and Higher Education prepares administrators and leaders of educational institutions ranging from pre-schools, to K-12, public, Catholic, charter schools to universities, to post graduate institutions.
Graduates are prepared to bring perspectives from sociology, psychology, history and philosophy, as well as social justice and public policy to their analysis and articulation of educational issues.
Course work and field-based learning experiences develop reflective practitioners who integrate theory with practice.
Courses in the department encompass these primary themes:
Courses in the various programs of study explore how economic, societal, political, and global forces change the way people think about schooling, educational leadership, and post-secondary administration.
To keep up with the constantly changing world there have been broad shifts in the knowledge and skills required of educational leaders today:
These shifts have been reflected in courses throughout the Educational Leadership and Higher Education programs.
Students engaging in Educational Leadership and Higher Education programs benefit considerably from the location of Boston College. Boston as a city is one of the richest post-secondary environments in the world, and offers a diverse range of educational environments.
The Boston College O'Neill Library has an excellent collection of books and journals in higher education and educational leadership resulting from decades of focus in the field. The university offers strong supporting faculty in education, management, and the social sciences, and a strong tradition of collaborative scholarship.
Close relations with other academic institutions in the area mean extensive opportunities for internships and research around the metropolitan area. Boston College's Jesuit identity also offers an underlying concern with social justice issues that is unique among education programs, and of course the program benefits from the Jesuit tradition of rigorous intellectual discourse.
Designed to develop professionals who have the knowledge, intellectual disposition, professional skills, ethical sensibilities, and leadership potential to make a difference in the lives of all schoolchildren.
Develop a deep understanding of the science of early childhood development and the policies and systems that intersect with young children and their families.
Designed to develop professionals who have the knowledge, intellectual disposition, professional skills, ethical sensibilities, and leadership potential to make a difference in the lives of all school children.
Assume a leadership role in educational systems serving students, families, and communities.
Designed for superintendents, this program is anchored in values of social justice, community, and school reform and results in superintendent licensure.
Develop the skills to use policy creatively and effectively to advance organizational goals and educational change.
Develop the skills, mindsets, and technical knowledge to match the changing pace of higher education in this program designed for experienced professionals.
Develop expertise in student affairs, administration, international higher education or Catholic universities in one of the first higher education graduate programs in the country.
Emerge from this dual degree program ready to share your skills with universities and policy-making organizations in financial management, resource planning, and technology management.
Prepare for a career in teaching or research in the field of higher education with a focus on equity and social justice.
Deepen your understanding of global higher education models and critical issues impacting higher education around the world.
The Dual Degree M.A. in International Higher Education offers bilingual students (Spanish/English) the opportunity to combine courses offered as part of the Boston College M.A. in Higher Education with courses offered as part of the M.A. in International Higher Education at the Universidad de Guadalajara (UdG) in Mexico.
Use legal and educational expertise to become an advocate for social justice and promote quality education for all.
Boldly advance equity in schools and enact a systemic response to confront the barriers students face.
For mid-career practitioners interested in cultivating agile and socially just leadership.
For research-focused training on social justice issues in higher education.
Internationally recognized faculty integrate interdisciplinary theory with the most current evidence-based practices.
Education:
Jill Geiser is a dedicated activist-educator who aims to foster equity and equality in public education for all students. She has spent her career in education leadership in urban and suburban settings, working to develop educational programs that serve all students well.
She is currently the assistant superintendent of Billerica Public Schools, focusing on building instructional capacity in schools across the district, using data to inform instructional and programmatic decisions, infusing creativity in learning experiences, and strengthening connections between families and schools.
Stemming from her dissertation research, she explores the relationship between policy and practice and the different ways policy decisions impact schools, organizational learning, and culture.
Prior to her current position, Geiser served as principal of a Pre-K-8 school in Somerville, MA, assistant principal of an urban high school, and principal of a turnaround middle school in Lawrence, MA. Geiser’s interest in education leadership was fueled by her work at a refugee youth program in New York City, where she developed after school and summer school programs for newly-arrived refugee youth. Prior to stepping into administrator roles, she taught elementary, middle, high school, and higher education in the U.S. and overseas.
Education:
Beth Godett's experience spans across the education and law sectors, with her research interests lying in the intersection of schooling and policy. Having served in both assistant superintendent and superintendent roles, Godett also has experience working as an adjunct professor of law at both Fairleigh Dickinson University and Rider University in New Jersey.
Godett recently published a new book, titled "Exploring Administrative Decision-Making in Public Education: The Negligence Evolution." The book speaks to how elements of negligence apply in the world of public education, and particularly what school administrators should consider today and in the future that they may not have considered in the past. Her first book, "Toward the Bigger Half: Equity in Public Education," brings stories from law and history to give voice to those in the classroom and beyond.
Education:
At Boston College, Bridget Gough’s doctoral dissertation focused on the perceived influence of social justice leadership on the job satisfaction of novice teachers. Currently the superintendent of the Walpole Public Schools, she focuses on theories of educational leadership and how those theories are authentically enacted in schools and organizations in order to lead and implement change.
Previously, Gough served as an assistant superintendent and director of curriculum and instruction. She has 30 years of experience in the field of education, which included roles as a middle school principal, assistant principal and English teacher.
Education:
Jose Libano has 18 years of school administrative experience, including 14 as the high school principal in Sharon, Massachusetts. A Texas native and an alum of Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas, Libano earned degrees at Providence College and Boston College. Prior to becoming a school administrator, he taught high school math in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Since graduating from the Lynch School in 2012, Libano has worked with graduate students pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees at BC—first as a field supervisor to those completing their principal practicums, and now as a Senior Instructor and the Coordinator of Principal Licensure Preparation. He is licensed as a principal in multiple states, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York. Libano lives in Cumberland, RI, with his wife, Yvonne, and their pet pug, Frankie. Among other interests, his passions in the field of education include equity, adaptive/situational leadership, and school day scheduling.
Education:
Leslie Patterson began her career as a math teacher at Newton North High School before accepting a role as associate principal at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School (L-S), where she eventually moved into her current role as director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
At L-S, Leslie has shepherded a variety of initiatives and gained significant experience in the areas of student support, family engagement, supervision/evaluation, high expectations teaching, strategic planning, school culture, and professional development. Additionally, Leslie has embraced various leadership opportunities that support a positive racial climate.
Leslie earned a B.A. in mathematics and music from Williams College, an Ed.M. and C.A.S. from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and an Ed.D. from Boston College Lynch School of Education and Human Development. Recently, while pursuing her interest in HR, Leslie received the SHRM-SCP certification. Leslie lives in Stow, MA with her husband and twin boys.
Our faculty and community take research to the next level by actively engaging in committees, contributing to groundbreaking research and innovation, and delivering impactful presentations at conferences around the world. Here are some examples of our faculty and graduate students in action this year.
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June 24-25, 2025
Fulfilling our social justice mission, our programs develop agents of cultural change—reflective practitioners committed to making schools more equitable.
Harvard Unversity, Dean of Students
University of Houston, Director of Assessment and Planning
Salve Regina University, President
uAspire, Senior Director of Program Design
Kyung Hee University, Policy Analyst
University of Miami, Director of Enrollment Marketing and Operations
University of Connecticut, Assistant Professor
Merrimack College, Associate Professor
Elms College, President
The 14-course Executive Ed.D. in Higher Education features faculty and guest lecturers from around the world, online coursework integrated with summer residences in Boston and Dublin.