Antioch University

Programme overview

Antioch University New England offers a Master of Education concentration focused on mindfulness designed specifically for educators. The curriculum blends regulated meditation practice, study of how mindfulness is applied in educational settings, and the practical adaptation of ideas for classrooms and schools. Delivery uses online pedagogy with small cohort classes, faculty attention, and synchronous connections (telephone, web conferencing, webinars), and students may choose a low-residency summer retreat instead of completing entirely online.

What you'll study

Coursework centers on core principles of mindfulness and compassion alongside philosophical and human development perspectives—both historical and contemporary. The program advances students’ personal meditation practice and teaches frameworks for implementing mindful teaching. Learning emphasizes reflective practice and inquiry, with assignments that deepen teachers’ classroom experience and encourage iterative refinement of techniques. The same curriculum is offered as a 9-credit Graduate Certificate that can be stacked into Antioch’s Self-Designed MEd.

Entry requirements

• Complete the online admissions application including program-specific essay questions.
• Resume or curriculum vitae (CV).
• Non-refundable $50 application fee.
• Official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions (emailed or mailed to AUNE Admissions).
• Two letters of recommendation from professional or academic references (not relatives).
• Interview with a faculty member if selected (in person, by phone, or via Skype).
• No GRE or other standardized test required.
• Additional requirements apply for international applicants and for those without a bachelor’s degree.

Program timing: typically completed in 5–7 semesters; students commonly take 3–6 credits per term. Optional summer residencies run in July (one or two weeks) and provide retreat-like, in-person learning in Keene, NH.

Career prospects

The program prepares educators to take leadership roles in the growing mindfulness-in-education movement. Graduates leave with deeper personal practice, knowledge of the historical and secular contexts for mindfulness approaches in schools, and project-based applications they can implement in their institutions—positions may involve school-based leadership in social-emotional learning, curriculum integration, professional development, or program coordination.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

AUNE advises students to explore federal, state, public, and private aid; most students use some form of financial assistance. Antioch offers a 10% tuition discount when three or more colleagues from the same school or district enroll together (subject to conditions). The university’s financial aid staff can help identify loans, grants, and scholarships appropriate to each applicant.