For more than 90 years, Mills College has been a leader in graduate education.

Ranked sixth among top master's degree institutions in the western United States, Mills College offers renowned academic programs in an inclusive environment that fosters creative thinking, powerful communication, and bold action.

Located in Oakland, California, in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, our graduate community of women and men is led by faculty members who are artists, scholars, activists, writers, professionals, and educators. Our faculty work closely with students, empowering them to hone their expertise and forge their own distinctive paths. Mills alumnae/i go on to succeed as leaders in their career and in their communities.

We offer over 25 programs in the following academic areas: Education, Business, Public Policy, Computer Science, English, Pre-Med, Music, Studio Art, and Dance..

MASTER'S DEGREES IN: EDUCATION,  BUSINESS, POLICY, FINE ARTS, AND MORE! 

MASTER'S IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Our Educational Leadership Programs are designed for working practitioners who hold or seek leadership positions in a wide variety of educational settings including urban public school systems, higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations focused on policy making, and early childhood educational programs. Through our programs, students develop and articulate their own vision of leadership in order to address the most pressing questions facing educators today. The course work builds on the diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences students bring to the program, illustrating how these strengths can contribute to and shape the future of educational policy, advocacy, and practice. We offer both a master's and doctorate in Educational Leadership.

MASTER'S IN TEACHER EDUCATION

Teachers for Tomorrow's Schools (TTS) is comprised of combined credential and MA programs that prepare professional, reflective, collaborative, and visionary teachers who are committed to improving K–12 education in urban schools. Through the careful integration of research, theory, and practice, our programs include simultaneous course work and classroom teaching grounded in our core principles. In a highly collaborative community of dedicated professionals, students gain the knowledge, ethical frameworks, and a supportive network of colleagues to grapple with the social, moral, and political dilemmas of teaching practice.

New students spend one academic year in full-time course work and student teaching. Students may then apply for a California state teaching credential in either multiple subjects (grades K–8) or a single subject (grades 6–12). We prepare students for single subject credentials in the humanities (art, English, or social science) or in mathematics and science.

A unique feature of the Teacher Education Programs is that students may return to Mills any time in the five years after they complete their credential to complete an MA in education with an emphasis in teaching (MEET). These classes are offered in late afternoons and evenings while students work full time as teachers, and emphasize research on teaching and learning in the students' own classroom and school. Students complete an inquiry project based on their own teaching practices.

Multiple subject credential students who wish to pursue an MA in education with an emphasis in early childhood education spend the year after their credential year in full-time, weekday course work to complete their degrees.

MASTER'S IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Our Early Childhood Education (ECE) Programs prepare students to become high-quality early childhood teachers, professionals, and cross-disciplinary leaders who support children's learning, development, and overall well-being. There are both full-time and part-time options with weekday and evening classes. The programs integrate theory, research, and practice in course work with field placements in a variety of early childhood settings. Students learn to use inquiry and ongoing critical reflection in combination with a strengths-based, relational approach to working with children, families, and colleagues from diverse backgrounds. Our community shares a set of common commitments to improve the education and life chances of children in Oakland, throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and across the globe, and our programs cultivate leaders committed to social justice and equity for children and families living in our most underserved communities.

Students in our ECE Programs usually work in the Mills College Children's School. Founded more than 85 years ago as the first laboratory school west of the Mississippi, the Children's School allows students to develop their teaching practice through close mentorship from experienced teachers and administrators.

JOINT DEGREE: MBA/MA IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

The Joint MBA/MA degree is designed specifically to prepare future educational leaders and managers for success in a rapidly changing educational landscape.

Educational leaders are increasingly confronted by complex challenges that require knowledge of educational processes as well as strategic business and management skills. Challenges such as these require expertise that crosses traditional boundaries of business and education, in addition to tools beyond the basic knowledge of managing budgets and people typically offered by educational leadership programs.

The Mills MBA/MA in Educational Leadership Program prepares graduate students with knowledge and skills in areas including strategy, operations, marketing, finance, information and technology management, ethics, and organizational change. The program is appropriate for students who are preparing to serve as educational administrators in early childhood, K–12, higher education, and out-of-school programs and institutions; leaders and business officers in independent and charter schools; directors of educational nonprofits; educational consultants; and business consultants working in the education sector.

MASTER'S IN PUBLIC POLICY (MPP)

The Mills College MPP program prepares students to address the most pressing issues in our society. Our curriculum focuses on analyzing public problems, developing creative solutions, and implementing policies that are efficient, equitable, and feasible. Whether you aspire to advance educational equity, alleviate poverty, protect the environment, or reform the criminal justice system, our MPP program will equip you with the tools necessary to make a positive impact.

The Mills MPP provides students with the skills and perspectives required to formulate, implement, and evaluate public policies. This two-year professional degree program integrates two levels of course work, providing students with a strong analytic foundation and advanced professional training. Students learn how to assess public problems; develop creative solutions that are efficient, equitable, and feasible; and implement ideas.

MASTER'S IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA)

The Master in Business Administration Program educates ethical and socially responsible organizational leaders who have the strategic perspective, analytic abilities, business knowledge, and leadership and management skills to deliver strong financial performance while mindfully making a positive impact on society and the environment.

The Mills MBA Program emphasizes the four pillars of social responsibility and shared value: ethical decision-making and governance, social and community accountability, diversity and inclusion, and environmental sustainability. These values are integrated throughout our curriculum, our co-curricular activities and our partnerships with organizations that share similar values. Across the Mills MBA curriculum, our faculty emphasizes real-world applications and learning from both theory and practice.

JOINT DEGREE: MPP/MBA

The joint master's degree in public policy and business administration (MPP/MBA) at Mills College provides students with skills in leadership, management, analysis, and development of innovative policies and strategies. Graduates of this degree program assume positions of influence spanning business, government, and nonprofit organizations. This single MPP/MBA degree responds to evolving demands for professionals with cross-sector competencies who are trained in the logic of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and social or business enterprises, as well as the intersection of these sectors. Our stream-lined joint MPP/MBA enables students to reduce the time invested in securing their graduate degree without sacrificing academic quality, by tailoring requirements in each program to the needs of students interested in this particular career track.

INTERDISCIPLINARY COMPUTER SCIENCE
A pioneer in the field of undergraduate computer science, Mills continues this tradition by offering innovative graduate programs in interdisciplinary computer science. Designed for students with bachelor's degrees in other areas of study, our programs enable you to prepare for a variety of positions across industries. Combining the breadth of a liberal arts education with the focus of a computer science degree offers students a powerful combination that supports career success. We offer an MA and two certificate programs to prepare students to attain specific professional goals or to pursue advanced graduate study. Our goal is to provide students with a solid foundation in computer science in conjunction with a unique perspective on the interrelatedness of technology with other disciplines. In an environment that is intimate, personalized, and interactive, students find a dynamic and stimulating learning experience that prepares them for career success.

OTHER DEGREE PROGRAMS:

English - Offering an MFA in Creative Writing (poetry or prose), MA in English Language and Literatures, an MFA in Book Art and Creative Writing, and a new low residency MFA in Translation.

Infant Mental Health - an emerging field founded on the principle that early relationship-based intervention can help children at risk and their families prevent future developmental problems.

Music -  Offering an MA in Composition, MFA in Electronic Music and Recording Media, and an MFA in Music Performance and Literature (specializations in improvisation and solo & chamber music).

Post-Bac Pre-Med - A certificate program designed for students interested in medical school but haven't satisfied the required science courses to apply.

Studio Art - A distinguished art program with only 12 students accepted each year, and private student studios.

Dance - Offering an MA and MFA in Dance in an intensely creative and intimate environment.