Master's Degree
Master's Degree
Educational Leadership offers a 30-credit M.Ed. program that includes a two-course (6 credits) core.
A. School Leadership
This strand is understood to be similar to the extant master's program leading to principal certification and would consist primarily of courses that would fulfill certification requirements.
B. Open 18 credits of Educational Leadership coursework required, with a total of 30 credits, plus a master's paper. 18 of the 30 credits must be at the 500 or above level.
This is a strand created and defined through the interaction of student and advisor.
Paper Requirement
Each master's student will conclude the program in close association with an EDLDR faculty member – an association represented by course enrollment. For example, As an extension of this sort of close affiliation, each M.Ed. student will register for course credit/s (1-3 credits of EDLDR 596) with the faculty member responsible for “signing off” on her or his M.Ed. paper/project. This particular faculty member is to be identified by the student and may or may not be the student's actual program advisor.
The intent here is to offer a range of distinctive options to students. Each strand will consist of a collection of courses (some more focused than others) from which the student can choose, ranging from limited choices (e.g., the School Administration strand) to limitless choices (the Open strand). Each strand will contain 18 credits of Educational Leadership coursework.
Program Course Groupings
CORE CREDITS (6)
- EDLDR 480: Introduciton to Educational Leadership or similar introductory course approved by advisor
- Research Course (to be approved by advisor)
PROGRAM STRAND CREDITS (18)
ELECTIVE CREDITS (3-6)
M.Ed. - ASSOCIATED CREDITS (1-3)
- EDLDR 596 (Independent Study)
TOTAL CREDITS: M.ED. 30 Credits
Grad School Requirements: All credits must be from graduate courses – 400 or above levels – with at least 18 (M.Ed.) credits at the 500 level or above. In the Open option at least six credits must be completed outside of the EDLDR Program Area.
Program Requirement: Every master's degree must contain at least 18 credits of EDLDR coursework.
Culminating M.Ed. Paper. Each master's student must complete an M.Ed. paper/project with a designated EDLDR faculty member, and in connection with particular EDLDR 596 coursework (i.e., EDLDR 596 for M.Ed.) . This paper/project must be planned in cooperation with an EDLDR faculty member (serving as the student's paper/project.) and reflect an appropriate degree of graduate-level scholarship, as determined by this advisor. See Graduate School guidelines for additional details.
A master's paper/project is a completed piece of work representing the culmination of academic work toward the M.Ed. degree. While academic tradition suggests that this culminating effort take the form of a scholarly paper of one sort or another, we believe that such work can take many forms. A master's paper/project represents a student's attempt to address a phenomenon or situation involving leadership efforts in relation to education or schooling. A master's paper/project also represents a student's successful ability to connect her/his effort to one or more bodies of scholarly knowledge. Finally, a master's paper/project represents evidence of a student's ability to synthesize and utilize knowledge, skills and dispositions learned throughout the master's program. A successful M.Ed. paper/project (e.g., a review of relevant literature, a tightly argued scholarly paper, a project that explores a practical, school-based concern or a web site) will clearly and directly represent the student's thoughts and understandings about a subject or subjects pertaining to educational leadership in a manner designed to speak to interested members of the education community.
COURSE SUGGESTIONS
A. School Administration
- EDLDR 480: Introduction to Educational Leadership
- EDLDR 559: School Improvement
- EDLDR 576: Law and Education
- EDLDR 579: Public School Business Administration
- EDLDR 595A: Internship for Principals
- EDLDR 568: Principalship
- EDLDR 540: Microcomputer Applications in EDLDR
- EDLDR 551: Curriculum Design: Theory & Practice
- EDLDR 560: Principles of Instructional Supervision
- EDLDR 530: Leadership for Inclusive Education
Courses to be selected in conjunction with program advisor. 18 credits of Educational Leadership is required.
