This program prepares students who want to work toward equitable and good schools for all children and youth. Graduates of the program work as teacher leaders, as principals, and in a variety of other educational leadership positions in public and private schools.
The master’s degree program consists of 36 points of course work that incorporate opportunities for continuous leadership experiences.
Each course incorporates multiple perspectives, themes of equity and social justice, a focus on the needs and experiences of diverse children and youth, and implications for leadership.
Twenty-one of the 36 points included in the program are required courses that focus on the content requirements, and 3 points are linked to the culminating internship. Required courses include:
- Professional Seminar in Educational Leadership (E65.2005)
- Excellent School Seminar I-School Design (E65.2080)
- Excellent School Seminar II-Teachers and Students (E65.2085)
- Leadership for School Improvement (E65.2305)
- Politics of Multicultural School Communities (E65.2342)
- DataDriven Decision Making and Leadership (E65.2343)
- Organizational Theory I (E95.2053)
The additional 12 points represent electives in which candidates, on the recommendation of their advisers, pursue additional study relevant to school improvement, teaching and learning, and community engagement and collaboration, based on their individual expertise and experience.
Electives may be selected:
- from courses in the Educational Leadership Program
- from departmental courses in educational technology and in higher and postsecondary education
- and from courses throughout the University in related areas such as teaching and learning, applied psychology, history and sociology of education, public policy, communications, etc.
Student Body
Strong candidates for this program must have experience in PK12 education and a minimum of two years of teaching or student services experience. Throughout the program, successful candidates develop a leadership portfolio that provides evidence of the competencies they have developed, reflections on their field experiences, and their plans for continuous learning. Candidates who successfully complete the M.A. program will be eligible for the Master of Arts degree in educational leadership: school building leader. Completion of the M.A. means that students will have successfully completed the academic preparation leading to New York state certification as a school building leader. Students are eligible for the state certification as a school building leader when they have also met all other state requirements, including successful completion of the assessment for all school building leader candidates administrated by the New York State Education Department.
Core Beliefs
The M.A. in Educational Leadership Program is built on the beliefs that:
- School is the critical unit for the delivery of educational programs;
- Schools of high quality are places where all children learn and grow in an atmosphere that is engaging, affirming, responsible, and just;
- Effective school leaders work collaboratively and inclusively with teachers, parents, students, community members, public agencies, and business to create productive learning environments for all children and youth;
- Public elementary and secondary education is an essential dimension of a democratic society and is entitled to serious, continuous, and meaningful support from its post-secondary partners.