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Master of Science and Specialist in Educational Leadership

Program Coordinator: Julie Swaggert, Ed.D
Lommen 214D, (218) 477-2898
julie.swaggert@mnstate.edu

Master of Science in Educational Leadership

Description
Master of Science in Educational Leadership - 32 credits.

Admission Requirements

Information on admission requirements can be found on the Graduate Studies webpage.

Student Learning Outcomes

Candidates who complete the Master of Science in Educational Leadership, Specialist in Educational Leadership, or Administrative Licensed program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all stakeholders by:

  • Facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a school or district vision or learning, supported by the school community.
  • Promoting a positive school culture, providing an effective instructional program, applying best practice to student learning, and designing comprehensive professional growth plans for staff.
  • Managing the organization, operations, and resources in a way that promotes a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
  • Collaborating with families and other community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources.
  • Acting with integrity, fairly, and in an ethical manner.
  • Understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

Program Delivery Mode
Online Exclusive: must be completed entirely online; no face-to-face options available

Core Requirements

The core must be completed by all students majoring in any of the Educational Leadership concentrations: Generalist Emphasis, K-12 Administration Emphasis, Technology Emphasis or Higher Education Emphasis. The courses for each of the three program options are listed at the bottom. Total credits will vary depending on selected emphasis; however total core coursework alone are 18 credits.

ED 630 Leadership, Planning, and Organizational Behavior in Education (3)
ED 631 Educational Law & Organizational Structure of Education (3)
ED 632 Curriculum, Instruction & Learning Theory (4)
ED 635 Personnel, Supervision & Staff Development (4)
ED 636 Policy and Educational Finance (2)
ED 695A Portfolio Option Pre-Assessment (1) *was ED 645
ED 695B Portfolio Option Post-Assessment (1) *was ED 646

Program Requirements

The degree is completed under Plan B.

  1. Minimum of 32 credits.
  2. 3.0 grade point average required for courses submitted for the degree.
  3. Written Comprehensive Examination.
  4. Individual study/portfolio option and subsequent oral examination.

Emphasis in Generalist

Program Requirements ( 14 credits )

Must take 14 credits from the list of courses below:

ED 601 Psychological Foundations of Education (2)
ED 603 Methods of Research (2)
ED 613 Social, Cultural, Political, and Community Dimensions of Education (4)
ED 633 Technology and Information Systems (2)
ED 634 Personal Communication and Ethics (3)
ED 717 Adult Learning (2)
ED 789 School Community Relations (2)
ED 790 Topics in Education (2)
ED 794 Practicum in Administration (1-6)
ED 793 Seminar in School Administration and Supervision (1-4) *was ED 796
CNSA 610 Foundations of Counseling (3)

Emphasis in K-12 Administration

Program Requirements ( 14 credits )

Must take 14 credits from the list of courses below:

ED 603 Methods of Research (2)
ED 613 Social, Cultural, Political, and Community Dimensions of Education (4)
ED 634 Personal Communications and Ethics (3)
ED 638 Administration of the Elementary School (2)
ED 639 Administration of the Secondary School (2)
ED 643 Secondary School Curriculum (2)
ED 670 Educational Alternatives for Learning (2)
ED 671 Issues in Education (2)
ED 690 Topics in Education (2)
ED 717 Adult Learning (2)
ED 789 School and Community Relations (2)
ED 790 Topics in Education (2)
ED 794 Practicum (2)
ED 793 Seminar in School Administration and Supervision (1-4) *was ED 796
EECE 642 Elementary School Curriculum (2)
PSY 634 Methods of Evidence Based Practice (2)
CNSA 610 Foundations of Counseling (3)
CNSA 612 Counseling and Individual Appraisal (3)

Emphasis in Technology

Program Requirements ( 14 credits )

Must take 14 credits from the list of courses below:

ED 519 Creating Web-Based Curriculum Materials (2)
ED 522 Electronic Resources: Issues and Practice (2)
ED 525 Methods of Computer-Mediated Communication in Education (2)
ED 534 Assessment Strategies for Technology-Enhanced Curricula (2)
ED 535 Infusing Technology into Mathematics (2)
ED 590 Topics in Education (1-4)
ED 601 Psychological Foundations of Education (2)
ED 602 Statistics in Educational Research (2)
ED 603 Methods of Research (2)
ED 633 Technology and Information Systems (2)
ED 634 Personal Communication and Ethics (3)
ED 697 Independent Study (2)
ED 790 Topics in Education (2)
ED 793 Seminar in School Administration & Supervision (1-4)
ED 794 Practicum in Administration (1-4)
PSY 634 Methods of Evidence Based Practice (2)
CNSA 612 Counseling Assessment and Appraisal (3)

Emphasis in Higher Education Administration

Program Requirements ( 14 credits )

Must take 14 credits from the list of courses below:

ED 603 Methods of Research (2)
ED 613 Social, Cultural, Political and Community Dimensions of Education (4)
ED 634 Personal Communications and Ethics (3)
ED 717 Adult Learning (2)
ED 727 Higher Education Law (3)
ED 767 Organization & Administration of Higher Education (3)
ED 780 Instructional Models (2)
ED 789 School Community Relations (2)
ED 794 Practicum (2)
ED 793 Seminar in School Administration and Supervision (1-4) *was ED 796
CNSA 610 Foundations of Counseling (3)
CNSA 612 Counseling Assessment and Appraisal (3)
CNSA 661 Higher Education in the U.S. (1)



Specialist in Educational Leadership

Description
Specialist in Educational Leadership

Student Learning Outcomes

Candidates who complete the Master of Science or Specialist in Educational Leadership program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all stakeholders by:

  1. Facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a school or district vision or learning, supported by the school community.
  2. Promoting a positive school culture, providing an effective instructional program, applying best practice to student learning, and designing comprehensive professional growth plans for staff.
  3. Managing the organization, operations, and resources in a way that promotes a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
  4. Collaborating with families and other community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources.
  5. Acting with integrity, fairly, and in an ethical manner.
  6. Understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

Core Requirements

Specialist degree students are required to have completed all of the coursework prescribed for the master's degree in the same specialty option area. Students may complete deficiency work while enrolled in the specialist degree, but credit earned in coursework taken to remove deficiencies may not count in the minimum number of credits required for the specialist degree.

ED 717 Adult Learners (2)
ED 780 Instructional Models (2)
ED 782 Supervisory and Administrative Theory (4)
ED 788 School Finance and Business Management (4)
ED 789 School Community Relations (2)
ED 799 Thesis or Field Research (1-4)

Program Requirements

Specialist degree students are required to have completed all of the coursework prescribed for the master's degree in the same specialty option area. Students may complete deficiency work while enrolled in the specialist degree, but credit earned in coursework taken to remove deficiencies may not count in the minimum number of credits required for the specialist degree.

Students pursuing a specialist degree in educational leadership have many role specialty options to choose from, depending on their ultimate career goals: general administration, elementary principal, secondary principal, k-12 principal, special education director,superintendent, community education director, technology director, teaching and learning director, athletics/activities director or any number of higher education administrative positions.  

Students entering the specialist program are required to conduct a needs assessment of their current competence in the Minnesota Administrative Competencies or the ELLC competencies/standards to determine a profile of their current knowledge, skill, and dispositions. This is done in close consultation with the student's advisor.  From this needs assessment, a personalized Plan of Study is developed to fit the individual needs, course requirements  and goals of the student. 

Electives

ED 670 Educational Alternatives for Learning (2)
ED 671 Issues in Education (2)
ED 690 Topics in Education (1-4) **may be repeated as topics change
ED 797 Individual Study in Education (2)**may be repeated up to 6 credits

ED 796 Seminar in School Administration and Supervision (2) **may be repeated 
(Superintendent Seminar, Special Education Director Seminar, Community Education Director Seminar, Athletic and Activities Director Seminar, Leadership in Education Seminar)

ED 794 Practicum (2)
(Elementary Principal, Secondary Principal, Superintendent, Special Education Director, Community Education Director, Budget and Finance, General Administration, Supervision)

ED 634 Personal Communication and Ethics (3)
SPED 664 Theory and Process of Consultation and Collaboration (2)
PSY 634 Methods of Evidence Based Practice (2)
ED 727 Higher Education Law (3)
ED 740 Financing Higher Education (3)
ED 767 Organization and Administration of Higher Education (3)