Education Leadership: Professional Leadership Studies - MS

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Description of Program (Master’s in Education Leadership)

The goal of a Master’s in Education Leadership is to prepare collaborative leaders who sustain and renew America’s democracy by transforming and managing schools and organizations for the benefit of each learner and with a view to the common good. A core of education leadership courses is combined with course work and experiences in one of five different emphases to earn the degree. The emphases are:

Organizational Leadership
Professional Leadership Studies
Teacher and School Leadership
Recreation Leadership (in collaboration with RTTR Department)
Sport Management (in collaboration with PESS Department)

Graduates are prepared to take leadership roles in non-profit, government, and public organizations.

Three requirements must be satisfactorily completed to earn the degree: 33 graduate credits, a capstone paper/thesis, and the Comprehensive Exam. A core of five Education Leadership courses (15 S.H.) is required of all degree candidates - each emphasis has an additional 18 credits specific to its mission.

Professional Leadership Studies (33 S.H.)

This emphasis is for future leaders in non-profit organizations, higher education, and public agencies that prefer to create their own course-pathway to the Masters of Science degree. Both the directed candidate and the undecided candidate have the opportunity to explore options and create specific experiences related to their needs and interests. Candidates will have a better understanding of how organizations work and the tools that leaders use to guide groups of people to accomplish their goals. This emphasis permits the student, in cooperation with their academic advisor, to select courses and experiences which they believe best prepare them for foreseeable leadership roles.

Education Leadership Core Courses (15 S.H.)

A core of five Education Leadership courses is required of all degree candidates.

Professional Leadership Studies Required Courses (18 S.H.)

EL 660 - EL Masters Internship (3 S.H.)
EL 705 - Partnership Formation (3 S.H.)

Electives (12 S.H.)

These twelve credits are determined in collaboration with an academic advisor and are intended to enhance general leadership skills and/or provide career and job specific knowledge.

Capstone Writing Requirements

Candidates must write a significant research paper or master’s thesis to show proficiency in research and writing at the graduate level. The topic and proposal for this paper is initiated in EL 618 - Scholarship and brought to completion under the guidance of a capstone/thesis advisor. Guides for form and style are available from the Department of Education Leadership.

Non-Thesis Option – student completes EL 618 - Scholarship and writes the paper under the guidance of their capstone advisor.

Thesis Option – student completed EL 618 - Scholarship , takes EL 699 - Master’s Thesis (Thesis Advisement Credits) , writes the paper under the guidance of their thesis advisor, and defends their research to a faculty panel.

Comprehensive Examination

Each candidate must pass a written comprehensive examination on required course work.