Master of Science and Specialist in Educational Leadership
and
Minnesota Administrative Licensure Programs Approved by the Minnesota Board of School Administrators (BOSA)

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

Program Description

The principal purpose of the Educational Leadership Program is to provide professional/academic education for individuals preparing for leadership in licensed administrative positions (i.e., elementary school principal, secondary school principal, community education director, special education director, school superintendent), and staff administrative positions (i.e., school district business managers, technology coordinators, curriculum coordinators, athletic directors).

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 students 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.

Admission Requirements for Master's Degree

The items listed below are required for admission to this program; only complete files are reviewed. Send all materials to:
Graduate Studies Office
MSU Moorhead
1104 7th Ave. S.
Moorhead, MN 56563

Application Priority Deadlines: November 15 and April 15

Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution. No specific major is required.
3.0 grade point average, or at least 3.25 for the last 30 semester credits of graded coursework.
Completed "Application for Admission to Graduate Study" form.
Official transcripts from ALL colleges and universities attended.
Non-refundable $20.00 fee for first-time applicants to Minnesota State University Moorhead.
500 word essay on leadership philosophy and professional goals.
Two letters of recommendation

Degree Requirements for the Master's Degree

The degree is completed under Plan A or Plan B.

Minimum of 32 credits.
Students wishing to transfer credits from other institutions or have taken courses before admission to the graduate program should refer to the Residence and Transfer of Credit section for further information.
3.0 grade point average required for courses submitted for the degree.
Written Comprehensive Examination.
A thesis (Plan A) or individual study/portfolio option (Plan B) and subsequent oral examination.

Course Requirements for the Master's Degree

Core Requirements (18 Credits)
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 633 Technology and Information Systems (2)
ED 632 Curriculum, Instruction & Learning Theory (4)
ED 635 Personnel, Supervision & Staff Development (4)
ED 636 Policy and Educational Finance (2)

Generalist Emphasis (19-20 Credits)
ED 601 Psychological Foundations of Education (2)
ED 603 Methods of Research (2)
ED 608 Educational Research (2)
ED 613 Social, Cultural, Political, and Community Dimensions of Education (4)
ED 694 Internship (2)
ED 697 Paper/Individual Study (2)
CNSA 610 Foundations of Counseling (2)

K-12 Administration Emphasis (16-18 Credits)
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)
EECE 642 Elementary School Curriculum (2)
ED 643 Secondary School Curriculum (2)
ED 794 Practicum (2)
CNSA 610 Foundations of Counseling (2)
CNSA 612 Individual Appraisal (3)

Technology Emphasis (18-10 Credits)
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 528 Effective Use of Multimedia (2)
ED 534 Assessment Strategies for Technology-Enhanced Curricula (2)
ED 535 Infusing Technology into Mathematics (2)
ED 539 Infusing Technology into Literacy Instruction (2)
ED 542 Infusing Technology into the Science Curriculum (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 697 Paper/Individual Study (2)
CNSA 612 Individual Appraisal (3)

Higher Education Administration Emphasis (17-18 Credits)
ED 603 Methods of Research (2)
ED 634 Personal Communications and Ethics (3)
ED 717 Adult Learning (2)
ED 727 Higher Education Law (3)
ED 740 Financing Higher Education (3)
ED 767 Organization & Administration of Higher Education (3)
ED 780 Instructional Models (2)
ED 782 Supervisory and Administrative Theory (4)
ED 794 Practicum: Budget and Business Management (2)
ED 794 Practicum: Community Education Leadership (2 credits)
ED 794 Practicum: Elementary School Principalship (2)
ED 794 Practicum: General Leadership (2)
ED 794 Practicum: Secondary School Principalship (2)
ED 794 Practicum: Superintendency (2)
ED 794 Practicum: Supervision (2)
CNSA 610 Foundations of Counseling (2)
CNSA 612 Individual Appraisal (3)
CNSA 661 Higher Education in the U.S. (1)

Admission Requirements for Specialist Degree

Application Priority Deadlines: November 15 and April 15

Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
3.25 cumulative GPA in all graduate level coursework
Completed "Application for Admission to Graduate Study" form.
Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
Non-refundable $20.00 fee for first-time applicants to Minnesota State University Moorhead.
Essay on leadership philosophy and professional goals.
Two letters of recommendation.

Degree Requirements for the Specialist Degree

Specialist degree students are required to have completed all of the coursework prescribed for the TCU 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 TCU specialist degree in educational leadership have six role specialty options to choose from, depending on their ultimate career goals: general administration, elementary principal, secondary principal, k-12 principal, special education director, and superintendent. Students entering the specialist program are required to conduct a needs assessment of their current competence in six performance dimensions to determine a profile of their current knowledge, skill, and dispositions. When this has been established, a Plan of Study in developed to fit the individual’s needs and course requirements for the degree and/or license. Modifications in course requirements may occur as a result of a student competence in a specific block of area only with the approval of the student’s adviser and the program chair.

Course Requirements

Ed 780 Instructional Models (2)
Ed 782 Supervisory and Administrative Theory (4)
Ed 783 Computer Data Management and Decision Making (2)
Ed 784 School Personnel Administration (2)
Ed 786 School Facility Planning (2)
Ed 788 School Finance and Business Management (4)
Ed 789 School Community Relations (2)

Electives
Ed 640 Education and Society (2)
Ed 748 Collective Bargaining (2)
Ed 777 Tort Liability (2)
Ed 769 Politics and Policy Analysis I Education (2)
Ed 785 Organization & Administration of Vocational/Technical (2)
Ed 715 Superintendency (2)
Ed 790 Seminar in School Administration & Supervision (1-3)
Ed 793 Individual Study/Tutorial (1-5)
Ed 795 Field Experiences (1-15)

Ed 798s (4)
Ed 794 Practica courses: Select three (3 credits) depending upon specialty role or position sought:

Practicum: Budget & Finance (2)
Practicum: Elementary Principal (2)
Practicum: General Administration (2)
Practicum: Secondary Principal (2)
Practicum: Superintendency (2)
Practicum: Supervision (2)
Disquisition (Field Study/required for the specialist degree)

Minnesota Licensure Programs

These programs are approved by the Minnesota Board of School Administrators (BOSA).

Minnesota State University Moorhead offers a highly individualized program to prepare aspiring administrators for licensure as a Director of Community Education, Director of Special Education, K-12 principal, and Superintendent. The program is planned as a competency-based program to meet each
licensure area. Competencies are demonstrated through the computation of exhibits/artifacts chosen by each candidate as a result of a pre-assessment of knowledge, skills, dispositions, coursework, and a final oral presentation and assessment. Most candidates complete the program in one to two years. This program is delivered in on-line format.

The following requirements fully implement the regulations set by the state of Minnesota legislation (M.S. 3512). Upon successful completion of the requirements, the university endorses the candidate to Minnesota Department of Education, which issues the license.

Candidates applying to the licensure program, must have a master's degree and fulfill the requirements for admission to the specialist degree program.

Upon acceptance into the program, students will be assigned an advisor to discuss pre-assessment requirements. All students must complete ED 645, Pre-Assessment Portfolio. The pre-assessment portion of this class is designed to conduct a peer assessment process and align previous coursework and work experiences with the

competencies required for the licensure being sought. Once this pre-assessment is completed, a plan of study for licensure is designed for further coursework and experiences. Students are introduced to the Minnesota Administrative Core and specific licensure Competencies and do a self-evaluation with advisor oversight.
Aspiring K-12 principals, superintendents, and directors of special education must attain a total of 60 semester credits, which must include a completed master's degree in any field. Four credit hours of ED 794 Practicum are required for each administrative licensure. Aspiring directors of community education must attain 20 semester graduate credits and hold a bachelor's degree prior to enrollment and participate in a minimum of 4 credits of Practica experiences.

All past and present coursework from an accredited university may count toward the total number of credits in each licensure area. Additional credits may be needed to attain program requirements and attain the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for demonstration of competence.
All candidates must complete an electronic portfolio and present the attainment of knowledge, skills, and dispositions in all area identified in M.S. 3512 to a review panel made up of representatives from the university and licensed practitioners in the area of licensure.

Recommended Licensure Courses for all Candidates

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

Specific Licensure Recommendations

K-12 Principal
Ed 642 Elementary School Curriculum (2)
Ed 638 Administration of the Elementary School (2)
Ed 794 Practicum: Elementary School Principalship (2)
Ed 639 Administration of the Secondary School (2)
Ed 643 Secondary School Curriculum (2)
Ed 794 Practicum: Secondary School Principalship (2)

Superintendent
Ed 788 School Finance & Business Management (4)
Ed 796 Seminar: The Superintendency (2)
Ed 794 Practicum: Superintendency (2)
Ed 794 Practicum: Budget and Finance (2)

Director of Community Education
Ed 717 Adult Learning (2)
Ed 789 School Community Relations (2)
Ed 794 Practicum: Director of Community Education (2)
Ed 794 Practicum: Budget and Finance (2)
Ed 796 Seminar: Admin. of Community Education (2)

Director of Special Education
Ed 594 Legal/Social Foundations of SPED (3)
Ed 796 Seminar: Admin. of Special Education Programs (1-4)
Ed 794 Practicum: Director of Special Education (2)
Ed 794 Practicum: Budget and Finance (2)

Alternative Licensure Requirements

A route is open to aspiring principals and superintendents who have no teaching experience. These candidates must complete all licensure requirements and demonstrate the equivalency of one year of teaching experience. For specific information contact the licensure coordinator.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the specialist program is considered only after all required application materials have been received and reviewed. Incomplete files will not be reviewed. Required materials are:

A Master's Degree from an accredited institution.
Completed "Application for Admission to Graduate Study" form. http://www.mnstate.edu/graduate
Undergraduate and other transcripts sent directly from the institution to the MSUM Graduate Studies Office.
Non-refundable $20.00 application fee for first-time applicants to Minnesota State University Moorhead.
Two letters of references which evaluate the applicant's potential for success as a graduate student and as an educational administer (forms provided).
Essay on professional goals.

Admission decisions are based upon the predicted success of the applicant as a student and professional administrator and are made only after considering all available data.

Additional Information

Educational Leadership Website
Graduate Application Form
Application Essay Instructions
Reference Form
Printable copy of this information in PDF

Graduate Studies

Master of Science and Specialist in Educational LeadershipandMinnesota Administrative Licensure Programs Approved by the Minnesota Board of School Administrators (BOSA)