EARN YOUR MASTER’S IN EDUCATION DEGREE IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP FROM SC!

Total Credit Hours: 36

Transfer Credits: Up to 6

The Master of Education degree at Southwestern College meets the needs of teachers and provides assistance for those seeking national certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Programs in special education and school leadership are offered. Most Southwestern graduate students are professionals employed in education or other fields. To accommodate the needs of these graduate students, graduate classes are scheduled in six-week, twelve-week, or sixteen-week sessions.

The Master of Education in School Leadership will prepare teachers for roles as future leaders with an emphasis on building management. Coursework emphasizes developing and practicing building-level administrative knowledge, skills, dispositions, and competences through a combination of research and theory with application in actual school settings. The Master of School Leadership prepares the candidate for building-level licensure in Kansas as a principal or assistant principal. Kansas licensure may apply to additional states, but potential out of state students will need to confirm this with their home state’s certification office. Candidates enrolled in the Doctoral of Educational Leadership program but who are NOT seeking licensure are also eligible to enroll in individual courses as needed. Passing of licensure is not required for graduation.

The program consists of 12 week accelerated courses. Courses have synchronous meetings at least every other week.

Applicants for the Master of Education must hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Some applicants may be granted conditional admission if grades do not meet this standard. Conditionally admitted students who maintain a 3.0 grade point average after completing 6.0 credit hours are considered fully admitted.

Transfer Credit for Master of Education Program Graduate transfer courses must have been awarded within five years from the date of program entry. Undergraduate courses may be transferred for Kansas Department of Education licensure requirements credit only. Up to three semester hours, or equivalent, may be transferred from courses that do not directly correspond to catalog descriptions for elective courses in special education. Transfer courses for the special education program must be in the field of education or psychology and be directly related to the licensure standards for adaptive special education teachers. Prior approval is required to ensure acceptance of transfer courses to fulfill program requirements.

Request Information

WHY CHOOSE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AT SC?

Recently ranked as one of the Top Accredited Online Colleges, Southwestern College offers quality online degrees to adult learners. With courses taught by expert faculty and access to a variety of student resources, SC learners are provided with the tools and flexibility needed to succeed in their education while preparing for professional advancement.

• Ranked Best Online Master’s in Special Education Programs
• Nonprofit, regionally accredited
• Discover more reasons to choose SC!

View Courses & Program Details

FACULTY

Visit our faculty page to view current education program instructors.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

• Candidates who successfully complete a building-level educational leadership preparation program understand and demonstrate the capacity to promote the current and future success and well-being of each student and adult by applying the knowledge, skills, and commitments necessary to collaboratively lead, design, and implement a school mission, vision, and process for continuous improvement that reflects a core set of values and priorities that include change process, data use, technology, equity, diversity, digital citizenship, and community. (Standard 1: Mission, Vision, and Improvement)

• Candidates who successfully complete a building-level educational leadership preparation program understand and demonstrate the capacity to promote the current and future success and well-being of each student and adult by applying the knowledge, skills, and commitments necessary to understand and demonstrate the capacity to advocate for ethical decisions and cultivate and enact professional norms. (Standard 2: Ethics and Professional Norms).

• Candidates who successfully complete a building-level educational leadership preparation program understand and demonstrate the capacity to promote and advocate for the social emotional well-being of each student and adult and promote the current and future success of each student and adult, by applying the knowledge, skills, and commitments necessary to develop and maintain a supportive, equitable, culturally responsive, and inclusive school culture. (Standard 3: Equity, Inclusiveness, and Cultural Responsiveness).

• Candidates who successfully complete a building-level educational leadership preparation program understand and demonstrate the capacity to promote the current and future success and well-being of each student and adult by adapting and applying emerging knowledge, skills, and commitments necessary to evaluate, develop, and implement coherent instructional leadership, including: leading change; curriculum; instruction; assessments; support systems; technology integration; and data systems. (Standard 4: Learning and Instruction).

• Candidates who successfully complete a building-level educational leadership preparation program understand and demonstrate the capacity to promote the current and future success and well-being of each student and adult by applying the knowledge, skills, and commitments necessary to engage, communicate, and intentionally collaborate with families, community members, business leaders, and school personnel in order to strengthen student learning, support school improvement, and advocate for the needs of their school and community. (Standard 5: Community and External Leadership).

• Candidates who successfully complete a building-level educational leadership preparation program understand and demonstrate the capacity to promote the current and future success and well-being of each student and adult by adapting and applying the knowledge, skills, and commitments necessary to lead change, improve management, communication, technology, school-level governance, and operation systems to develop and improve data-informed and equitable school resource plans and to apply laws, policies, and regulations. (Standard 6: Operations and Management).

• Candidates who successfully complete a building-level educational leadership preparation program understand and demonstrate the capacity to promote the current and future success and well-being of each student and adult by adapting and applying the knowledge, skills, and commitments necessary to build the school’s professional capacity, engage staff in the development of a transformational collaborative professional culture, and improve systems of staff supervision, evaluation, support, and professional learning. (Standard 7: Building Professional Capacity).

RELATED PROGRAMS

Special Education – High Incidence
Special Education – Low Incidence

---

MASTER OF EDUCATION IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM DETAILS

The Master of Education in School Leadership will prepare teachers for roles as future leaders with an emphasis on building management. Coursework emphasizes developing and practicing building-level administrative knowledge, skills, dispositions, and competences through a combination of research and theory with application in actual school settings. The Master of School Leadership prepares the candidate for building-level licensure in Kansas as a principal or assistant principal. Kansas licensure may apply to additional states, but potential out of state students will need to confirm this with their home state’s certification office. Candidates enrolled in the Doctoral of Educational Leadership program but who are NOT seeking licensure are also eligible to enroll in individual courses as needed. Passing of licensure is not required for graduation.

The program consists of 12 week accelerated courses. Courses have synchronous meetings at least every other week.

Admission Process

1. Complete graduate application forms
2. Provide current resume
3. Submit two professional letters of recommendation (at least one from a current or former employer)
4. Turn in one-page personal essay
5. Submit official transcript from a bachelor’s degree-granting institution.
6. Be a current, licensed teacher and provide a copy of your teaching license

Core Major Requirements

EDUC507 Building, District and Personal Liability*

This course analyzes theory from the district level for organizational development, the legal rights and duties of an administrator with respect to the condition of the building, the students, faculty, and staff. It includes an analysis of student rights to free speech and personal privacy in the context of administrative-student policy plans. Credit 3 hours.

EDUC508 The Principalship*

This course is an introduction to the role, responsibilities, expectations and major duties of elementary, middle, and high school building administrators. Candidates are presented typical problems faced by school administrators through simulations, case studies, and role playing and are expected, through reflection and discussion, to develop viable solutions. Credit 3 hours.

EDUC513 Human Resources*

This course focuses on the processes of recruitment, selection, training and development, evaluation, compensation, equal employment opportunity, and labor relations of personnel in the school setting. Credit 3 hours.

EDUC515 Information Strategies and Professional Practice*

This course is designed to examine, compare and evaluate theoretical approaches and conceptual models for the study of complex organizations. The study includes communication strategies that increase the effectiveness of listening, asking questions, giving constructive feedback, paraphrasing, checking perceptions, and describing behavior. It includes improving nonverbal communication for enhancing interpersonal relationships with colleagues and constituents. Media communication is emphasized. Credit 3 hours.

EDUC516 Values, Ethics, and Professionalism*

This course focuses on the many ways in which political and moral values are an important part of the foundation of successful policymaking. The course seeks to develop candidates’ abilities to think reflectively and argue persuasively about the moral and ethical dimensions of educational policies. Candidates learn how to ask questions with greater clarity and insight and craft answers to establish the foundations of policymaking. 3 credit hours.

EDUC517A Power and Politics of Education I*

This course is an introduction to the complex and often contested field of politics and education. The course provides students with a historical, social, and cultural introduction to the politics of education at the national, state, and local levels. It focuses on the various political contexts in which the school leader operates. Major theories of policy making are examined with application of theoretical perspectives to case studies of education policymaking processes in organizational settings of particular interest to students. Credit 3 hours.

EDUC517B Power and Politics of Education II*

An extension of EDUC517A, Power and Politics of Education I, this course allows students to examine educational access and equity in the context of contemporary culture, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, religion/spirituality, ability, and gender – viewing these contexts through interrelationships among divisions of labor, class structure, power relationships, group marginalization, cultural images, residential patters, health, family life, employment, education, and values. In addition to the challenges related to diversity, students will also explore aspects of diversity as potential assets in creating rich and productive learning environments. Students will apply knowledge gained from explorations to the framing, analysis, and generation of solutions to contemporary educational problems of practice. Credit 3 hours.

EDUC518 Innovation and Emerging Trends*

This course explores the current and potential future impacts of new, emerging, and rapidly evolving trends and technologies in education. Develops an understanding of the context and nature of educational practice and innovation in schools and classrooms; identifies different forms of innovation in learning and teaching and enables building leaders to take a critical approach to integrating innovative practices; enables informed judgments and critical thinking in the context of educational practice. Credit 3 hours.

EDUC519 Addressing Diversity and Social Justice*

This course will focus on social justice and diversity in the classroom. Students will study diversity and its role toward encouraging the search for unique and different perspectives, leading to better decision making and problem solving. Students will also study social justice in education along with the impact of and the equal distribution of resources. Topics will include the importance of fair treatment of all students, ensuring that students are valued, keeping students safe physically and mentally inside of the classroom. The content develops systemic processes meant to ensure educational equity, fairness, transparency, and accountability. Candidates will examine different approaches that ensure the values of diversity and democracy in the schools. Credit 3 hours.

EDUC521 Student Supports and Data Informed Decisions*

This course develops how schools provide support for each child in their building to be successful and the processes and tools teachers use to make data informed decisions. The course also studies the Individuals with Disabilities Act, which defines special education, and how the Act influences the way districts identify and serve students with exceptionalities through the concept of Response to Intervention. Credit 3 hours.

EDUC527 Mission and Vision for Student Learning*

This course will further develop understanding the process of designing the shared vision/mission for student learning and will drive professional development fostered by collaboration and interaction. Seeking to nurture a responsive culture, opportunity to examine planned educational processes impacting of shared vision/mission for student learning to increase productivity, effectiveness and accountability will be given. Topics to be covered within two-week modules include: Shared vision/mission for student learning, professional development, collaboration and interaction, responsive culture, planned educational processes, productivity, effectiveness, and accountability. Credit 3 hours.

EDUC556 Building Leader Practicum*

The Builder Leader Practicum is a building administrative practicum designed to offer program candidates (Interns), hands-on experience necessary to transfer knowledge, beliefs, and values into policy and practice. During the practicum the building administrator and university supervisor guides interns through structured practicum activities that allow candidates to demonstrate proficiency of skills expected of a practicing principal. During the practicum, interns complete 120 practicum hours within the school setting. Interns complete 12 of the 120 hours at another level (elementary or secondary) and 12 hours in a diverse setting. Credit 3 hours.

*Courses are required for licensure in “Building” Leadership.

Graduation Requirements

1. Complete the specific program requirements for the master’s program
2. Have an overall grade point average of 3.0, with no grade below a C (2.0)

All degree requirements are subject to change. Please see Southwestern College Catalog for the most current degree requirements.

Online courses in the School Leadership Program are 12 weeks long with the exception of one course. Please review the course catalogs for more information.