This required session introduces newly enrolled students in the M.A. in Educational Leadership program to the policies, procedures, and expectations of the program. Commonly asked questions are addressed, including an overview of the preferred sequencing of courses, action research project overview, and exit procedures. A writing assessment is also administered.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

• Explain the expectations of the M.A. in Educational Leadership
• Demonstrate written communication skills

In this course, students develop academic written and oral skills, interpersonal communication skills, and technology skills for presentations and organizational communication. The relationship between communication and organizational culture is addressed.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

• Demonstrate academic and professional written, oral, and technological communication skills, including the use of appropriate APA writing style
• Evaluate various modes of organizational communication, including technology and its impact on communicating the organizational culture
• Explore and apply various communication styles, including variations found within diverse cultural, gender, and generational groups
• Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills that promote inclusiveness

This course focuses on leadership principles designed to create and sustain educational organizations/programs through the creation and implementation of vision, mission, and reflective practices. Leadership styles coupled with personal, cultural, and ethical awareness are evaluated.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

• Identify and synthesize educational leadership principles and styles
• Create a vision and mission to drive educational quality
• Develop and demonstrate culturally competent leadership skills
• Evaluate the role of creativity and risk-taking in educational leadership
• Examine and apply strategic planning models, including data-driven decisions, for educational improvement
• Integrate ethics into leadership practices

This course examines management strategies for supporting organizational systems and infrastructure within an educational organization. Management styles and models, technology-assisted budgetary decision-making, project management, and crises management are addressed.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

• Differentiate between leadership and management
• Evaluate management models and styles
• Articulate one’s personal management style
• Identify and analyze the interrelatedness of informal and formal internal systems sustaining the vitality of the educational organization
• Employ technology-assisted budgetary decision-making skills and theories that drive organizational improvement
• Apply project management skills
• Design an organizational infrastructure to ensure a safe and effective environment
• Discuss prioritization and action strategies for managing crises
• Apply ethical principles to management practices

This course examines methods of supervision, evaluation, and mentoring of personnel. Skills for hiring, evaluating, and developing personnel to enhance performance and growth of the educational organization with sensitivity to diversity are the main focus.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

• Evaluate strategies for identifying and recruiting quality staff
• Analyze methods for evaluating and reporting faculty/employee performance
• Examine and apply methods for developing personnel to enhance performance
• Analyze various approaches/theories to the supervision of staff, including issues of law, conflict resolution, and negotiation
• Analyze strategies for promoting a sense of belonging within a diverse organizational community
• Demonstrate effective written and interpersonal communication skills that drive performance improvement

This course focuses on designing and evaluating curriculum and instructional strategies to create programs that meet the needs of all learners, including adults. Curriculum design models, instructional methodologies, methods for authentic assessment of learning, and learning styles are explored.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

• Examine and apply curriculum design models and instructional strategies in order to teach, train, and supervise adults
• Apply learning style theory for instruction
• Evaluate and apply methods of authentic assessment of learning
• Create learning experiences that meet the needs of all learners through the development of appropriate curricular and instructional strategies
• Examine methods for promoting educational strategies within an organization

This course surveys ethical principles and legal issues that impact leadership in an educational setting. Legal trends, state and federal laws, case studies, and ethical dilemmas as they apply to personal and professional ethics are addressed.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

• Analyze the history of educational ethical and legal issues in relation to social impact
• Identify legal and ethical issues regarding education relevant to the student’s career field
• Discuss and evaluate ethical and legal case studies addressing educational issues
• Identify and interpret the implication of the code of ethics related to the student’s career field
• Demonstrate integration of ethics and legal principles into personal and professional life

This course is designed to study and apply learning theories that engage diverse adult learners in professional and personal development. The main focus is developing coaching and team-building skills, creating a learning organization through the use of adult learning theory, establishing staff development, and comparing andragogy and pedagogy.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

• Examine and apply strategies for professional development incorporating theories of adult learning
• Compare and synthesize androgogical and pedagogical instructional approaches
• Define and identify components of a learning organization to promote effectiveness
• Determine methods for creating and sustaining a learning organization
• Demonstrate coaching, mentoring, and team-building practices incorporating adult learning theory
• Demonstrate integration of demographic and cultural understanding into adult learning situations

This course focuses on becoming a culturally-aware leader able to integrate diversity for educational and organizational growth. Students investigate ways to strengthen and advance organizations through effective team building and collaborative skills and to promote organizational cultural awareness while garnering community involvement and political support.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

• Develop an awareness of various forms of diversity
• Analyze the management of building involvement and political support from diverse communities and stakeholders
• Review and interpret state and federal laws regarding diversity and cultural awareness
• Engage in critical inquiry and respectful dialogue to engender cultural competency
• Apply team-building skills to create an inclusive learning community of diverse members
• Evaluate the role and application of professional learning communities