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Education Leadership and Administration

Education leaders today deal with rapidly changing environments and need to be able to collaborate with others to develop sound policies, listen well to and manage diverse points of view and think critically while acting ethically.  Through this program, you will develop a strong foundation and understanding of leadership in education. These skills will help you analyze and implement sound administrative policy, create successful strategies for change and put into service leading practices for the day-to-day needs of your schools.

As a student in the Education Leadership and Administration program, you will:

  • Discover the foundations of leadership and leadership theory.
  • Understand organizational theory related to school administration.
  • Develop research skills for use in program planning, policy analysis and evaluation.
  • Be prepared to continue on for your administrative licensure.


What you can earn

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  •  Master of Arts (M.A.)

 

Where you'll learn

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  • On-campus (St. Thomas)

 

 

 

When you can start

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  • Fall semester begins: September 4, 2013
  • Spring semester begins: February 3, 2014

 

 

 



Questions about this program

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Ea Porter

Enrollment Advisor

651-962-4657

celc@stthomas.edu

Program Details

For the Master of Arts (M.A.)

Research Courses (select one):
3 Credits

EDLD 621   Research Design, Analysis and Critique 1 (3 Credits) 
This course begins the required three-course M.A. or Ed.S. research sequence. After an introductory overview of social research, it emphasizes historical and ethnographic approaches to thinking about collecting and analyzing information. Course activities provide an opportunity to experience doing research using historical and qualitative methods.

EDLD 622   Research Design, Analysis and Critique 2 (3 Credits) 
This course is the second in the three-course M.A. or Ed.S. research sequence. While it assumes familiarity with historical and qualitative research, it focuses on quantitative data collection within the organizing principle of survey research. The approach taken remains grounded in EDLD 621's emphasis on qualitative and practitioner-oriented approaches to research.

EDLD 851   Community Assessment and Evaluation (3 Credits) 
In this course, research procedures appropriate for assessing community wants, needs and resources and for evaluating program outcome and staff performance are covered. Other areas include research design; sources of data; methods of data collection, including the interview and questionnaire; sampling and evaluation of research studies.

Core Courses (select one):
3 Credits

EDLD 800   Purpose and Contexts of Educations (3 Credits)
This course examines the values that have shaped American education with a particular focus on ethics, equity, lifelong learning and global perspectives. Students reflect on the accomplishments and dilemmas of present educational systems in light of the past and decide on contributions they could make to improve its future.

EDLD 801   Leadership and Organizational Theory (3 Credits)
This course examines how educational organizations develop and change and how leaders and followers interact within organizations from several theoretical and conceptual perspectives. Students observe the workings of educational institutions and programs, interview educational leaders, and analyze their own understanding and practice of leadership.

EDLD 802   Communication Skills for Leaders (3 Credits)
This course, based on current communication theory, emphasizes writing, listening, speaking and group process skills needed by leaders. Students participate in a communications assessment process and develop a personal plan to improve their communication skills.

EDLD 803   Organizational Change (3 Credits)
This course presents the theoretical and practical dimensions of change within organizations. It highlights theories of social change. It reviews models of strategic planning and the leadership issues raised by those models. Students examine research on organizational innovation and analyze cases of successful and unsuccessful change. Students design planning strategies. Field trips and student individual contact with change agents in the private and governmental sectors is encouraged. Prerequisite: EDLD 801.

EDLD 807   Foundations of Leadership: An Intellectual and Ethical Practice (3 Credits)
This course emphasizes the responsibility of educators to be attentive to the ethical aspects of relationships and decisions, including those made in the name of the institution. The need for an ethical commitment based on human worth and dignity is stressed. A case-study approach is used to surface ethical issues.

EDLD 813   Leadership as Critical Reflection (3 Credits)
A course for practitioners and leaders who wish to examine their own current practices from several different perspectives. The course provides an introduction to critically reflective learning - a crucial indicator of leadership and a powerful spur to professional development. Students focus on personal and collective experience and utilize theories, research, philosophy and concepts to analyze their experiences. (S/R grade only.)

EDLD 845   Communication, Conflict and Decision Making (3 Credits)
This course examines strategies for analyzing and dealing with conflict between individuals and groups, effective communication processes and decision-making strategies. The theoretical foundations of particular strategies are emphasized. Students use case studies, simulations and exercises to practice problem analysis and resolution, negotiation, collaborative relationship and team building.

Concentration Credits
21 Credits

As part of initial professional planning, students, working with faculty, will outline a program of concentrated study. The program will address areas critical to educational administration and/or required for state administrative licensure.

EDLD 780 Integrative Seminar
1 Credit

EDLD 780 Integrative Seminar is a capstone course for the M.A. in Educational Leadership. It is designed for students to critically reflect upon and articulate his/her learning. Students examine cases through various frames, read leadership literature and evaluate his/her experience.

TOTAL 31 Credits

Dave W. Peterson, Ph.D.

LPA Clinical Faculty/Charter School Liaison (651) 962-4844
MOH 428 | Opus Hall

 
 

Ongoing Professional Development

Whether networking with leaders in the area of policy reform, being inspired by change agents in microfinance or simply catching up on the latest qualitative research findings, annual events and conferences sponsored by the department of Leadership, Policy and Administration offer a variety of networking and professional development opportunities. Most events include continuing education units for a variety of professions.  

 

Real-world field experience

If your program includes a field experience element, the dedicated faculty and staff in your program will work with you to ensure that your experience will meet your interests and facilitate your growth, both personally and professionally. Throughout your time in your program, regularly scheduled meetings with faculty and peers offer the opportunity to form a strong professional network as you prepare to enter your field.

 

Community Partnerships

The College of Education, Leadership & Counseling takes pride in engaging in innovative partnerships with a variety of organizations. Students in the College of Education, Leadership & Counseling will find many opportunities for professional growth as a result of working with these organizations. Partnership examples include the Northwest Suburban Integration District, Center for Academics and Sports, FAIR School and the Collaborative Urban Educators program.

 

The Value of a St. Thomas Degree

Calculating the cost of your degree can be challenging, as every institution approaches it a bit differently. At St. Thomas, we list our tuition cost as cost per credit:

  • Each course can be 1-3 semester credits, but the standard course is 3 credits.  
  • A typical part-time student in our graduate programs takes 3-6 credits per term.
  • To view the total number of credits per program you can view the courses tab above.

It may be possible for you to receive some type of financial assistance. To learn more, please visit our Graduate Financial Aid page.

We offer our students much more than just a degree. We offer the chance to be a part of a personal and professional network like no other, which means your graduate education will enrich your life and career long into the future.




Welcome to your
NETWORK.

Cost

Education (M.A., Ed.S., Certificate, Licensure)

On-campus Tuition (per credit) $763
Off-site Program Tuition (per credit) $399
Books and materials
(estimate per course) $150-250
One-time application fee $50

1 | Meet the Requirements:

  • A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • A cumulative minimum undergraduate G.P.A. of 3.0 (4.0 scale) or the successful completion of a graduate level program from another institution

If you do not meet the above requirement(s), you may be eligible for special admission, which requires:

  • A cumulative minimum undergraduate G.P.A. of 2.75 (4.0 scale)
  • The completion of a standardized test, such as the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), GRE, GMAT or LSAT
  • A possible interview with an admissions person/committee

2 | Submit the following application materials:

  • Application form and one-time $50 application fee
  • Two positive letters of reference from non-related individuals
  • Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate work (unless that work was completed at the University of St. Thomas)
  • Personal statement

3 |  Submit the supplementary materials:

  • Initial Licensure:  MTLE Basic Skills required by the end of an initial teacher licensure candidate's first semester of coursework.
  • International Applicants:  (1) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) required for any candidate whose primary language is not English. (2) Transcript Review: All international transcripts must be reviewed by an accredited evaluation service to determine U.S. equivalency of the degree awarded and the institution awarding the degree. Applications will not be reviewed for admissions until the official review is submitted.

Deadlines

Application Deadlines:

  • For Fall Term: June 1
  • For Spring Term: Rolling
  • For Summer Term: May 1

 

Looking for More?

Apply online


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