The Master of Science in Educational Leadership prepares and inspires servant leaders to pursue a Michigan building administrator certificate.  You will understand the fundamental principles of educational leadership and explore the legal, ethical and spiritual issues that arise in a school environment. You will learn about policies and regulations so you can navigate the educational structure and system. This includes liability, negligence, student rights and disciplinary policies. You will study budgeting and resource management so you can optimize services within your framework. You will gain expertise in decision-making and organizational development so you can spearhead improvement initiatives within your school. Whether you are interested in a path of elementary, middle or high school, we offer more than just an advanced degree dedicated to your intellectual, social, and spiritual growth.

Upon Completion of the MSEL degree, the candidate can apply for Building Level Administrator Certification from the State of Michigan.  There is not a state license test required.

Requirements:

Individuals interested in this program must hold a Bachelor’s degree (with a GPA of 3.0 for full acceptance) from an accredited university, and meet our program entrance requirements.  This program is offered online.

Program Highlights:

• Online
• Accelerated 8-week courses
• Rolling admission
• Graduate entrance exams such as the GRE are not required.
• If you have completed graduate level classes in the last seven years and wish to have them evaluated for possible transfer, please contact your admissions counselor for more information on transferring graduate credits.
• The MSEL Internship (completed in your own school) is one of the most important learning experiences you’ll have as you become a proficient educational leader. You will learn from superintendents, principals and other administrators who are successful leaders in their field. This is an intensive 6-month semester experience. Through this hands-on internship, you will gain skills you’ll need to create and sustain a positive learning environment. 

Program Learning Outcomes 

Concordia University Ann Arbor follows the National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) standards. The outcomes for those standards are as follows:
 

Component 1.1: Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to collaboratively evaluate, develop, and communicate a school mission and vision designed to reflect a core set of values and priorities that include data use, technology, equity, diversity, digital citizenship, and community.

Component 1.2: Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to lead improvement processes that include data use, design, implementation, and evaluation.

Component 2.1: Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to reflect on, communicate about, cultivate, and model professional dispositions and norms (i.e., fairness, integrity, transparency, trust, digital citizenship, collaboration, perseverance, reflection, lifelong learning) that support the educational success and well-being of each student and adult.

Component 2.2: Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, communicate about, and advocate for ethical and legal decisions. 

Component 2.3: Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to model ethical behavior in their personal conduct and relationships and to cultivate ethical behavior in others.

Component 3.1 Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to use data to evaluate, design, cultivate, and advocate for a supportive and inclusive school culture.

Component 3.2 Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, cultivate, and advocate for equitable access to educational resources, technologies, and opportunities that support the educational success and well-being of each student.

Component 3.3 Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, cultivate, and advocate for equitable, inclusive, and culturally responsive instruction and behavior support practices among teachers and staff.

Component 4.1 Program completers understand and can demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, develop, and implement high-quality, technology-rich curricula programs and other supports for academic and non-academic student programs.

Component 4.2 Program completers understand and can demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, develop, and implement high-quality and equitable academic and non-academic instructional practices, resources, technologies, and services that support equity, digital literacy, and the school’s academic and non-academic systems.

Component 4.3 Program completers understand and can demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, develop, and implement formal and informal culturally responsive and accessible assessments that support data-informed instructional improvement and student learning and well-being.

Component 4.4 Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to collaboratively evaluate, develop, and implement the school’s curriculum, instruction, technology, data systems, and assessment practices in a coherent, equitable, and systematic manner.

Component 5.1 Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to collaboratively engage diverse families in strengthening student learning in and out of school.

Component 5.2 Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to collaboratively engage and cultivate relationships with diverse community members, partners, and other constituencies for the benefit of school improvement and student development.

Component 5.3 Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to communicate through oral, written, and digital means within the larger organizational, community, and political contexts when advocating for the needs of their school and community.

Component 6.1 Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, develop, and implement management, communication, technology, school-level governance, and operation systems that support each student’s learning needs and promote the mission and vision of the school.

Component 6.2 Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, develop, and advocate for a data-informed and equitable resourcing plan that supports school improvement and student development.

Component 6.3 Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to reflectively evaluate, communicate about, and implement laws, rights, policies, and regulations to promote student and adult success and well-being.

Component 7.1 Program completers understand and have the capacity to collaboratively develop the school’s professional capacity through engagement in recruiting, selecting, and hiring staff.

Component 7.2 Program completers understand and have the capacity to develop and engage staff in a collaborative professional culture designed to promote school improvement, teacher retention, and the success and wellbeing of each student and adult in the school.

Component 7.3 Program completers understand and have the capacity to personally engage in, as well as collaboratively engage school staff in, professional learning designed to promote reflection, cultural responsiveness, distributed leadership, digital literacy, school improvement, and student success.

Component 7.4 Program completers understand and have the capacity to evaluate, develop, and implement systems of supervision, support, and evaluation designed to promote school improvement and student success. 

Curriculum

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
EDU 520	Educational Leadership: Theory and Practice	3
EDU 530	Organizational Theory in Educational Settings	3
EDU 580	Curriculum Development and Instructional Supervision	3
EDU 610	Legal, Ethical & Policy Issues for School Leaders	3
EDU 630	The Principal: Current Issues & Trends	3
EDU 640	Personnel Management and Professional Development	3
EDU 650	Funding and Financing Schools	3
EDU 570	Professional Learning Communities in a Pluralistic Society	3
EDU 798	Internship for Educational Leadership	2
EDU 550	Research Methods in Education	3
EDU 795	Seminar on Guided Research and Practice	3
Total Hours		32