Master of Science in Education - Educational Administration

The Master of Science in Education - Educational Administration program is a WI DPI licensure program with multiple licensures available.  The Master's degree requires a minimum of 30 unique credits to be earned within the program.  The program meets the National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) - District Standards, the Wisconsin State Administrative Standards for Principal (5051); Director of Curriculum and Instruction (5010); Director of Special Education and Pupil Service (5080); and School Business Administrator (5008).  Additionally, these programs include  professional educational requirements for licensure in Wisconsin. Applicants desiring licensure for another state should consult with their state’s licensing requirements.

Applicants interested in pursuing a position as an Athletic Director may consider the Athletic Administrator Concentration to accompany his/her administrator license. This 15-credit concentration is in partnership with the National Interscholastic Athletics Administrators Association (NIAAA). This fully online area of emphasis includes curriculum from NIAAA Leadership Training Courses (LTC 502, 503, 504, 506, 511) necessary for the RAA and CAA certifications. Topics within this curriculum will include: Leadership in Interscholastic Athletic Administration, Interscholastic Sport Organization and Administration, Fundraising and Development and Facility Management.  Courses are practitioner orientated and taught by professionals with backgrounds in sport management and interscholastic athletic administration. Credits earned in this concentration can be applied to the Master's degree.  

Students who currently hold a Master's degree may seek the "licensure only" option by completing 18 -24 credits in the licensure track of interest. The administrative leadership focus is designed to equip professional educators for administrative responsibility and to assist present administrators in developing organizational and leadership skills. The program is designed to help the student acquire the necessary skills in decision-making, human resource management, teacher evaluation, curriculum leadership, and innovative instructional change.

The Director of Instruction license aligns with many positions within PK-12 environments such as: Principal; Director of Professional Development; teacher coach positions like Educator Effectiveness Coaches or Instructional Coach or PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports) Coaches; Learning Coordinators; Dean of Students; and Assistant or Associate principals. Individuals with the Principal and Director of Instruction licenses are also uniquely qualified for positions within CESA (Cooperative Educational Service Agency) programs in WI, positions within state departments of education, and university College/School of Education positions. 

The Director of Special Education and Pupil Service license is designed to prepare the dynamic district leaders to provide innovative educational services to support every child and promote successful school experiences for each child.  Candidates for this licensure must hold or be eligible to hold a professional educator license to teach or to provide pupil services (school counselor, school psychologist or school social worker) in addition to having three years for successful full-time teaching experience at any grade level (EC – Adolescent) or successful experience as a school counselor, school psychologist, or school social worker which includes evidence of at least 540 hours of successful classroom teaching experience.

The educational administrative concentration in the Master of Science in Education provides the opportunity for the applicant to receive Wisconsin State Administrative license(s) through the Department of Public Instruction. 

Available license options:

  • #5051 Administrator
  • #5010 Director of Instruction
  • #5080 Director of Special Education and Pupil Service (NEW: Available in Fall 2023 pending DPI approval)
     
  • #5008 School Business Administrator

Available concentration options:

  • Athletic Administration

Degree and Experience Requirements

  1. A minimum of master’s degree or the equivalent. 
  2. A valid or eligibility to hold a provisional educator license in teaching or pupil services. School Business Administrator is waived from this requirement.
  3. Six semesters of successful full-time classroom teaching experience, or six semesters of successful experience as a pupil services professional including 540 hours of classroom teaching experience. School Business Administrator is waived from this requirement.

Program Learning Outcomes

The Program Learning Outcomes for this program align with the Wisconsin Administrator Standards and the National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) Standards The standards include:

The eleven state of WI administrator standards for administrator development and licensure are:

  1. Mission, Vision, and Core Values. Effective educational leaders develop, advocate, and enact a shared mission, vision, and core values of high-quality education, academic success, and well-being of each pupil.
  2. Ethics and Professional Norms. Effective educational leaders act ethically and according to professional norms to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
  3. Equity and Cultural Responsiveness. Effective educational leaders strive for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.     
  4. Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. Effective educational leaders develop and support intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being. 
  5. Care and Support. Effective educational leaders cultivate an inclusive, caring, and supportive school community to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
  6. Professional Capacity of School Personnel. Effective educational leaders develop the professional capacity and practice of school personnel to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
  7. Professional Community. Effective educational leaders foster a professional community of teachers and other professional staff to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
  8. Meaningful Engagement. Effective educational leaders engage families and the community in meaningful, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial ways to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
  9. Operations and Management. Effective educational leaders effectively manage school operations and resources to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
  10. School Improvement. Effective educational leaders act as agents of continuous school improvement to promote each pupil’s academic success and well-being.
  11. Teacher Standards. Effective educational leaders understand and demonstrate competence in the teacher standards under s. PI 34.002.
  12. The administrator models Christian servant leadership through consistent, moral and ethical behaviors and, by example, inspires others to do likewise in their personal, professional and community life. (Concordia University Standard)

Curriculum 

#5051 Licensure - Principal
EDG 6100Leadership in Administration and Cultures of Change3
EDG 6105Legal and Ethical Leadership in Schools **3
EDG 6110Financial and Human Resource Management for School Leaders **3
EDG 6115Teacher Development, Supervision, and Continuous Improvement3
EDG 6120Teacher and Leader Assessment Designed for Continuous Learning3
EDG 7100Ed Admin Practicum3
EDG 7120Ed Admin Portfolio I0
EDG 7121Ed Admin Portfolio II0
EDG 7122Ed Admin Portfolio III0
EDG 5100Educational Research Methods3
EDG 7140Ed Admin Capstone3
OR
EDG 7600Graduate Education Thesis Seminar3
**Master's Degree (30 credits): 6 additional credits also required
#5010 Licensure - Director of Instruction
EDG 6100Leadership in Administration and Cultures of Change3
EDG 6115Teacher Development, Supervision, and Continuous Improvement3
EDG 6120Teacher and Leader Assessment Designed for Continuous Learning3
EDG 5130Leadership for Curriculum and Instruction **3
EDG 5135Curriculum Development **3
EDG 7100Ed Admin Practicum3
EDG 7120Ed Admin Portfolio I0
EDG 7121Ed Admin Portfolio II0
EDG 7122Ed Admin Portfolio III0
EDG 5100Educational Research Methods3
EDG 7140Ed Admin Capstone3
OR
EDG 7600Graduate Education Thesis Seminar3
**Master's Degree (30 credits): 6 additional credits required
#5080 Director of Special Education & Pupil Services
EDG 6100Leadership in Administration and Cultures of Change3
EDG 6115Teacher Development, Supervision, and Continuous Improvement3
EDG 6120Teacher and Leader Assessment Designed for Continuous Learning3
EDG 6180Leadership for Inclusive Instruction, Classrooms and Schools **3
EDG 6185Legal and Financial Foundations for Special Education and Pupil Services **3
EDG 7100Ed Admin Practicum3
EDG 7120Ed Admin Portfolio I0
EDG 7121Ed Admin Portfolio II0
EDG 7122Ed Admin Portfolio III0
EDG 5100Educational Research Methods3
EDG 7140Ed Admin Capstone3
OR
EDG 7600Graduate Education Thesis Seminar3
**Master's Degree (30 credits) - Requires 6 additional credits for additional licensure OR the following courses:
EDG 6190Advanced Research in Special Education3
EDG 6195Analysis, Evaluation and Application of SPED Research Analysis, Evaluation and Application of SPED3
#5008 Licensure - School Business Administrator 1
EDG 6100Leadership in Administration and Cultures of Change3
EDG 6105Legal and Ethical Leadership in Schools3
EDG 6110Financial and Human Resource Management for School Leaders3
EDG 6125Compensation and Benefits3
EDG 6130School Business Management Auxiliary Services3
EDG 6135School Bus Mgmt Strategy3
EDG 6140School Business Management Strategy II3
EDG 7100Ed Admin Practicum3
EDG 7120Ed Admin Portfolio I0
EDG 7121Ed Admin Portfolio II0
EDG 7122Ed Admin Portfolio III0
**Master's Degree (30 credits): EDG 5100 & EDG 7140 also required
Athletic Administrator Concentration
EDG 6100Leadership in Administration and Cultures of Change3
EDG 6105Legal and Ethical Leadership in Schools3
EDG 6145Foundations of Budgeting, Finance and Planning in Athletic Administration3
EDG 6147Strategies for Organizational Management in Athletic Administration3
EDG 6149Legal Issues in Athletic Administration3
1
  • ​School business administrator are waived from the requirement to hold a valid or eligibility to hold a provisional educator license in teaching or pupil services.
  • School business administrator licenses are waived from the requirement to have six semesters of successful full-time classroom teaching experience, or six semesters of successful experience as a pupil services professional including 540 hours of classroom teaching experience. 
**

Course can be used for addition credit and licensure area