M.Ed. Degree with a Major in Educational Leadership

About

The Educational Leadership Master’s Degree Program is a comprehensive program of study including course work and related field experiences leading to a Tier I Georgia certificate in Educational Leadership.  The candidate will undertake activities addressing curriculum development, student and program evaluation, staff development, scheduling, interpretation and use of statistical data for school improvement planning, budgeting procedures, school/community relations, facility maintenance and operations, and the uses of technology for administrative and instructional purposes

The VSYOU Difference

Through the combination of course work and field experiences, candidates will be able to develop the necessary competencies to become an entry-level leader.  The primary goal of the Internship Experience in the Master’s Degree or Certification-Only (Tier 1) Educational Leadership program is to link the theoretical and philosophical frameworks of educational leadership to actual practice.  This is accomplished with field experiences included as a part of the candidate’s program of study and documented through the candidate’s Inventory of Leadership Experience (ILE).

What You'll Learn

The goal is to develop the candidate’s leadership and management abilities by engaging in problem analysis, collecting relevant data, collaborative problem-solving, participating in curricular and instructional activities, and participating in instructional supervision

Admissions Requirements

The applicant must: 

• Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited or approved college or university;
• Have a cumulative graduate grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, calculated on all work attempted in which letter grades are awarded and verified in the form of official transcripts;
• Have an acceptable Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Graduate Miller’s Analogy Test (GMAT), or Miller’s Analogy Test (MAT) score; recommended scores for admission are 145 Verbal and 139 Quantitative for the GRS and 380 for the MAT; 
• Submit a statement of nor more than 250 words serving as a writing sample addressing the applicant’s career goals, how the degree contributes to reaching these career goals, and why VSU was selected for this graduate work; and,
• Submit evidence of having completed, but need not pass, the Georgia Ethics for Educational Leadership Assessment - Entry Test 370 prior to enrollment.

Program of Study

Area A: Leadership - 12 hours

Area B:  Curriculum & Instruction - 12 hours

The faculty advisor will collaborate with candidate and school system partners to identify an appropriate elective.

Area C: Field Based Activities - 6 hours

Field-based activities must be conducted at either the building or system level. The two tracks are differentiated by the performance component—the level at which the residency is completed.

Exit Requirements

Candidates exit the program upon completion of:

• Required course work
• Clinical practice
• The posting of a passing score on the GACE in Educational Leadership (A passing score on the GACE is required for recommendation for certification); and,
• The Georgia Ethics for Educational Leadership – Exit Test 380 prior to completion of the VSU Educational Leadership program (Passing the assessment is required to earn certification in the field of Educational Leadership)

Internships

1. Provide candidates with the opportunity to acquire practical experience in school leadership;
2. Allow for the linkage of theory and practice for the candidates, staff, and practitioners;
3. Provide integrating experiences for candidates in problem resolution and decision-making and selected aspects of educational leadership
4. Allow the candidate to experiment with new ideas, approaches, and strategies in a low-risk, supportive environment;
5. Provide candidates a basis for assessing their professional strengths and their needs for further development; and,
6. Enable the university to evaluate its leadership preparation programs through clinical applications.

Mentor

A VSU Leadership Advisor and a Leadership Mentor (chosen by the system or the candidate) are assigned to follow the candidate through the entire program.  The role of the Leadership Mentor is to assist in the formative and summative evaluation of the candidate’s performance through continuous feedback, coaching, and a support structure to facilitate the development of the candidate’s leadership skills.  The trained Leadership Mentor, who will be a school principal or other appropriate educational leader at the school site, assumes direct responsibility for supervising the activities of the candidate in conjunction with the VSU Leadership Advisor.

Both the VSU Educational Leadership program and school system shall provide clearly defined expectations for mentors to be addressed during mentor orientation.  In agreeing to serve in this capacity, The Leadership Mentor commits to completing the VSU Online Mentor Training module.  Upon completion of the training module, mentors should print the Certificate of Completion and provide copies to the respective candidate and VSU Educational Leadership program coordinator.