Education, School Leadership, M.A.

The Master of Arts in Education with a concentration in School Leadership is for experienced teachers ready to expand their leadership opportunities outside of the traditional classroom. This 36-credit program includes extensive preparation for school administration and a sequence of courses and activities planned to guide the candidates in developing the knowledge and skills required of principals and supervisors.

Students seeking a Master of Arts in this concentration area must have a valid South Carolina teaching certificate (Professional Level) and a minimum of two years’ teaching experience.

All students will enroll in EDSL 971 in their final Fall term and EDSL 972 in their final Spring term. These courses comprise a year-long internship in Educational Leadership. The internship will incorporate experiences in all grade spans and upon completion of the internship you will meet one of several requirements for PK-12 certification as a South Carolina principal. Monthly seminars provide candidates with opportunities to apply their knowledge and continue to improve their abilities to function as effective, caring school leaders.

To complete this program, students must show evidence of a passing score on the appropriate Praxis II exam. This program is offered in an online/hybrid/blended format.

School Leadership (36 credits)

Master of Arts programs in Education are designed for certified teachers.

Admission Criteria

Students seeking admission to a Master of Arts program must have:

earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution in the United States or a teacher education program recognized by the South Carolina Board of Education with a GPA of no less than 2.75 (3.0 preferred)
satisfactorily completed an accredited program of initial teacher certification

and, must submit:

a graduate admissions application, accompanied by a one-time, non-refundable application fee
a copy of their current teaching certificate
two professional recommendations
official transcripts from each higher education institution previously attended

International Degree Candidates Initial Admission

Graduate Studies in Education is not available to international applicants/students because we cannot guarantee full-time enrollment or face-to-face courses in those programs.

Program Continuation

Admitted graduate degree candidates must meet with an advisor in Graduate Studies to plan a preliminary program and will be assigned a faculty contact person. Continuation in a program leading to the award of the Master of Arts requires successful completion of 9 graduate credits with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater.

Students earning a grade of C+, C, or C- in one of the first three courses in a program prior to Admission to Candidacy or a student with a cumulative GPA less than 3.00 must meet with the program coordinator and the Associate Director of Graduate Studies.

After Admission to degree candidacy, all students in a program must:

maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater and meet final grade requirements
demonstrate satisfactory content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and dispositions related to national standards established by the Specialty Professional Association (SPA) and Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
resolve any event or concern where an instructor, program coordinator, and/or the Office of Graduate Studies has reason to believe a degree candidate has acted in violation of department mission

Program Completion/Degree Audit

The Office of Graduate Studies will audit the student’s record to ensure that required courses have been completed and that the candidate has maintained a 3.00 GPA for the sequence of courses.

Program Completion/Graduation

The Office of Graduate Studies will confirm all degree requirements have been successfully completed by each candidate. Candidates for graduation must also show a passing score on appropriate Praxis content exam.

Quick Step Guide to the Master of Arts

Preliminary Conference with Graduate Studies
Application/fee/transcript/recommendations/teaching certificate
Acceptance
Complete EDFD 879: Master’s Seminar in Education
Passing score on appropriate Praxis II exam (if applicable)
Graduation

Requirements

Two core courses (6 credits)

Seven courses in the concentration (21 credits)

EDSL 719 Leadership in Educational Organizations
EDSL 727 Strategic Planning and Thinking in Education
EDSL 730 Designing and Implementing Curriculum
EDSL 823 School Finance
EDSL 825 Schools and the Law
EDSL 840 Supervision and Instructional Leadership
EDSL 849 The Principalship *
*Must be taken prior to or concurrently with the internship; pre-requisite EDSL 719

A year-long internship (6 credits)

and a capstone experience (3 credits)

EDFD 879 Masters Seminar in Education *
*Must be the final course completed in the degree program.
Notes: All courses in the School Leadership concentration sequence must be completed prior to the end of the internship, which is a year-long experience. Passing score on PRAXIS area exam is required to be recommended for both the degree and certification.

Additionally, in order to gain SC certification in school administration, candidates must have a valid SC teacher’s professional level certificate; show evidence of a passing score on the PRAXIS Education Leadership: Administration and Supervision subtest; and have a minimum of three years’ teaching experience.