Teacher Leadership M.S.
Program Rationale:
The master's degree in Teacher Leadership is a 30-credit program designed to prepare educational leaders who are capable of implementing innovative instructional approaches and enhancing the effectiveness of their organizations. The program is primarily focused on PK-12 settings, but is applicable to a diversity of other private and non-profit sector organizations. Students may select from three strands of specialization.
1. Teacher leadership: Development of skills in promoting teacher collaboration, instructional coaching and curriculum development for diverse learners across the PK-12 spectrum.
2. Secondary education: Developing leadership capacity for instructional strategies and innovative practices for adolescent learners.
3. Educational policy studies: Exploration of the social, political, philosophical, and ethical dimensions of educational policy and practice.
All students take 9 credits of common core courses and a common 6 credit capstone experience. Each strand then has its own unique content of 9 credits as well as 6 credits of electives. Electives of relevance to each student’s program are chosen in consultation with an advisor. The common 6-credit capstone course sequence offers degree candidates the opportunity to explore advanced applications of program content through completing a field-based research project.
Program Learning Outcomes:
Graduates of the program are expected to be able to:
- Develop and facilitate learning environments and programs that are responsive to personal, cultural, linguistic, and learning differences.
- Design, implement, and evaluate instructional programs to promote student learning.
- Design, implement, and evaluate professional development activities that promote teacher learning.
- Use evidence-based decision-making to improve student learning.
- Demonstrate growth in professional self-knowledge by engaging in reflective practice.
- Apply social, cultural, political, and historical perspectives to critically analyze and assess policy and school practices.
- Understand, interpret, critique, and apply educational research.
Admissions Requirements:
To be considered for admission to the program, applicants must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 point scale (where A is 4.00), or a 2.70 GPA, or its equivalent, and good standing (3.00 GPA) in all post-baccalaureate course work. Applicants to the Teacher Leadership and Secondary Education strands must hold, or be eligible for, a valid teaching certificate.
Applications are accepted for Fall, Spring and Summer terms. The graduate application, application fee, and official transcripts are to be submitted to the Graduate Recruitment and Admissions Office.
Contact: 860-832-2130
Course and Capstone Requirements
All strands total 30 credit hours. Candidates complete a program of graduate study requiring common core courses, one content-specific strand, electives, and a common capstone experience.
Common Courses
The candidate’s planned program of graduate study requires the following common courses across all strands:
| ED 598 | Introduction to Research in Education | 3 |
| EDT 540 | Educational Technology: Instructional Design, Assessment, and Data | 3 |
| | and | |
| | a 500-level EPS course | |
| Total Credit Hours: | 9 |
Strand 1 - Teacher Leadership
The strand in Teacher Leadership also requires:
| ED 520 | Instructional Programs for Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDL 523 | Instructional Leadership and Coaching | 3 |
| EDL 531 | Collaboration and Professional Development | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 9 |
Strand 2 – Secondary Education
The strand in Secondary Education also requires:
| ED 520 | Instructional Programs for Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDSC 505 | Innovations in Secondary Education | 3 |
| EDSC 556 | Instructional Theory and Practice | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 9 |
Strand 3 – Educational Policy Studies
The strand in Educational Policy Studies includes three of the following:
| EPS 500 | Contemporary Educational Issues | 3 |
| EPS 516 | School and Society | 3 |
| EPS 524 | Foundations of Contemporary Theories of Curriculum | 3 |
| EPS 525 | History of American Education | 3 |
| EPS 526 | Philosophy of Education | 3 |
| EPS 528 | Comparative and International Education | 3 |
| EPS 535 | Special Topics in Educational Foundations | 3 |
| EPS 538 | The Politics of Education | 3 |
| EPS 583 | Sociological Foundations of Education | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 9 |
Electives
All strands require 6 credit hours of advisor-approved graduate-level electives. Candidates in the Secondary Education strand fulfill these with courses in their content area of certification.
Capstone
All strands require:
| ED 591 | Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment I | 3 |
| ED 592 | Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment II | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 6 |
Candidates complete an independent research-based inquiry of educational practice or policy as part of this two-course capstone experience.
Total Credit Hours: 30
Non-matriculated students:
While students may take some courses as non-matriculated students, they must be accepted into the program before taking a fourth 500-level course. 500-level courses beyond the third course will not count toward program completion.