CERTIFICATE OF ADVANCED GRADUATE STUDY IN
SCHOOL PRINCIPAL (PREK-6) (5-8) (9-12), SPECIAL EDUCATION ADMINISTRATOR, OR SUPERVISOR/DIRECTOR LEADING TO INITIAL ADMINISTRATOR LICENSE

Educational Leadership

This 39-credit Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study program is designed for experienced practitioners who are currently in leadership roles or who desire to move into leadership positions in schools or other education-related institutions. The program draws on faculty expertise in leadership, organizational development, research, translating theory into practice, developing theory based on practice, curriculum development, assessment, instruction, collaboration, communication, coaching, and reflection. Graduates will be prepared as educational leaders who are change agents with the knowledge, skills, and commitments to initiate, guide, direct, and support the large-scale, continuous improvement of teaching and learning and conditions in which they occur.

Prerequisites:

• School Principal/Assistant Principal: Possession of at least an initial license in an educational role and three years of employment in an educational setting, or three years of experience in a supervisory, teaching, or administrative position in or outside of education.
• Supervisor/Director: Possession of an appropriate initial license in the area of pupil personnel, guidance, or curriculum, and three years of employment in an educational setting. If at the secondary level, the regulations stipulate 18 graduate hours in an appropriate content area.
• Special Education Administrator: Possession of an initial license in special education, school administration, personnel, guidance, or speech and three years of employment in an educational setting, or three years of experience a related field such as law, public policy, or higher education.

*Must be completed prior to the practicum

Course Descriptions

EEDUC 7108 A Context for Leadership
This is the first course in the Educational Leadership program. It provides a common set of experiences, readings, theoretical frameworks, and vocabulary with which to explore the challenges in the new millennium. Topics included analyses of leadership, school culture, the process of change, the formulation of a shared vision, organizational theory, the use of power, schools as political and sociological entities, and educational administration as an ethical enterprise in a context of cultural pluralism. Persuasive writing, reflective thinking, critical analysis, problem-solving, and effective public speaking are promoted.

EEDUC 7110 Perspectives on Professional Development
This course assists future educational leaders in supervisory techniques such as mentoring new and experienced teachers, supervising classroom practice, evaluating curricula, developing criteria for performance standards, and planning appropriate staff development. These issues will be examined as we develop a variety of approaches to supervising, mentoring, and evaluating teachers and other staff in schools. Particular attention will be paid to the dynamics of cross-cultural communication and the role of gender in educational administration.

EEDUC 7111 Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction: Assumptions, Relationships, and Design
Students work with several models and frameworks of curriculum development and their application to systems, classroom curriculum and instruction, and assessment. Models include standards-driven, integrated curriculum, portfolio, and performance assessment. Brain-based research and its impact on curriculum development and instruction are analyzed.

EEDUC 7743 Managing Educational Programs
The course includes instruction in the role of the school in he community, strategic management of schools, the power of school budget development, computer technology as applied to budget development, grant-writing and funding sources, safety and security, school law, compliance with special education regulations, and contract negotiations.

EEDUC 6126 Classroom and School Inquiry
Classroom and School Inquiry focuses on the understanding and critical analysis of educational research and methods for accurately communicating this information to the public. As teachers participate in redefining their educational roles, decision-making and action-oriented classroom practice will be critical in promoting student learning. Both require problem-solving, which is enhanced by the forming and testing of hypotheses, gathering data that is then analyzed, synthesized, and evaluated, and generating solutions. This course will engage students in this process by acquainting them with the knowledge and techniques necessary for them to become lifelong teacher researchers, and to present the results of their research effectively and professionally to a variety of audiences. Note: This course is a prerequisite to EEDUC 6127.

EEDUC 7102 Research in Reading
Research paper on a reading issue is completed concurrently as library resources are discussed, research studies evaluated, and critical issues reviewed.

EEDUC 7746 Practicum and Seminar in School Principal (9–12)
This is a 300-hour practicum in the capstone experience leading to Initial licensure in Educational Leadership. Students will learn about the range of activities in the role of school principal (9–12) through shadowing and taking responsibility for individual projects. Journals, biweekly seminars, and student-generated research projects will facilitate professional reflection and the application of theory to practice.

EEDUC 7751 Practicum and Seminar in Supervisor/Director
This is a 300-hour practicum in the capstone experience leading to initial licensure in Educational Leadership. Students will learn about the range of activities in the role of Supervisor/Director through shadowing and taking responsibility for individual projects. Journals, biweekly seminars, and student-generated research projects will facilitate professional reflection and the application of theory to practice.

EEDUC 7752 | Practicum and Seminar in Administrator of Special Education
This is a 300-hour practicum in the capstone experience leading to initial licensure in Educational Leadership. Students will learn about the range of activities in the role of Administrator of Special Education through shadowing and taking responsibility for individual projects. Journals, biweekly seminars, and student-generated research projects will facilitate professional reflection and the application of theory to practice.

EEDUC 7753 Practicum and Seminar in School Principal (PreK-6)
This is a 300-hour practicum in the capstone experience leading to initial licensure in Educational Leadership. Students will learn about the range of activities in the role of School Principal (K-6) through shadowing and taking responsibility for individual projects. Journals, biweekly seminars, and student-generated research projects will facilitate professional reflection and the application of theory to practice.

EEDUC 7754 Practicum and Seminar in School Principal (5-9)
This is a 300-hour practicum in the capstone experience leading to initial licensure in Educational Leadership. Students will learn about the range of activities in the role of School Principal (5-9) through shadowing and taking responsibility for individual projects. Journals, biweekly seminars, and student-generated research projects will facilitate professional reflection and the application of theory to practice.

EEDUC 8001 Advanced Professional Seminar
This interdisciplinary seminar will focus on professional identity development and issues of professional practice. Students will be introduced to reflective practice, systems analysis, and action research. Students from diverse disciplines will learn about collaborative problem solving for the systems in which they have to function. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the cultural, social, and community contexts for professional practice from a critical perspective.

EAGSR 6003 Program Evaluation
An introduction to systematic, interactive program evaluation with an emphasis on underlying theories, current practices, techniques for collecting and analyzing data, and report writing.

EAGSR 7101 Quantitative Research Methods I: Statistics for Research
This course is designed to introduce graduate students to basic statistical methods and involves two broad topics: descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. In addition, students are introduced to statistical model building through the technique of regression analysis and correlational analysis. While the course centers on parametric statistical techniques, a brief introduction to non-parametric statistical methods, such as the chi-square test, is included.

EAGSR 7103 Qualitative Research Methods I
The purpose of this class is to learn to conduct qualitative social science research. Participants will read a variety of perspectives on the philosophical bases as well as tools of the practice of qualitative data gathering and analysis. Each participant will engage in a small qualitative study that is consistent with her or his graduate study goals. They will choose a topic and research setting, negotiate research relationships, collect and analyze data, and present findings. Readings, analytic memos, interview transcriptions, and field notes will provide material for the class to work with as co-consultants. Formerly: Qualitative Research Methods.

EAGSR 8111 Issues in Research
This course provides a forum for the presentation and discussion of student and faculty research current at Lesley University, as well as a critical examination of a variety of research methods.

Lesley University reserves the right to unilaterally add, withdraw, or revise any course offering in the above-mentioned program of study, including policies, provisions, requirements, or fees.

Lesley University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, handicap, or disability in its education programs, employment, or in admissions to, access to, or treatment in its programs or activities.