Educational Leadership M.Ed.

Total Semester Credit Hours = 30

The School of Education offers the Master of Education Degree in Educational Leadership with Standard Principal certification and the Superintendent certification only program. These programs provide students with the opportunity to acquire the theoretical knowledge and practical application experiences for assuming a variety of roles in public, private, or charter school administration. The thirty-semester hour Master of Education in Educational Leadership is earned simultaneously with completing preparation for the Standard Principal Certificate.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the Master of Education Degree in Educational Leadership with Standard Principal certification preparation program, a prospective student must:

1. Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. 
2. Hold a valid Texas teacher certification (any field). 
3. Submit Texas teaching service record with at least two years of teaching experience and any other documents required by Texas governing units.
4. Submit official transcripts from all institutions attended.
5. The GRE is waived when one of the following requirements have been met:

  • Last 60-hour GPA from all attempted coursework OR overall GPA of 2.75 or higher.
  • Overall graduate degree GPA of 3.0 or higher.

6. If your GPA does not meet the requirements in Item 5, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores obtained within the past five years are required:

  • Verbal section of GRE and score at least 143.
  • Quantitative section of GRE and score at least 140.
  • Writing section of GRE and score at least 3.0.

7. Official TOEFL iBT minimum scores accepted by the Texas Education Agency (TEA; TAC 230.11):

  • Reading 18-23
  • Listening 17-21
  • Speaking 20-24
  • Writing 17-23 
8.  Complete admissions screening instrument.
9.  Submit completed recommendation request form.  
10.  Admission is determined based on holding a valid Texas teaching certificate, meeting the minimum years of teaching experience, GPA and, if necessary, satisfactory scores on the GRE, admission screening survey, and recommendation request form. 

Degree Requirements

Total Semester Credit Hours = 30

EDLR 5310Educational Leadership Theory and Practice

EDLR 5311Instructional Leadership and Supervision

EDLR 5313Strategic School Improvement

EDLR 5320School Law

EDLR 5330The Principalship

EDLR 5333Administration of Special Programs in Schools

EDLR 5337School Building Operations

EDLR 5349Curriculum and Instruction for School Improvement

EDLR 5370Practicum in the Principalship I

EDLR 5371Practicum in the Principalship II

Superintendent Certification Preparation Program

The Superintendent Certification Preparation Program is a 17-semester credit-hour program that requires a) holding a Standard Principal, Mid-Management, or other Texas Administrator Certificate; or three creditable years of managerial experience in a public school district b) completion of the specified course sequence within six years; and c) satisfactory performance on the appropriate TExES exam.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the Superintendent Certification Preparation Program, a prospective student must:

  1. Hold a master’s degree from an accredited institution. 
  2. Hold a Texas teacher certification or currently seeking certification (any field). 
  3. Submit Texas teaching service record and any other documents required by Texas governing units.
  4. Submit official transcripts from all institutions attended. 
  5. Successfully complete the admission screening instrument.
  6. Submit a letter of recommendation.
  7. Provide evidence of holding a Standard Principal, Mid-management, or other Texas Administrator Certificate; or has been approved by TEA to substitute managerial experience in lieu of a principal certificate with three years of creditable years of managerial experience in a public-school district.
  8. Upon admission, students must:
    1. Sign and submit an acknowledgement of admission and departmental agreements.

NOTE: In accordance with Texas Administrative Code, all applicants must be fully admitted prior to taking any coursework in the area in which they are seeking certification. Therefore, no provisional admission is allowed.

Required Courses

EDLR 5350Personnel Administration

EDLR 5453School Finance

EDLR 5458School Facilities

EDLR 5360The School Superintendent

EDLR 5375Practicum in the Superintendency