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.
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.