Educational Leadership

Master of Education (M.E.),
Educational Leadership

The Master of Education (M.E.) in Educational Leadership program is designed to be an applied program, intertwining theory and practice. Students in the master’s in educational leadership online program will learn foundational knowledge of the various aspects of school leadership to synthesize their learning into practice, and use critical thinking skills to solve day-to-day issues and problems facing today’s schools.

The master’s education leadership program is designed to prepare K-12 educators to become principals/building-level administrators. Upon completion of this master’s in education leadership program, you will earn a Master in Education in Educational Leadership and be eligible to apply for certification as a K-12 School Leader in the state of Missouri after successful completion of required assessments.

Missouri Certification

The Educational Leadership M.E. degree is designed to fulfill the state of Missouri’s requirements for K-12 School Leader certification (30-credit hour program/10 courses). There are two components:

1. Completion of the program of study earns the Master in Education (M.E.) in Educational Leadership degree, and
2. Certification as a K-12 School Leader certificate is earned by the successful passing of current DESE state assessments (content and performance assessment). This is a 30-credit hour program offered online in an 8-week format, however, there is a 16-week capstone course.

Course Delivery

The master’s in educational leadership degree program is offered in an 8-week online format. Full-time enrollment is one course per 8-week term. Full time enrollment during the academic year and one or two courses for two summers allows completion in two calendar years.

Program Competencies

The master’s in educational leadership online program is designed to prepare graduates to:

• Create quality educational experiences for all students through the development and implementation of a vision, mission and goals to promote a positive school culture in elementary and high school settings.
• Provide effective curriculum planning and design, and research-based instructional practice; using assessments to make data-based decisions; and identifying effective learning supports.
• Promote effective management strategies and practices in data analysis, fiscal resources, human resources and legal compliance for the well-being of students and staff.
• Collaborate and communicate with families and community members to respond to their needs and interests in order to foster engagement, partnership and advocacy to activate community resources to ensure the success and well-being of students.
• Exhibit personal and professional ethical behavior and responsibility, including knowledge of current best practices in educational administration.

Locations & Learning Options

• Online

See the Curriculum section for program requirements from the academic catalog for this program.

Admission Requirements

1. A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
2. Minimum 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
3. A felony background check and FBI fingerprint check must be completed for admission. Admission is dependent upon clearance.
4. Students with a GPA between 2.75 and 3.0 may be considered for provisional admission.

Graduation Requirements

• All candidates must successfully complete the required 30-credit hours with a 3.0 grade point average, with no more than two ‘C’s and no grade lower than a ‘C’. Refer to Academic Standards section in the catalog for more information.
• An application for graduation is required before a completion statement is posted to the transcript. The application for graduation is available in MyPark,  my.park.edu. Candidates must return the completed form with the appropriate fee. See Graduation Requirements section in the catalog for more information.