Specialist Level Educational Leadership Courses
SPED 603 Psychoeducational Evaluation of Exceptional Children.
Procedures in assessing children and youth with exceptional learning needs with special attention given to interpretation and application of diagnostic instruments for the purpose of planning prescriptive programs.
EDFL 601 Advanced Research and Statistics
Prerequisites: EDFL 514, EDFL 515 or their equivalent. This course is designed to promote understanding of research designs, the spirit of research, and the relationship that research bears to statistical trends and techniques. The computer is used extensively in the solution of statistical problems.
EDAD 603 Leadership in Organizational Change and Human Resources
This course examines effective steps in designing professional development for all stakeholders in educational organizations. Candidates will examine research-based practices proven successful in planning, implementing and evaluating professional development for educators.
EDAD 604 Organizing and Managing Professional Development
This course examines effective steps in designing professional development for all stakeholders in educational organizations. Candidates will examine research-based practices proven successful in planning, implementing and evaluating professional development for educators.
EDAD 609 Administration of School Finance
This course is designed to analyze the responsibilities of school leaders in the area of school finance. Candidates in this course will engage in all aspects of school finance, through action research, field-based experiences, and lectures from guest practitioners. This course will also require research into state and local finance laws, current legislation, state and local taxation, bonds, and the entire budgeting process.
EDAD 611 Theories in Administration
This course is designed to provide students with a solid theoretical foundation for effectiveness in administration. It includes the analysis of case studies, concepts, and administrative theory; engagement in action research and problem-based learning; and application of research-based knowledge in preparation to lead effectively.
EDAD 615 Legal Issues in Educational Administration
This is an introductory course designed for P-12 educators. The course will address selected school law issues with an emphasis on those having a direct impact at the school building level. Commonly disputed concerns receiving special emphasis include: equal access to education; violence, safety, and discipline; faculty hiring, promotion and tenure; discrimination and sexual harassment; individual educational plans for special needs students; local school governance; curricular issues such as intelligent design vs. evolution; and public support for extracurricular activities. A historical perspective is provided in addition to case and statutory law. External influences on educational policies and operations will be investigated in the context of ethical considerations.
EDAD 626 School Superintendency
This course provides candidates with knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of district leaders for day-to-day operations, as well as complex situations that leaders encounter; and encompasses activities that allow candidates to engage in research and interpret data from districts’ academic performance levels that impact leaders’ decision-making that impacts k-12 district wide operations.
EDAD 689 Strengthening Literacy for Educational Leaders
This course prepares students to implement a school-wide leadership initiative to improve a comprehensive range of literacy skills. Specific principles and theories of reading instruction are evaluated in relation to currently employed practice by examining the scientific research base underlying different models of reading instruction. Special attention is given to enhancing the skills of teachers as they address the needs of diverse populations, including gifted and talented, English learners, special education, and dyslexic thinkers, particularly within content areas.
EDAD 697 Internship/Mentorship
This course provides students with the opportunity to engage in field-based experiential learning activities related to school administration. This is a “hands-on” course that provides the opportunity for students to practice administrative and leadership skills under the guidance of a practicing administrator (mentor). Seminar activities will complement the ongoing field-based experiences, to document administrative and leadership activities, and to assess the usefulness of the internship experiences on their personal development as educational leaders. Students will gain support, guidance, and wisdom from the cohort administrative interns. This course will provide opportunities to examine their own administrative and leadership behaviors, gain insight about different leadership styles, understand the contextual factors that can influence administrative actions, and finally, are able to discuss how different administrative actions affect various aspects of the educational environment. Candidates are placed in an elementary, middle or high school for the entire semester. This course is supervised by the site supervisor, and university supervisor. The intern is required to conduct 9-12 hours per week of sustained activities. Documentation must be complied in a portfolio.
EDAD 699 Research in Instructional Leadership and Curriculum
This course is concerned primarily with the view of dominating ideas and institutions that have affected the course of educational development in the Western Urban World setting. Special emphasis is placed on the views of leading philosophies of education and the implications of these philosophies for modern education practices. The students will gain an understanding of relationships between major historical, political, sociological, and philosophical shifts and the way; we “do” schooling and education. The students will compare and contrast teaching practices that are influenced and be able to analyze, discuss, and evaluate the implications of a personal set of philosophical beliefs on teaching and learning as well as administration.
*All courses have embedded internship hours and activities.