Master of Education - Educational Leadership

The Educational Leadership Master of Education (M.Ed.) Degree Program is a fully online 36-credit graduate program designed to prepare Educational Leadership (EDLD) candidates for Tier I initial leadership positions that include P-12 school level assistant principals or the equivalent, or other Local Unit of Administration (LUA) staff who do not supervise principals pursuant to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) Educational Leadership Preparation rule (Rule 505-3-.77). Students must be currently employed in P-12 setting and possess a Professional Level Four Certificate or higher in a teacher, service, or leadership field. Embedded within this program is Tier I leadership certification, which may be taken independently as an 18-credit Tier I Educational Leadership Certificate-Only Program for those who already possess an M.Ed., as well as a 9-credit Teacher-Leader Endorsement (TLE). Either program is available as part of the M.Ed. program or may be taken separately depending on an individual’s current credentials. The program is administered through the cohort model, and the course sequence is prescribed and provided to candidates upon admission. The 250 required hours of clinical practice are job-embedded and performance-based throughout the program, and are guided cooperatively by the university and the school/district partner via supervised field experience courses.

"1.Complete requirements for a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.

Possess a Professional Level Four Certificate or higher in a teacher, service, or leadership field. Present a cumulative 2.75 (4.0 scale) grade point average or higher on all undergraduate and graduate work combined. 4.Submit a personal statement of purpose, not to exceed 200 words, that identifies the applicant’s reasons for pursuing graduate study and how admission into the program relates to the applicant’s professional aspirations. Complete “Disclosure and Affirmation questions” that address misconduct disclosure, criminal background check, the Code of Ethics for Educators, and tort liability insurance. Submit school /district leader assurance form. Candidate’s local Unit of Administration (LUA) is required to have entered into an agreement with Georgia Southern University that outlines the agreements related to Tier I Leadership preparation. Said agreement must state that the LUA and school agree to allow candidates to complete 250 hours of clinical practice (Supervised Field Experience) and provides supporting documents, as well as access to opportunities to lead and participate in leadership functions as appropriate for completion of leadership performances. Additional requirements are listed below; additionally, candidates must comply with any rule changes and/or additions instituted by the GaPSC affecting Educational Leadership certification. All candidates admitted to any GaPSC-approved Educational Leadership program must have completed (do not hav e to pass) the Georgia Ethics for Educational Leadership Assessment-Program Entry (Test 370) prior to becoming enrolled. *International transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES accredited evaluation service and must be a course by course evaluation and include a GPA. (www.naces.org)

Other Program Requirements Passing scores on the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators® (GACE®), Test #301. Georgia’s state- approved educator certification assessment program, prior to program completion. All candidates completing any GaPSC-approved Educational Leadership program on or after July 1, 2016, must pass the Georgia Ethics for Educational Leadership-Program Exit (Test 380) prior to completion and must pass the assessment to earn certification in the field of Educational Leadership. Candidates must claim Georgia Southern University as their provider. Candidates must log into their MyPSC account (https://mypsc.gapsc.org/Home.aspx.) and claim Georgia Southern University as their provider. All candidates admitted to any GaPSC approved Educational Leadership program must have passed the Georgia Ethics for Educational Leadership Assessment Program Entry (Test 370) prior to completion and must pass the assessment to earn certification in the field of Educational Leadership. It is important to note that admission to and completion of Tier 1 does not ensure employment in a leadership position. Under state law, completion of an approved Tier 1 program will not lead to additional pay until employed by a Local Unit of Administration (LUA) in a leadership position that requires Tier 1 certification.

Applicants may be approved for provisional admission based on the quality of the admission material presented. Provisional students must earn grades of ‘B’ or higher in their first nine (9) hours of course work after admission and meet any other stipulations outlined by the department to be converted to regular status.