Prepare for K-12 building-level leadership with an online master of education

This course focuses on the development of the skills and knowledge required to meet the day-to-day decisions and problems that confront educational leaders to include relationships among local, state, and federal agencies as well as families, community members, and school personnel.

This course is an introduction to school administration, including the theoretical and historical development of school administration as an academic discipline, an examination of organizational behavior and theory, an exploration of political and legal structures which impact schools and school administration, and the development of the concepts and practices associated with successful leadership and decision making. The course will explore the challenge for both aspiring and veteran school leaders to create a community of shared commitment, responsibility, and accountability designed to serve the learning of the adults and the children in the school?a sustainable, professional learning community.

This course explores human ethics within educational foundations. It assists learners to reflect on their own experiences to develop humane values of self-determination and self-realization, and social and individual empowerment. The course addresses the legal and political underpinnings of schooling in a globalizing and postmodern world, providing an overview of major issues in school law, to include U.S. Supreme Court decisions as well as relevant state and federal lower court opinions.

This course prepares learners to gain an introductory understanding of educational research methodologies as well as their impact on rigorous program evaluation. This course examines the ethical considerations when conducting educational research, how previous peer-reviewed studies can inform future programmatic action, and the role that theoretical and empirical research should shape a school leader?s selected methodology.

This course examines current and emerging issues and trends impacting education: inquiring into demographic shifts; globalization; technology, data-based decision-making; inclusion of diverse learners in American schools; and recent research on student achievement when influenced by race, gender, and poverty. Additionally, the issues and responsibilities related to understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal and cultural contexts as they impact the school community.

This capstone course is designed to complete an action research project that positively impacts the educational environment, reflect on the impact and changes that result, and inform others about what has been learned through this process.

The purpose of this course is to provide a survey and overview of student affairs theory and practice. It introduces learners to the foundational philosophies of the profession, examines the integration of student affairs functions and administrators in higher education, explores the variety of roles student affairs professionals play on college campuses, and seeks to develop an understanding of institutional cultures and the professional's role within those cultures. These objectives will be explored within the context of examining the central role student affairs plays in helping students gain and articulate transferable skills gained through experiences outside of the classroom.

This course will examine curriculum leadership in higher education. Students will learn foundations of curriculum in U.S. Colleges and Universities, curriculum design principles, frameworks, processes and curriculum mapping. Students will also learn the techniques for evaluating a curriculum and proper instructional alignment.

This course covers curriculum and intervention strategies for working with children in a supportive, equitable, culturally responsive, and inclusive culture within the educational environment. Learners will use their observation, assessment and communication skills to meet the individualized needs of children in inclusive environments. Includes the role of the teacher as a professional working with families, collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, and cultural competence.

This course will focus on the tools that educators need to achieve deep alignment. Effective curriculum design and deep alignment are critical factors in maximizing student achievement. The purpose of the course is to strengthen the knowledge and skills of learners as instructional designers and managers by evaluating models for managing curriculum as they identify and research current and emerging issues in curriculum.