The graduate major in Educational Administration offered through the College of Education provides students the option of acquiring the background and specific skills necessary for employment as an elementary or secondary school principal; preparing to be a Chief School Business Official; or working in a higher education administrative setting. The curriculum includes a number of courses that provide essential knowledge and skills for continued growth in positions of educational leadership.
Licensure/Endorsement
Completion of Principal Leadership Sequence and compliance with other requirements presented in the “Teacher Licensure” section of this catalog, leads to the Illinois Principal endorsement on the initial Professional Educator License.
Completion of the Chief School Business Official Sequence and compliance with other requirements presented in the Licensure of Teachers and Other School Professionals section of this catalog leads to the Chief School Business Official endorsement on the initial Professional Educator License.
Note: Holders of an M.B.A., a Masters Degree in Finance, or a Masters Degree in Accounting from a regionally accredited institution may wish to complete the EDAD-8836 , EDAD-8839 , EDAD-8840 , EDAD-8845 , and three different sections of EDAD-8846 to prepare for service as a Chief School Business Official. See Illinois State Board of Education website for endorsement requirements (http://www.isbe.net/licensure/requirements/oos-pel-admin-end.pdf).
Program Requirements for Principal Leadership
There is a selection process for acceptance into the Principal Leadership Sequence. After meeting the university admission criteria, students must meet the program selection criteria which include:
- scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE General Test including a score of “4” or higher on the Writing Subtest;
- undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher;
- letter of recommendation and support from school district administrator;
- valid IL Professional Educator License;
- evidence of passing the Illinois Test of Academic Proficiency or equivalent;
- two years of full-time teaching experience;
- submission of a professional portfolio demonstrating impact on student learning and teacher leadership
- successful interview and written scenario
Contact program advisor for details of the selection process.
Program Requirements for Chief School Business Official
In order to continue in the program after meeting the university admission criteria, students must submit the following documentation before completing nine hours of course work, which must include:
- scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE General Test including a score of “4” or higher on the Writing Subtest;
- two recommendations submitted on the EDAD Admissions Recommendation Form. Recommendations must be completed by a school administrator who holds an Illinois Principal, CSBO or Superintendent Administrative Certificate or an out-of-state equivalent administrative license and submitted in a sealed format;
- evidence of having passed the Test of Academic Proficiency of the Illinois Licensure Testing System; and
- evidence of two years full-time of administrative experience in school business management is required before applying for state endorsement on the initial Professional Educator License.
Program Requirements for Higher Education Administration
- scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE General Test including a score of “4” or higher on the Writing Subtest;
- two recommendations submitted on the EDAD Admissions Recommendation Form. Recommendations must be completed by a university administrator and submitted in a sealed format; and
- evidence of two years of full-time experience in a higher education setting.
Conditional Continuation
After the student has completed with a grade of “B” or better EDAD-6621 and EDAD-7729 (for Chief School Business Official and for Higher Education Administration) or completed with a grade of “B” or better EDAD-7801 and EDAD-7802 (for Principal Leadership), the faculty will review this information and recommend that the student be permitted to continue in the program, continue in the program conditionally, or be dismissed from the program.
The faculty may permit a student to progress conditionally. In such cases, faculty review of the applicant’s record identifies evidence that the student will likely be successful in the program. The status of all students permitted to progress conditionally is reviewed by the faculty each semester, and students are informed in writing of the conditions necessary for them to be transferred to good standing status. When conditions are met, the student is informed in writing of the transfer to good standing status. A student may not be admitted to practicum courses without achieving good standing status. Students in the Principal Leadership and CSBO sequence must pass the Illinois Content Exam for their sequence before enrolling in practicum courses.
Admission to Candidacy
To continue in the HEAD or CSBO sequences, the student must be accepted as a candidate for the M.A. in Educational Administration degree program after completing EDAD-6621 and EDAD-7729 and two other courses listed on the student’s approved study plan.
To continue in the Principal Leadership sequence, the student must be accepted as a candidate for the M.A. in Educational Administration degree program after completing EDAD-7801 and EDAD-7802 and two other courses listed on the student’s approved study plan.
Students must submit to the Division of Education Graduate Advising Office an application for candidacy in the term that they expect to have completed 12 credit-hours in courses required in the program: September 15 for fall term, January 15 for spring term, or June 15 for summer term. Application forms are available on the Division of Education website at www.govst.edu/edad.
To qualify for candidacy, a student must
- have completed the four courses referred to above with a grade point average of 3.0;
- display, or be judged as exhibiting, or developing, the dispositions expected of graduate students as listed in the section “Licensure of Teachers and Other School Professionals ”; and
- receive a positive recommendation from the Educational Administration faculty.
Student Progress
The faculty monitor and evaluate student progress continually. The section Licensure of Teachers and Other School Professionals in this catalog provides a general description of the standards used to evaluate student progress.
A more detailed statement of the standards and processes followed by the Educational Administration faculty is available in the Educational Administration Student Handbook.
Student Handbook
The Educational Administration Student Handbook referred to in this catalog is available at www.govst.edu/education
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