Program Overview
The Educational Leadership program prepares persons for leadership roles in educational settings. The program emphasizes theoretical as well as practical knowledge of K-12 school administration, and challenges its students to become moral leaders and research-orientated educators. In addressing the needs of future school administrators, this 36 credit master’s degree program offers curricular experiences that culminate with a thesis and knowledge needed for K-12 Pennsylvania School Principal Certification.
Students take a comprehensive curriculum that includes disciplinary knowledge in curriculum theory, human development theory, ethics of leadership, and research methods. Course work also focuses on concepts of staff development and supervision, school law, management theory, school organization, and school finance. To gain actual administration experience, students complete a 360-hour practicum that includes a school-based 180-hour internship. The internship, planned by the student with the cooperation of a site supervisor and the program director, is designed to fulfill Pennsylvania Department of Education performance standards.
In addition to the successful completion of course work, Pennsylvania requires five years of teaching experience and a passing score on the Educational Leaders School Licensure Assessment (Praxis) before K-12 principal certificate is granted. To begin the process of certification, students provide Carlow with documentation of teaching experience when nearing completion of the program. Students also arrange to take the Praxis and to apply for state certification.
Students who already have a master’s degree may complete course work for a K-12 principal certificate and are not required to complete a thesis. These students take 30 credits or less, depending on an evaluation of their transcript by the Program Director.
Note: If a student has completed 3 years of teaching and is currently teaching, she or he may enter the educational leadership program, since course work typically takes two years.
Back to top
Required & Elective Courses
| Course # |
Course Title |
Credits |
| Required Courses |
| LE 701 |
Philosophy and Ethics of Leadership |
3 |
| LE 710/711 |
Practicum |
3 each |
| LE 720 |
School Finance |
3 |
| ED 700 |
Principles and Organization of School Admin. |
3 |
| ED 711 |
Child/Youth Dev. and Learning Theory K-12 |
3 |
| ED 714 |
Research Seminar |
3 |
| ED 715 |
Thesis |
3 |
| ED 722 |
Staff Development and Supervision |
3 |
| ED 738 |
Curriculum Theory and Development |
3 |
| ED 746 |
School Law |
3 |
| ED 748 |
Management Theory/Practice |
3 |
Back to top
Faculty
| 
