The Educational Administration program of study prepares leaders and managers for positions of responsibility in a variety of educational organizations, both domestically and internationally. Through coursework and related experiences, students develop the knowledge and skills to undertake leadership roles. The program of study's specific charter is the preparation of school and district-level leaders in U.S. contexts.
The program of study includes basic courses in school administration including personnel management, school finance, school law, organizational change, curriculum evaluation, and elementary, middle school, and secondary school leadership. Advanced courses include organizational theory, theories of leadership, special topics in finance and law, public policy, and research and evaluation methods. Field-based experiences are provided in a number of courses as well as in the practicum, internship, and workshop courses. The program of study offers options for Massachusetts certification as supervisor/director, principal, and superintendent.
The Educational Administration Master of Education program of study has the following major goals:
- to provide students with knowledge of the impact of social, political, legal, and economic forces on administration and leadership;
- to provide educational administrators with the knowledge and skills to better understand the social forces that affect schools and schooling;
- to deepen administrators' understanding of basic issues that relate to the future of American education, with particular emphasis on the ways in which administrative decision-making affects the participation of minority groups in education;
- to provide administrators with the leadership and managerial skills necessary to deal with complex organizations, and to provide insight into the design and development of new organizational structures and processes to better serve all students; and
- to enrich and enlarge the perspectives which administrators bring to their work and their relation with others.
The Master's program of study in Educational Administration requires a minimum of 36 credits beyond the Bachelor's degree. Students may work with faculty to design an individualized program of study. Students seeking Massachusetts certification follow a program of study that includes coursework approved by the Massachusetts Department of Education to satisfy State initial licensure requirement for Superintendent / Assistant Superintendent, Principal / Assistant Principal (Pre K-6; 5-8; 9-12), Supervisor / Director (All).
DESIRED MASTER OF EDUCATION STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS
The students served in the Educational Administration program of study are typically teachers who aspire to administrative positions and practicing administrators who require the Master's degree and certification to continue in their roles by expanding their knowledge and skills. Requirements for admission include a strong personal statement of the applicant's philosophy of education and leadership, strong undergraduate record, and a history of practice in the field. We seek practicing professionals who show promise of leadership for our schools.
ASSOCIATED FACULTY
Coordinator: Matthew Militello (Assistant Professor)
Email: mattm@educ.umass.edu
Springfield Project Lead: Francis L. Gougeon (Lecturer)
Email: gougeon@educ.umass.edu
Jeffrey W. Eiseman (Associate Professor), Rebecca Gadja (Assistant Professor), Sharon Rallis, (Dwight W.Allen Distinguished Professor), David M. Schimmel (Professor), Kathryn A. McDermott (Associate Professor).