Master of Education in Educational Leadership

The Master of Education program in Educational Leadership prepares participants for positions as school administrators, particularly the principalship. It is designed to develop effective leaders who are strong educators, focusing their work on the fundamental issues of teaching, learning, and school improvement. It consists of a series of integrated courses and experiences focusing on the various dimensions of school leadership to support teaching and learning in K-12 schools. Through classroom learning, experiences in the field, reflective activities, and action-based research, students move to an increasingly complex understanding of the role of leaders in today’s schools.

All participants begin the program during the summer term in a cadre, which provides continuity and support for its members as they move through the program together. During the summer term, participants concentrate their study at a cadre site in Lincoln or Omaha. Action research and field experiences are offered in Nebraska schools during the academic year, with seminars in Lincoln or Omaha.

Students seeking either a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and/or a Nebraska principal certification at one level, K-8 or 7-12, are required to complete 36 credits. A 45-credit hour program is available for those pursuing K-12 certification.

Core Values

The central responsibility of educational leadership is to improve teaching and learning.
Leadership is collaborative and inclusive, not exclusive.
Leadership is active, not passive.
Leadership includes an ethical dimension.
Leadership programs are essentially a college responsibility, but the design and delivery of the program includes the participation of practitioners in the schools.
Leaders promote building a group vision; developing and maintaining relationships; making effective decisions in collaboration with others; remaining open and supporting innovation; constructing a school culture for learning; providing a positive instructional environment; reaching out to the literature and research base; using research as a tool in solving problems and making decisions; supporting the needs of all learners, including those with special needs; increasing multicultural sophistication; collaborating with multiple stakeholders; analyzing data and interpreting outcomes; applying evaluation and supervision processes; maximizing human and physical resources; reflecting to celebrate and improve; and mitigating value conflicts and political pressures.

Program Outcomes

The program develops the knowledge, attitudes, and performances needed for effective school leadership. We continually focus on matters of learning and teaching and the creation of powerful educational communities that value and support all learners. Our work is to develop a deeper and more productive understanding of school leadership resulting in ethical actions reflecting integrity and fairness. Participants will develop

Strategic Leadership by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning to promote the success of all students that is shared and supported by the school community.
- articulates and consistently demonstrates a philosophy of education that considers sociological, cultural, and historical foundations
- develops vision and purpose with others
- utilizes leadership processes to achieve common goals
- values ethical action in the educational community
- supports innovations within the school community
- engages in problem solving techniques and decision making skills
- uses data to make informed decisions
- provides ongoing assessment of people, programs, plans, processes, and products
- addresses competing priorities and values
Instructional Leadership by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.

creates with others an inclusive community of learners
participates actively in the design and implementation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment utilizing research-based, best practices
promotes effective teaching and learning styles
facilitates curriculum, instruction, and assessment which honor diversity in gender, ethnicity, culture, language, socio-economic status, and exceptionalities
promotes assessing student progress using a variety of techniques
utilizes teacher supervision and evaluation to influence teaching and learning
plans strategies collaboratively to encourage the developing professional

Organizational Leadership by ensuring management of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.

encourages participation in or development of activities outside the classroom that promote learner growth and development
understands existing policies and implement practices that provide for the safety, health, and welfare of the educational community
applies a systems perspective, viewing schools as open structures interacting with external environments
understands processes for the recruitment, selection, and induction of personnel with attention to equity and diversity
identifies and analyzes the major sources of fiscal and non-fiscal resources for schools
understands the budget planning and implementation process involving the school community and driven by identified priorities
facilitates support and performance appraisal for non-instructional staff

Community/Political Leadership by collaborating with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, mobilizing community resources and by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

addresses conditions affecting learning by collaborating and developing relationships with community agencies to integrate health, social, and other services for families
promotes multicultural awareness, gender sensitivity, socio-economic, racial, and ethnic understanding in the school and community
forms collaborative relationships and builds support with district personnel
develops an understanding of communication plans and public relations programs
acts in accordance with legal provisions and statutory requirements
makes decisions based on the moral and ethical implications of policy options and political strategies
demonstrates sensitivity, respect, and empathy for multiple perspectives

Categories of Graduate Students

Two broad categories of graduate students are recognized by the Educational Leadership program: degree-seeking and credential-seeking. Degree-seeking students are those who are pursuing the Master of Education degree and the Nebraska Standard Administrative Certificate. Credential-seeking students are those who have already completed a graduate program and are pursuing only the Nebraska Standard Administrative Certificate.

Admission Requirements

All students applying for admission to the Educational Leadership program will submit a packet that contains the following items:

A completed application for admission.
A copy of a current teaching certificate.
A resume.
A writing sample (about 250-500 words) indicating reasons for interest in Doane’s Educational Leadership program and philosophy about teaching and learning.
Official transcripts from the institutions granting the undergraduate degree and any graduate work that is to be considered for transfer credit. The undergraduate GPA must show an overall minimum GPA of 3.0. Those transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to Doane University, Graduate Studies in Education, 303 North 52nd Street, Lincoln, NE 68504. They must bear the official stamp of the issuing institution.
Letters of recommendation from three professional associates. Using the forms posted on the online application site, these letters must be sent directly to Doane University.

An interview with an Educational Leadership program director or a full-time faculty member who teaches in the Educational Leadership program is scheduled after the above materials have been received. The Educational Leadership program director will then determine, based upon the credentials submitted and the interview, if the student is admitted to the program. A letter of acceptance to the student will follow.

Full Graduate Standing

After completion of nine credit hours of graduate credits (including EDL 675 and EDL 680 /EDL 681 /EDL 682 ), the files of all students in the cadre are reviewed by the dean of the program concerning the students’ eligibility for full graduate standing. The criteria for full graduate standing in the Master of Educational Leadership program are as follows:

The student must have completed all admission requirements.
The student must have completed at least nine hours of graduate study at Doane with a 3.00 or higher cumulative grade point average. A student receiving any grade below a B for any graduate course will have his/her file reviewed even though the student’s cumulative GPA may be 3.00 or higher.
The student has not been found guilty of a felony or misdemeanor or entered a plea of guilty or no contest to a felony or misdemeanor in any criminal, drug, or juvenile court.
No order or determination is currently in effect by a court or any other governmental body which finds the student to be any of the following: a mentally ill and dangerous person; mentally incompetent to stand trial; acquitted of criminal charges because of insanity; an incapacitated person in need of a guardian; or unable to manage your property due to mental illness, mental deficiency, chronic use of drugs or chronic intoxication as required the State of Nebraska in Title 92, NAC Rule 20
The student is reviewed for leadership potential, including the ideals expected of individuals in school administrative positions and outlined in the program’s core values, for attitudes and skills that promote what is needed for effective school leadership, and for indicators of probable success in the field.

Decisions are communicated to the student in writing as soon as practical after the student completes the first nine hours of the cadre experience and prior to enrollment in the spring practicum.

Transfer Credit

A student may transfer up to six hours of credit into the Educational Leadership program. This credit must have been earned from regionally accredited institutions of higher learning. Any course considered for transfer is reviewed individually for recency and relevancy of the material as it relates to best practice and theory at the time of the review. The recency standard includes work that is completed within seven years before beginning the program. Courses are reviewed for relevancy as they relate to educational issues in the areas of instructional improvement, critical issues, and assessment as they may take the place of EDU 600 (or EDU 613 ), EDU 601 , or EDU 602 in the program of study.

Final determination of transfer credit is made by the Dean. Only graduate courses in which the student’s letter grade is “B-” or above may be considered for transfer credit and applied toward fulfilling degree and certification requirements. A maximum of three credits of courses with an earned grade of a “Pass” or “Credit” may be transferred. All transfer courses are entered on the transcript with a grade of “P” (Passed).

Each student is responsible for making a formal request to have his/her official transcripts sent to Doane University. These transcripts must be received prior to beginning coursework in the program.

Time Limitations

A student is expected to complete the degree within seven years of beginning graduate study at Doane. If a student withdraws from the cadre experience, it is necessary to wait one year to resume with the next cadre. The Dean will determine if a student can resume participation in the program if the time away from the program extends beyond one year. If the course material is no longer relevant, the student must then retake appropriate graduate courses as part of the program of study. If a student stays out three years or more, the coursework must be repeated.

Second Master of Education Degree

Students who have completed Doane’s Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction degree and want to become certified as principals must add 27 credit hours of courses needed for certification to complete the Master of Education in Educational Leadership. These students will have already completed nine credits of EDU 600 (or EDU 613 ), EDU 601 , and EDU 602 , which will apply toward the 36 credits required for the Master of Education in Educational Leadership.

Programs

Educational Leadership, M.Ed.