Educational Leadership (EDL), MS

Overview

Program Coordinator: Dr. Margaret Pfaff

Program Delivery Format: Online, 8-week sessions

Total Credits: 33

Average Completion Time: 24 months

Admission Cycle: Fall, Spring and Summer

Admissions Contact: Crystal Perry, Assistant Director, Graduate Enrollment Management (cperry@mcdaniel.edu | 410-836-4833)

GPS Student Support Liaisons: gpsadvising@mcdaniel.edu | 410-857-2500

The Master of Science in Educational Leadership program is designed for teachers and professionals who hold or are eligible for Maryland Initial Professional Licensure (IPL), Professional Licensure (PL) or Advanced Professional Licensure (APL) who are seeking to become administrators and supervisors. The curriculum is designed to provide candidates with opportunities to study and apply theories, standards, and practices in educational leadership and to prepare for leadership positions in public and private schools and schools for special populations. Clearly aligned with Maryland state licensure requirements and recommended highly by educators in the field, this master’s program prepares candidates with the knowledge, skills, and qualities that are the hallmarks of outstanding administrators and educational leaders.

This program is delivered entirely online. The online format is primarily asynchronous, but some courses may require synchronous (real time) virtual meetings. The program is delivered in 8-week sessions, allowing students to progress through the program in 24 months on average. The course sequence allows for accelerated completion taking one course at a time while completing two courses per semester, a popular format for working adults. Students can complete the program in a more accelerated pace taking more than two courses per semester if desired; however, it is not recommended for working professionals.

Maryland State Department of Education Approval

The Master of Science in Educational Leadership program is approved by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) and leads to Administrator I licensure. In order to achieve this level of approval, it is necessary for the courses and the internship to be closely aligned to the National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) Standards and the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL). The program is designed to provide students with opportunities to study and apply theory, standards, and best practices in educational administration and to prepare them for leadership positions in public and private schools and schools for special populations.

AAQEP Accreditation

McDaniel College is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The Master of Science in Educational Leadership program has been awarded initial accreditation status by AAQEP through June 30, 2029. Accreditation acknowledges that a program prepares effective educators who continue to grow as professionals and has demonstrated the commitment and capacity to maintain quality. Clearly aligned with Maryland state certification requirements and recommended highly by educators in the field, the McDaniel College Educational Leadership Master’s Degree Program prepares candidates with the knowledge, skills, and qualities that are the hallmarks of outstanding administrators and educational leaders.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

This certificate is designed to meet the educational preparation requirements for students seeking MSDE (Maryland State Department of Education) Administrator I licensure. While reciprocity is often granted by other states, this program may not meet educational requirements for licensure or certification in other states. Students are encouraged to consult their state certification offices about additional requirements such as teaching experience, testing, or specific course completion. Students who plan to pursue professional licensure or certification in a state other than Maryland should contact the McDaniel College Professional Licensure Representative at gps@mcdaniel.edu and the appropriate licensing board associated with your program of interest for additional information and guidance. Candidates are also encouraged to visit our Professional Licensure website.

Maryland licensure as an Administrator I (assistant principal or supervisor) requires completion of an approved internship, which is a requirement of this licensure and is typically completed at the candidate’s school site. Unlike the 8-week sessions for prerequisite coursework, the internship is a full 16-week semester experience. MSDE licensure often has additional requirements to include work experience and 3 credits in special education. Those seeking Maryland certification as an Administrator II (principal) following the completion of this program will also be required to achieve a qualifying score on the School Leaders Licensure Assessment test (SLLA).

Admissions Requirements

Applicants to the program must:

Complete an application for graduate study
Submit official bachelor’s degree transcripts (minimum of 3.00 GPA*) from an accredited institution; graduate transcripts if applicable.
Submit a copy of an active teaching license. Students with Temporary, Conditional, Resident or Adjunct Teaching License are not eligible for this program. Students recently completing a teacher preparation program who are eliglbe for Initial Professional Licensure in the state of Maryland or equivalent from another state are eligible to apply with evidence of completion of an approved teacher preparation program via a bachelor’s transcript and passing Praxis II scores as approproriate.
Provide evidence of an undergraduate or graduate course in special education (students may be admitted without this prerequisite but will be required to take the course as a co-requisite while in the program which must be completed prior to entering the internship).*

Please note: Students who have a 2.75 to 2.99 GPA may be admitted provisionally and will be required to maintain a 3.0 GPA in the first 9-12 credit hours. Students with less than a 2.75 GPA may be considered for provisional admission on a case-by-case basis but may be required to provide additional documentation and/or participate in an interview. Admission may also come with additional conditions.

Policy on Transfer of Graduate Credit:

McDaniel will accept a maxium of 6 graduate credits that meet the following:

a. must be graduate level courses completed within the six-year time limitation

b. completed with a grade of B or higher

c. approved by the Program Coordinator as equivalent to McDaniel’s required courses. McDaniel will not consider coursework taken at other institutions after admission to the program.

International Students:

This program is delivered primarily online and as a result does not meet the federal regulations for international students to study in the US. Students living outside of the US may not participate in this program.

Courses

For the M.S. Degree in Educational Leadership, the following three-credit graduate courses are required:

Core Courses (6 credits)

Educational Leadership Foundation Courses:(24 credits)

EDL 502 - Role of the Principal
EDL 504 - School Culture and Professional Capital
EDL 505 - Leading School Improvement and Change
EDL 516 - Case Studies in Educational Leadership
EDL 527 - School Finance and Management
EDL 540 - School Law
ITL 501 - Trends and Issues in Education
ITL 509 - Monitoring and Aligning Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Please note that students who have not met the prerequisite of having a special education course will be required to take SED 500 - Foundations of Special Education or SED 527 - Issues in Inclusive Education or another approved special education course in addition to the 33 credits required for this degree program before the degree and the Maryland approved statement verifying eligibility for Administrator I certification can be awarded.

Internship (3 credits)

Students must successfully complete 33 credits, including the 3-credit internship, to be awarded the Master of Science in Educational Leadership degree and to receive a statement on their transcript indicating the completion of a Maryland Approved Program for Administrator I.

Students enrolled in EDL 552 Internship may receive a grade of IP (In Progress) with approval from the course coordinator and college supervisor if the requirements of the internship are not met within the registered semester. Students who receive an IP grade will be required to register for 1 credit of EDL 552 Internship in the subsequent semesters and remain enrolled each semester until the course requirements and a passing grade is assigned. Students who do not successfully complete the final requirements of the course for which IP is assigned or who do not register for a subsequent semester and remain continuously enrolled, will be dismissed from the program. Upon completion of all course requirements, the faculty member will submit a grade change form with the appropriate grade (as designated in the course description) for all EDL 552 credits. . Extensions for EDL 552 enrollment beyond two semesters can be provided under extenuating circumstances with approval from the Program Coordinator.

EDL 552 - Internship in Educational Leadership

Total Credits: 33

State Authorization

McDaniel is an approved institutional member of the National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). Membership in SARA is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses/programs offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state. For more information about SARA, including the states currently participating in the agreement, visit http://www.nc.sara.org.

SARA membership allows McDaniel to accept and deliver our programs/courses online to students in 49 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Students who reside in California, currently the only state not a member of SARA, should contact the admissions office prior to application to verify if you are eligible to participate in the online program of interest.

For more information about state authorization requirements and complaint resolution, visit https://www.mcdaniel.edu/academics/graduate-professional-studies/state-authorization-requirements-complaints-resolution

Professional Licensure

Requirements for professional licensure in fields such as accounting, education, counseling, nursing, psychology, and social work vary from state to state. McDaniel’s academic programs are designed to meet Maryland’s licensure requirements and may not meet requirements from other states. Before beginning any academic program that leads to licensure, McDaniel highly recommends that you contact the appropriate state licensing board where you wish to seek licensure to determine whether the program you are considering will meet that state’s licensing requirements. You may also contact McDaniel College’s Professsional Licensure Representative at gps@mcdaniel.edu to inquire.

For more important information regarding professional licensure, please review our Professional Licensure webpage.

Students who complete this program and are seeking Administrator I licensure in the state of Maryland must meet all Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) requirements for this specific certification area in addition to completing McDaniel’s program. Those requirements may include but are not limited to any of the following:

27 months of satisfactory performance as a teacher, certified specialist, etc.
Three semester hours of State-approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credit in special education

Students seeking Administrator II certification in the state of Maryland must meet the requirements of Administrator I certification and pass the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA).

More information about MSDE requirements for school administrator certification can be found at marylandpublicschools.org