Educational Leadership and Management, Special Education Director Concentration, MEd, Non-Licensure (Online)

Graduate Curriculum Committee

Nermin Bayazit, PhD
Lyndsey Benharris, PhD
Anne Howard, PhD
Laurie Link, EdD
Margaret O’Hearn-Curran, PhD
Phillip Saisa, EdD
Robert Shapiro, PhD, BCBA-D
Annette Sullivan, EdD

Program Description

The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Management program prepares the student to meet the Massachusetts Professional Standards and Indicators for Administrative Leadership and allows for flexibility in the pursuit for certification. The program offers courses and experience that equip school administrators with the skills and competencies necessary for becoming effective educational leaders in the areas of principal/assistant principal, special education, curriculum leadership, and online learning. This program is an interdepartmental program. While this program does not result in administrative licensure endorsement, the university will provide information and assistance for any candidates wishing to pursue administrative licensure on their own.

Required Courses, 21 Credits

• EDLM 8023 - Principles for Success for Effective Administrators
• EDLM 8027 - Meaningful Family & Community Engagement and Partnerships
• EDLM 8026 - Data–Informed Decision Making for School Improvement & Student Learning
• EDLM 8012 - Law, Ethics, & Policies for the Educator
• EDLM 9045 - Dynamics of Planned Change
• ETEC 9200 - Project in Educational Technology
• SPED 8180 - Positive Behavioral Supports for Students with Disabilities

Special Education Director Concentration, 9 Credits

• SPED 9120 - Special Education and the Law
• EDLM 8028 - Public School Finance, Human Resources and Personnel Administration
• EDLM 9240 - Leadership for Educational Teams

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Total for Degree: 30 credits

Program Learning Outcomes

• Candidates will be able to identify high quality standards based instruction and curriculum aligned to curriculum frameworks.
• Candidates analyze data to determine problems of practice, develop action plans, and monitor effectiveness of programming
• Candidates develop strategies for engaging families and communities in the learning process.
• Candidates develop competency in navigating both state and federal laws, regulations, and guidance as it pertains to the field of education.
• Candidates are able to model and create an anti-racist inclusive environment for both students and staff that promotes equity while celebrating differences. 
• Candidates are able to evaluate teacher quality as it relates to teacher standards designated by the state
• Candidates develop the skills necessary to implement strategic change using data and research based practices.
• Candidates will develop proficiency in using and evaluating educational technology.
• Candidates will develop the skills necessary to perform budgetary processes, and personnel administration, in a fiscally responsible and ethical manner.
• Demonstrate knowledge of policy and program regulations related to Massachusetts Chapter 766, IDEA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act and how they apply to school-based settings.
• Demonstrate understanding of organizational structures that support the effective management of human resources
• Develop knowledge about strategies for addressing fiscal and other  core functions of school administration
• Demonstrate and understanding of compliant practices for conducting IEP team meetings and manifestation determination meetings
• Demonstrate an understanding of strategies for effective communication, collaborative problem solving and conflict resolution

Admissions Standards and Criteria

You must meet the following requirements to be eligible for admission.

• Submit graduate application and $50 application fee
• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, with official transcripts
• Overall undergraduate GPA of not less than 2.8
• Official transcripts of graduate-level coursework from a regionally accredited institution (if applicable)*
• Professional resume
• Students with undergraduate GPAs of less than 2.8 may also be considered for admission based on their professional work experience and a letter of recommendation
• No GMAT is required
• An essay, no more than one page in length, in response to one of the following questions:
• Tell us about a positive situation in which you helped a person and made a significant difference in that person’s life.
• What are the most important factors in establishing a long-term working relationship with students, friends, etc.?
• Tell us about a significant event that involved you in a teaching or helping mode.
  • Describe the situation as it occurred at the time.
  • What did you do in that particular situation?
  • How did you feel about the situation at the time you were experiencing it?
  • How do you feel about the situation now?
  • What would you change, if anything?