Master of Education (M.Ed.) Major in Educational Leadership (Principal Certification Concentration)

Program Overview

The purpose of the Educational Leadership program is to prepare leaders for the schools of Texas. The program offers graduate work leading to the master’s degree in educational leadership and certification as a principal (for students who already hold a master’s degree) or superintendent (for students with a master’s degree and a principal certificate). Questions about admission to the educational leadership program may be directed to the coordinator of the educational leadership program.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) requires multiple background checks for progression through the Educator Preparation Program. The student may be ineligible for issuance of a certificate upon completion of the Educator Preparation Program, based on information recorded in the criminal history. Student's with criminal history may obtain a Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation from TEA. For more information, go to: https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Investigations/Preliminary_Criminal_History_Evaluation-FAQs/.

Application Requirements

The items listed below are required for admission consideration for applicable semesters of entry during the current academic year. Submission instructions, additional details, and changes to admission requirements for semesters other than the current academic year can be found on The Graduate College's website. International students should review the International Admission Documents page for additional requirements.

completed online application
$35 Texas Education Agency technology fee (if offered admission)

and either

$55 nonrefundable application fee

$90 nonrefundable application fee for applications with international credentials
baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university (Non-U.S. degrees must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree. In most cases, three-year degrees are not considered. Visit our International FAQs for more information.)
official transcripts from each institution where course credit was granted
a 2.75 overall GPA or a 2.75 GPA in the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work (plus any completed graduate courses)
GRE not required
copy of official teaching certificate documenting initial teaching certification
copy of official teaching record documenting at least one year of teaching experience

Approved English Proficiency Exam Scores

Applicants are required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score that meets the minimum program requirements below unless they have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or the equivalent from a country on our exempt countries list.

official TOEFL iBT scores with minimum individual scores of
- 22 listening
- 22 reading
- 24 speaking
- 21 writing

This program does not offer admission if the scores above are not met.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree with a major in Educational Leadership principal certification requires 30 semester credit hours. Students are required to maintain a 3.25 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) for all courses listed as Course Requirements.

Course Requirements

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses
EDCL 5339	Understanding Self: Developing a Personal Vision of Leadership	3
EDCL 5340	Shaping Organizations and Using Inquiry: Management and Leadership	3
EDCL 5347	Understanding Environments: Social, Political, Economic, Legal, and Technological	3
EDCL 5352	Instructional Leadership, Supervision, and Professional Development	3
EDCL 5353	Campus Leadership and School Law	3
EDCL 6342	Curriculum Design	3
EDCL 6352	School as Center of Inquiry	3
EDCL 6358	Integrative Seminar	3
EDCL 6387	Principal Field-Based Practicum I	3
EDCL 6388	Principal Field-Based Practicum II	3
Total Hours		30

Comprehensive Examination Requirement

As a capstone for the degree, students design a school-based action research project. Graduate degrees must pass one or more comprehensive examinations. In addition to preparing a written plan for this project as an academic paper, students present their action research plan to a panel of three faculty members. This is a formal presentation and constitutes the Comprehensive Examination for the master’s degree. A passing grade is required for degree completion. The faculty panel may request revisions to the written plan before issuing a final passing grade for the Comprehensive Examination. A student may not submit revisions and redo the Comprehensive Examination more than twice.

Students who do not successfully complete the requirements for the degree within the timelines specified will be dismissed from the program.

Master's level courses in Counseling, Leadership, Adult Education, and School Psychology: EDCL

Courses Offered

Educational Leadership (EDCL)

EDCL 5100. Educational Leaders’ Continuing Professional Development.

This course provides state-of-the-art continuing professional development for in-service, non-degree seeking educational leaders. New topics will be addressed with each offering. The course may be repeated once if necessary.

1 Credit Hour. 1 Lecture Contact Hour. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

EDCL 5339. Understanding Self: Developing a Personal Vision of Leadership.

Successful leadership in organizational settings requires an understanding of human behavior. This understanding begins with the knowledge of self and leads to the understanding of others. The focus of this course is on the individual student. The intent is to enhance the student’s self-awareness of values, beliefs, and attitudes related to successful school leadership.