Educational Administration (M.S.A.)

Faculty
Description
Requirements
Course Descriptions


Faculty

Sandra Anderson, Director of Educational Leadership Programs
Robert Redmond, Associate Professor of Education 

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Description

The graduate program in educational administration offers a Master of Science in Administration degree (M.S.A.) to students who successfully complete the 36-credit hour degree program designed to prepare them for administrative or instructional leadership positions in educational settings. This two-year cohort program meets one weekend a month for twenty months. The program consists of core requirements (27 credits), a specialization area (3 credits) in either the Principalship or Instructional Leadership, and a required internship and final project (6 credits). Course syllabi and classroom activities reflect the curriculum guidelines of the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISSLC) and prepare students to take the ISSLC licensure exam.

Through a carefully sequenced course of study, students acquire essential knowledge and skills in the technical, financial, and managerial aspects of school administration. The program may be completed on either a full-time or part-time basis.

Trinity's Educational Administration Program is fully accredited by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education Certification (NASDTEC). The accreditation carries reciprocal certification agreements with 35 states affiliated with the Interstate Reciprocity Agreement established by NASDTEC.

The Principalship
The Principalship track is designed to meet the NASDTEC requirements for principals and assistant principals in the District of Columbia. It is also intended to prepare candidates for the Interstate School Leaders' Licensure Consortium Assessment, which is required of all new school principals in both the District of Columbia and Maryland. This track reflects the contemporary emphasis on school-based management and focuses on developing skills in planning, consensus building, and collaborative problem solving.

Course work and capstone activities are pursued in the areas of specialization. In addition, students complete one three-credit course as a directed elective, in consultation with a faculty advisor.

Instructional Leadership
This track prepares educators to become instructional leaders within a school, such as supervisors, department chairs, and staff development resource specialists. Students learn to evaluate instruction and develop collaborative strategies for improvement. Emphasis is given to development, implementation, and evaluation of education and training programs.

Course work and capstone activities are pursued in the areas of specialization. In consultation with a faculty advisor, students also complete one three-credit course as a directed elective.

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Requirements

Core Requirements (27 credits)

ALL of the following courses: 

EDAD 601 Leadership, Management, and Supervision 
EDAD 602 Technology and Systems 
EDAD 603 The School, The Community, and The Society 
EDAD 604 Staff and Group Development 
EDAD 605 Curriculum and Program Development 
EDAD 607 Cultural Diversity 
EDAD 608 Teaching and Learning for School Leaders 
EDAD 609 Current Issues in School Leadership 
EDU 599B Research in Education 

Specialization Area (3 credits)

ONE course chosen from between: 

EDAD 606 Legal and Financial Issues (Principalship) 
EDU 576T Effective Schools and Effective Instruction (Instructional Leadership) 

Capstone Activities (6 credits)

BOTH of the following courses: 

EDAD 600 Final Project in Educational Administration 
EDAD 640 Internship in Administration 

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Course Descriptions

EDAD 600 Final Project in Educational Administration
Provides students with an opportunity to bring together all skills and knowledge acquired during the program in a culminating scholarly experience. In consultation with the program director, each student conducts an individualized final project appropriate to her/his specialization.
3 credits

EDAD 601 Leadership, Management, and Supervision
Focuses on theories of leadership and supervision and how these theories impact on effective school administration and effective teacher supervision. Emphasizes the human dynamic as it affects the organization and administration of a school. Students examine current theories of leadership, motivation, management, performance appraisal, and evaluation, and they apply these theories to current school issues. Students develop a personal philosophy of leadership and supervision.
3 credits

EDAD 602 Technology and Systems
Focuses on the current technologies that support the management and operational functions necessary in a school setting. Students examine the technological tools available in the collection and systematic analysis of data. Students develop the necessary skills such as the Internet for e-mail, listserv, newsgroups, and file transfers.
3 credits

EDAD 603 The School, the Community, and the Society
Surveys historical, social, economic, political, and philosophical foundations of education, with an emphasis on theories of American education in an interdependent world and the multicultural character of the American classroom. Implications of understanding contemporary educational issues, policy, and decision making are stressed. Students investigate successful models of school, family, business, community, government, and higher education partnerships.
3 credits

EDAD 604 Staff and Group Development
Provides students with opportunities to develop the necessary group skills to effectively facilitate a task group and the leadership skills necessary to influence others; effective staff and group development practices, such as peer coaching, conflict management, and negotiation techniques are examined. Students explore the dynamics of change while practicing group facilitation and other skills needed to effectively lead a task group.
3 credits

EDAD 605 Curriculum and Program Development
Reviews historical and current approaches to curriculum development and implementation. Topics include competency-based learning, authentic assessment, curriculum design, and program evaluation. Students acquire the knowledge and skills needed to be effective instructional leaders.
3 credits

EDAD 606 Legal and Financial Issues
Identifies the legal and financial issues related to the operation of a school. Focuses on the legal issues affecting the relationship of the school to the larger community, with particular focus on legislation statutes, Department of Education regulations, and state and federal court decisions. Identifies goals, issues, and expectations for an equitable and adequate school financial system.
3 credits

EDAD 607 Cultural Diversity
Examines the effects of diversity and multiculturalism on society. International and economic issues are explored to help students broaden their knowledge of the complexities and interdependence of contemporary schools. Students study cross-cultural communications while developing the skills to accommodate specific needs that arise in culturally diverse environments.
3 credits

EDAD 608 Teaching and Learning for School Leaders
Examines current theory and practice in the teaching and learning process. The dynamics of learning are viewed through the perspectives of human development, motivational theory, learning theory, classroom dynamics, and sociocultural factors. Practicum and laboratory assignments required.
3 credits

EDAD 609 Current Issues in School Leadership
Examines theory, research, and practices relating to the critical issues faced today by school leaders. Considerable time will be spent perusing current publications and internet search engines for the identification, causes, and remediation of the problems and concerns confronting today's school administrator.
3 credits

EDAD 640 Internship in Administration
Provides students with practical experience in a supervised environment and with an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in core content courses and classes in the student's specialization. An on-site mentor serves as the field supervisor, and a faculty member oversees the 120-hour intern field experience.
3 credits

EDU 576T Effective Schools and Effective Instruction
Designed to review recent research on effective schools, teaching, and institutional methodologies. The course places emphasis on how these findings can be implemented in the classroom. An in-depth survey and examination of research and practices for effective instruction in the school setting will be the primary focus of this course.
3 credits

EDU 599B Research in Education
Examines qualitative and quantitative educational research methodologies. Students learn to read, analyze, and interpret the extant literature in teaching and learning. Topics include defining the research process, writing a review of the literature, exploring methods of gathering quantitative and qualitative data, developing a research design, and examining ethical issues related to the research process. Students may be required to develop and analyze case studies as well as conduct individual research projects.
3 credits

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