Master of Arts in Educational Leadership

Program Overview

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The Master of Arts in Educational Leadership (MAEdL) degree program prepares teachers and administrators to become educational leaders serving in the complex environment of elementary and secondary education. The program is offered completely online and is built around the unique needs of working adults.

The curriculum presents a coherent set of learning experiences that build and deepen students’ understanding of educational leadership and administration. The program enables students to build a substantive knowledge and research base that provides dynamic opportunities to master the core competencies of educational leadership and contributes to the development of a portfolio, which demonstrates the breadth and depth of their learning. 

An integral part of the curriculum is the use of technology that enables students to collaborate on projects and discuss and examine theories, ideas, research, applications, and practices. Three areas of study are available within the MAEdL program:

• Building Leadership
• District Leadership
• School Business Administrator

In addition, the program is consistent with the professional standards required by the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) and recommended by the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association.

The Master of Arts in Educational Leadership degree program is approved by the New Jersey Department of Education as having met the academic requirements for the principal, supervisor, and school administrator endorsements.

Download our Degree Program Profile Sheet for an overview of our MA in Educational Leadership program. 

Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) accreditation (CAEP’s official statement for publication): The Educational Leadership Program at Thomas Edison State University is awarded TEAC accreditation by the Inquiry Brief Commission of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) for a period of seven years, from April 2015 through April 2022. The accreditation does not include individual education courses that the Education Preparation Program (EPP) offers to P-12 educators for professional development, re-licensure, or other purposes.

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)

1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 400

Washington, DC 20036

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

www.caepnet.org

Program Timeline

This is a hypothetical timeline that shows how a student can complete the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership degree program at Thomas Edison State University in about 18 months.

To demonstrate how you could progress through the program over an 18-month period, we are using the January term as your first term and move through the program during the four graduate terms offered each year. Each term is 12 weeks.

The timeline is informational in nature and does not represent an actual program plan. Enrolled graduate students work with our deans and academic advisors to develop a program plan that maps out how a student will complete their degree and whether they can transfer previously earned graduate credits or earn graduate credit for what they know through prior learning assessment.

Term (runs for 12 weeks)	Courses To Take	Credits
First Graduate Term: Starts beginning of January	EDL-500: Effective Leadership: From Theory to Practice EDL-670: Technology for Instructions and Administration	3 3
Second Graduate Term: Starts beginning of April	EDL-520: Standards-Based Curriculum Development, Pre K -12 EDL-530: Critical Issues in Curriculum Design and  Evaluation, Pre K-12	3   3
Third Graduate Term: Starts beginning of July	EDL-540: Curriculum Leadership and Supervision EDL-550: School Law	3 3
Fourth Graduate Term: Starts beginning of October	EDL-660: Human Resources Administration  EDL-510: The Inquiry Process.	3 3
Fifth Graduate Term: Starts beginning of January	EDL-680: Budget Forecasting and Fiscal Planning EDL-700: Field-based Practicum	3 3
Sixth Graduate Term: Starts beginning of April	EDL-690: Developing School and Community Partnerships EDL-710: Professional Portfolio Development	3   3

*This timeline is based on the 36-credit Building Leadership track of the MA in Educational Leadership. The District Leadership track is a 42-credit program that includes two additional courses, which would typically be completed during additional graduate terms.

Standards and Outcomes

Graduates of the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership degree program will be able to promote the success of all students by articulating a vision of school and student success; identifying themselves as instructional leaders able to collaborate in developing strategies aimed at improving student learning and school performance; and demonstrating performance standards that improve teacher effectiveness and enhance student learning.

Standard 1: An education leader promotes the success of every student by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by all stakeholders.

• collaboratively develop and implement a shared vision and mission
• collect and use data to identify goals, assess organizational effectiveness, and promote organizational learning
• create and implement plans to achieve goals
• promote continuous and sustainable improvement
• monitor and evaluate progress and revise plans

Standard 2: An education leader promotes the success of every student by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.

• nurture and sustain a culture of collaboration, trust, learning, and high expectations
• create a comprehensive, rigorous, and coherent curricular program
• create a personalized and motivating learning environment for students
• supervise instruction
• develop assessment and accountability systems to monitor student progress
• develop the instructional and leadership capacity of staff
• maximize time spent on quality instruction
• promote the use of the most effective and appropriate technologies to support teaching and learning
• monitor and evaluate the impact of the instructional program

Standard 3: An education leader promotes the success of every student by ensuring management of the organization, operation, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.

• monitor and evaluate the management and operational systems
• obtain, allocate, align, and efficiently utilize human, fiscal, and technological resources
• promote and protect the welfare and safety of students and staff
• develop the capacity for distributed leadership
• ensure teacher and organizational time is focused to support quality instruction and student learning

Standard 4: An education leader promotes the success of every student by collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources.

• collect and analyze data and information pertinent to the educational environment
• promote understanding, appreciation, and use of the community’s diverse cultural, social, and intellectual resources
• build and sustain positive relationships with families and caregivers
• build and sustain productive relationships with community partners

Standard 5: An education leader promotes the success of every student by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner.

• ensure a system of accountability for every student’s academic and social success
• model principles of self-awareness, reflective practice, transparency, and ethical behavior
• safeguard the values of democracy, equity, and diversity
• consider and evaluate the potential moral and legal consequences of decision making
• promote social justice and ensure that individual student needs inform all aspects of schooling

Standard 6: An education leader promotes the success of every student by understanding, responding to, and influencing the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

• advocate for children, families, and caregivers
• act to influence local, district, state, and national decisions affecting student learning
• assess, analyze, and anticipate emerging trends and initiatives in order to adapt leadership strategies