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University
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Program Policy Statement
Part
I. Program History
A. Purpose Statement
B. Origin of the
Program
C. Administration
and Faculty
Part
II. Admission
A. University
Policy on Admission
B. University
Admission Procedures
C. Specific
Requirements for Admission into the M.Ed. in Reading
D. Admission
Status
Part
III. Degree Requirements for the M. Ed. in
B. Non-Registered
Degree Requirements
Part
V. General Information
G. Transfer of Credit from Another Institution
H. Transfer of Credit from the Undergraduate
Division at the University of Delaware
Revised October, 2006
Part I.
Program History
The Master of
Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership is a thirty-three-credit hour,
non-thesis program consisting of 18 credits of required core courses, 12
credits in one of two specializations, concentrations and 3 credits in an educational
leadership practicum. This is a part-time, nonresidential, evening and weekend
program designed for students who are employed full-time. In accordance with
the general mission of the School of Education represented in its conceptual
framework, this program facilitates students' development as reflective
practitioners who bring a variety of decision making skills to the enterprise
of solving problems, as scholars who are able to study their own practice as
well as the practice of others in their field, and as leaders who are able to
accommodate diversity among people with whom they work.
The curriculum
draws upon students' work experience to integrate theory and practice as it
prepares them for positions of leadership in educational settings. Those
settings include elementary, secondary, postsecondary, public, private, and
vocational schools as well as adult and continuing education programs. There
are two program specializations concentrations: School Administration and Adult and
Postsecondary Education Administration. The concentration in School Administration is designed to
prepare teachers to advance to positions as K-12 School Principals
The program goals, as established by the program
faculty, include:
1.
The development of candidates' ability to read critically and to
analyze theoretical and empirical research on administration and leadership.
2.
The improvement of candidates'
ability to write coherent analytical arguments by means of varied writing
assignments.
3.
The development of candidates'
ability to use research and theory for the analysis and evaluation of
organizational issues occurring in their work settings.
4.
The encouragement of candidates' questioning current administrative and
leadership practices and investigating the improvement of those practices.
5. The development of
candidates' administrative and leadership skills.
The
M.Ed. in Educational Leadership is one of the older master’s programs
developed in the previously existing specialization concentration of the current
M.Ed. program in Educational Leadership is designed to reflect the standards
based criteria of the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC), which
is the professional organization that provides the professional standards for
this degree. The M.Ed. in Educational
Leadership was reviewed by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher
Education (NCATE) in 2002-2003 as part of a University-wide accreditation renewal
process.
C.
Administration and Faculty
The
Committee on Graduate Studies in Education (CGSE) is the SOE-level committee
that administers all the graduate programs, including the M. Ed. in Educational
Leadership. The committee is composed of
five faculty members from the
The SOE
is committed to the recruitment, support, and retention of full-time,
tenure-line faculty members in educational leadership. Faculty members who teach graduate courses
and advise graduate students in the
Faculty
members in educational leadership review candidates for admission to the M.Ed.
in Educational Leadership, serve as advisors to candidates admitted to the
program, teach courses, and evaluate candidates’ exhibits and
internships.
The
degree awarded to candidates who complete this program will be an M.Ed. in
Educational Leadership. Most graduates of the School Administration specialization concentration will earn this
degree and then seek state Department of Education certification as school
principals.
Part II.
Admission
A. University Policy on Admission
Admission
to the graduate program is competitive. Those who meet stated minimum
requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all
of those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other
appropriate strengths.
B. University Admission Procedures
Applicants
must submit all of the following items to the Office of Graduate Studies before
admission can be considered:
Admission
decisions are made twice a year.
Applications are due by December 1 November 1, or July 1 April 1 and applications
will only be reviewed and decisions made at the time of the application
deadlines. Admission application forms are
available from the Office of Graduate Studies, from the departments, and are available online at (http://www.udel.edu/admissions/appinfo.html). http://www.udel.edu/gradoffice/applicants/index.html
A $60
nonrefundable application fee must be submitted with the application. Checks
must be made payable to the
An
official transcript of all previous college records must be sent directly from
the institution to the Office of Graduate Studies. Students who have attended
the
Applicants
must submit at least three letters of recommendation. The educational leadership faculty recommend
that one letter come from a teaching supervisor (e.g., principal or curriculum
specialist), and the other two may come from a faculty member or another
individual who is familiar with the quality of the applicant’s academic
ability.
International
student applicants must demonstrate a satisfactory level of proficiency in the
English language if English is not their first language. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is
offered by the Educational Testing Service in test centers throughout the
world. TOEFL scores more than two years old cannot be validated or considered
official. International students must be offered admission to the University
and provide evidence of adequate financial resources before a student visa will
be issued. The University has been authorized under federal law to enroll
nonimmigrant alien students. International students are required to purchase
the University-sponsored insurance plan or its equivalent.
It is a
Delaware State Board of Health Regulation and a
C. Specific Requirements for Admission
into the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership
Admission
decisions are made by the full-time faculty in educational leadership.
Students will be admitted to the program based upon enrollment availability and
their ability to meet the following minimum recommended entrance requirements.
· Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
· Transcripts showing an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher. Applicants with lower than expected performance are not automatically disqualified, but should provide an explanation for their prior performance and describe the experiences, skills, and dispositions they believe indicate the ability to succeed at the graduate level.
·
Transcripts showing a minimum GPA of 3.0 for all graduate courses
completed (if applicable). This GPA applies to graduate level courses taken through continuing
education or graduate programs at the
·
Three letters of recommendation from individuals who are able to assess
the applicant’s academic potential. Letters should be from professors who
can attest to the candidate’s suitability for graduate study and
supervisors who can comment on the candidate’s professional commitment
and experience. Letters from family, friends, and professional peers are
strongly discouraged.
·
For students whose native language is not English, an officially
reported minimum TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based test) or 250 (computer-based
test).
·
A written statement of goals and objectives. This three-question essay
response is part of the standard Graduate Studies application and should (a)
clearly describe why the applicant wishes to pursue a MED in Educational Leadership
and (b) indicate and explain which of the two specializations concentrations the applicant wishes to be considered
for.
Any applicant seeking
D. Admission
Status
Students admitted into the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership
may be admitted into one of two categories.
1)
Regular. Regular status is offered to students who meet all of the established
entrance requirements and who have the ability, interest, and commitment
necessary for successful study at the graduate level in a degree program.
2)
Provisional. Provisional status is offered to students who are seeking admission
to the degree program but lack one or more of the specified prerequisites. All
provisional requirements must be met within the deadline given before regular
status can be granted. Students admitted with provisional status are generally
not eligible for assistantships or fellowships.
Part III. Degree
Requirements for the Master of Education
in Educational Leadership
The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership requires a minimum of 33 credits of
graduate-level coursework. The required
coursework is as follows:
I.
General
Requirements (15 credits)
II.
Research
Requirement (3 credits, select one
with advisor consent):
III. Specializations
Concentrations (must select either A or B)
A.
School
Administration Specialization Concentration (12 credits)
This option meets
OR
B.
Adult &
Postsecondary Education Administration Specialization Concentration (12 credits)
III.
Educational
Leadership Practicum (3 -6 credits)
All students are required to complete the graduate course, EDUC
879 Internship in Education. Students in the School Administration Concentration will
complete a 6-credit internship; students in the Adult & Post-Secondary
Education Administration Concentration will complete a 3-credit internship plus
one additional 3-credit course selected with the approval of their faculty
advisor.
To describe and analyze the field experience, students will
complete a portfolio. The portfolio must document what was done and explain how
the student achieved the objectives. In addition, the portfolio must reflect
statements of how the field experience manifested the
A. Financial Assistance
Financial assistance for full-time
students in the M.Ed. program is obtained from a variety of external sources
and will therefore vary in form and availability. Assistance will be
awarded on a competitive basis to applicants who best fit the needs of the
granting agencies and sponsoring faculty. Students receiving full
stipends will be expected to work up to 20 hours per week on faculty projects
and students are expected to maintain full-time status.
B. Application for Advanced Degree.
To initiate the process for degree
conferral, candidates must submit an "Application for Advanced
Degree" to the Office of Graduate Studies. The application deadlines are
February 15 for Spring candidates, May 15 for Summer candidates, and September
15 for Winter candidates. The application must be signed by the candidate's
adviser and by the Director or the Assistant Director of the
C. Graduate Grade Point Average.
Students
must have a minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to be
eligible for the degree. In addition, the grades in courses applied toward the
degree program must equal at least 3.0. All graduate-numbered courses taken
with graduate student classification at the
D. Time Limits for the Completion of Degree
Requirements.
Time
limits for the completion of degree requirements begin with the date of
matriculation and are specifically expressed in the student's letter of
admission. The University policy for students entering a master's degree
program is ten consecutive semesters to complete the degree requirements.
Students who change their degree plan and have transferred from one degree
program to another degree program are given ten consecutive semesters from the
beginning of the first year in the latest program.
E. Extension of the Time Limit.
An
extension of time limit may be granted for circumstances beyond the student's
control. Requests for time extensions must be made in writing and approved by
the student's adviser and the Director or Assistant Director of the
F. Transfer of
Credit Earned as a Continuing Education Student at the
Students
who complete graduate credits with the classification of CEND (Continuing
Education Nondegree) at the
G. Transfer of
Credit from Another Institution.
Graduate
credit earned at another institution will be evaluated at the written request
of the student. Such a request should be submitted first to his or her advisor
using a Request for Transfer of Graduate Credit form. A maximum of 9 credits
required for the degree will be accepted provided that such credits: (a) were
earned with a grade of no less than B-, (b) are approved by the student's
adviser and the Director/Assistant Director of the School of Education, (c) are
in accord with the requirements of the degree, (d) are not older than five
years, and (e) were completed at an accredited college or university. The
credits, but not the grades or quality points, are transferable to
H. Transfer of Credit from the
Undergraduate Division at the
Students
who wish to transfer credits from their undergraduate record to their graduate
record may transfer a limited number by arranging with the department to have
these courses approved by their instructors before the courses are taken. These
courses must be at the 600-level, and the student must perform at the graduate
level. They must be in excess of the total required for the baccalaureate
degree, must have grades of no less than B-, and must not be older than five
years. The credits, grades, and quality points will transfer.