Educational Administration Program Information and Admission Requirements

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• School Principalship PK-8 - Master of Arts in Education Degree
• School Principalship 7-12 - Master of Arts in Education Degree
• Curriculum Supervisor of Academic Area - Master of Arts in Education Degree
• Supervisor of Special Education - Master of Arts in Education Degree
• School Superintendent - Education Specialist Degree
• EDAD Courses
• Department of Educational Administration

The department offers two degrees:

• Master of Arts in Education Degree
  • School Principalship PK-8
  • School Principalship 7-12
  • Curriculum Supervisor of Academic Area
  • Supervisor of Special Education
• Education Specialist Degree
  • School Superintendent

Departmental Objectives

Graduates will be effective school administrators, who are responsive, reflective, and collaborative decision makers and who have the requisite knowledge, skills, and technological expertise to organize learning environments that embrace the principles of democracy, diversity, and equity.

Program Objectives

Educational Administration Program objectives are aligned with the College of Education 9 Desired Outcomes (DO) for graduates, Nebraska Department of Education (NDE), Administrator Certification Rule 24, and the seven standards adopted by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA) in January 2002.

Nebraska Certification Requirements

• Approved Programs: Graduate programs in Educational Administration for school personnel are approved for Nebraska Administrative and Supervisory Certification.
• Special Education Requirement: Nebraska certification requires the completion of a Special Education course covering the identification of handicapping conditions and the various alternatives to providing educational opportunities for handicapped students. This requirement is a prerequisite for administrative certification and must have been met prior to a graduate degree in EDAD or taken as an elective within the graduate program of study. Program applicants who received their initial teaching certificate prior to September 1, 1992 will be required to take TESE 821P in place of one of their program electives.
• Human Relations Requirement: The Nebraska requirements on human relations are met through the completion of the required coursework within a Master's Degree Program in Educational Administration.

Educational Administration Admission Requirements

In addition to the general requirements of the Office of Graduate Studies, the criteria for admission to this degree program consist of the following:

1. An undergraduate grade point average of 2.75;
2. Submit written recommendations from two school administrators and one other individual who can comment on your potential to do graduate study and for educational leadership. (Contact EDAD department for appropriate forms.);
3. Submit an essay on why you wish to pursue a career in school administration. (Contact the EDAD Department for appropriate format.);
4. A satisfactory score on the Pre-Professional Skills Test is required if the applicant has not taught for three consecutive years in the same school system. (Statewide passing scores are established by the State Board of Education);
5. A faculty review of departmental application form.
6. Members of the Educational Administration Department will evaluate each applicant following the completion of 12 semester hours of coursework. At this point the department will make a decision relating to acceptance into a program by approving the applicant for candidacy.

All above requirements must be met to continue in the program beyond eighteen hours of coursework. Any deviation from the above requirements is by departmental approval only.

Time Limitation

The coursework for the M.A.Ed. and Ed.S. degrees must be completed within a period of 10 years.

Advising

Each student is assigned an advisor in the EDAD Department at the time of acceptance for graduate study.

Coursework

The required graduate coursework for the M.A.Ed. degree in EDAD minimally is 36 semester hours of approved study beyond the bachelor's degree.

Transfer of Credit

The transfer of credit applicable to the Master's Degree program is determined at the discretion of the Office of Graduate Studies and the Department of Educational Administration upon evaluation of the prior academic record of the student. A maximum of 9 semester hours may be transferred into a degree program from institutions other than the University of Nebraska.

Quality of Work

Once a student begins a Master's Degree program, he/she must maintain a scholastic record of 3.00 based on a 4.00 scale.

Thesis Option

Master's Degree candidates may select a thesis option. The thesis option is a six-hour registration which includes participation in the monthly research seminars and fulfills the elective requirement. The thesis is written under the direct supervision and guidance of the advisor. Thesis acceptance by the students committee follows an oral examination over the study. The oral examination is in lieu of the comprehensive written examination required of Master's Degree Candidates.

Comprehensive Examination

A comprehensive examination is administered prior to, or during, the session in which the student is expected to receive the degree. Departmental procedures require that all EDAD coursework, except arranged courses, be completed or in progress before comprehensive examinations may be taken.

Degree Endorsement

Applicants for this endorsement shall have the equivalent of two full school years teaching experience in approved/ accredited elementary and/or secondary schools. This endorsement also requires a minimum of one semester internship experience supervised by a standard institution of high education in an approved or accredited elementary, middle or secondary school.

Non-Degree Endorsements

The granting of the principalship endorsement is based on the level (elementary or secondary) of the certification held by the candidate. Those having a K-12 endorsement may opt for either a PK-8 or 7-12 program. Special Education endorsements and teaching experiences will determine the certification level for Special Educators. The University of Nebraska at Kearney offers two non-degree administrative endorsements: School Principalship PK-8 and School Principalship 7-12.

For those candidates with a principalship endorsement, who wish to qualify for the opposite principalship endorsement, 12 hours are required in addition to the basic 36-hour program. For more information about these endorsements, please contact the Department of Educational Administration.