Master of Education in Educational Leadership Degree Program
Master of Education in Educational Leadership with Eligibility for Principal Endorsement
North Central College’s Educational Leadership program’s moral purpose is to develop leaders who foster educational environments where all individuals can flourish. The program cultivates practical wisdom through the development of professional competencies, leader virtues and character. The program inspires leaders who create cultures of character through contextualized leadership styles and culturally responsive leadership.
Learn more at an INSTANT ADMISSION WEBINAR
Program Overview
- Online delivery with 8 week course sessions, including scheduled virtual class meetings
- 36 credits, complete in as little as 6 semesters
- Personalized year-long ISBE required internship
- School management preparation with a focus on creating ethical and effective leaders
Eligibility
- Illinois Professional Educator License
- Minimum of 2 years of teaching experience
Cost of Attendance and Education Alliance Partner Benefits
Graduate candidates are eligible for up to $20,500 in the federal direct unsubsidized loan annually; this includes fall, spring, and summer semesters.
North Central offers a payment plan for fall and spring semesters through a third party vendor.
EDUCATION ALLIANCE PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS
North Central is proud to provide a 20% tuition benefit to educators employed by the listed school district partners. Additionally, educators working in member institutions of the following can receive the benefit:
- Illinois Network of Charter Schools
- Lake County Regional Office of Education
- Midwest Principals' Center
- North Cook, South Cook and West40 Intermediate Service Center
- Click here for the full listing of school district partnerships
Applicants whose principal mentor is an Illinois Principals Association member are also eligible. To verify your eligibility, contact Marsha Webster at mbwebster@noctrl.edu.
How to Apply
Launch your degree in the fall, summer, or spring semester! Click below for more information regarding deadlines and application instructions.
Master of Education in Educational Leadership Curriculum
This master's degree requires a student to complete 36 credit hours of prescribed coursework:
- Seven 4-credit hour courses, each course offered in an 8 week session
- A year-long internship (3 courses, 8 credit hours total)
- Can be completed while candidates are employed full-time
Educational Leadership, M.Ed.
WITH ELIGIBILITY FOR THE PRINCIPAL ENDORSEMENT
The purpose of the Master of Educational Leadership Degree (M.Ed) is to develop principals and assistant principals who have the vision, perspective, and skills to lead educational communities. The program provides students with an understanding of the school environment and how an administrator--through his/her abilities at the technical, managerial and institutional levels--creates and fosters a professional learning environment that facilitates the learning of students, teachers, and staff. Students are provided a breadth of theory in leadership as well as a foundation of knowledge, practical experiences and performances necessary for the enterprise of educational leadership. The North Central College program provides a strong foundation of knowledge, dispositions and performance based on the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL, formerly ISLLC) leadership standards to prepare candidates to become successful school assistant principals and principals. It is also aligned to NELP and Illinois Performance Standards for School Leaders.
The North Central College Educational Leadership Master's Degree admission standards address the new Illinois State Board of Education requirements for candidates, including appropriate educators license and two-years of professional experience in schools. Latest updates to admission requirements are available on the graduate admissions web page.
The program and its internship requirements can still be completed while employed full-time in a school setting. It does not require a candidate to take a leave of absence. The year-long internship is taken by enrolling in MEDU 691, MEDU 692, and MEDU 693 (optional order as approved).
This one-year internship requires the selection of a principal mentor. As prescribed by the State of Illinois requirements, the principal mentor must have a minimum of two years of experience, an Illinois license and evidence of student growth in two of the past five years as a principal. As part of the program, candidates will be required to participate in training by certified staff in accordance with provisions of Section 24 A-3 of the School Code (105 ILCS/24A-3). This training will involve completion of the State-prescribed teacher supervision modules. Students are also required to take Principal exams as designated for the principal endorsement, currently Principal Exam 195 & 196.
The program includes requirements for fulfilling licensure requirements for the principal endorsement.
Candidates successfully completing a principal preparation program shall obtain a principal endorsement and are eligible to work as a principal or assistant principal. (Section 21-7.1 of the School Code; also see 23 Ill. Adm.Code 25.337)
The Masters degree in Educational Leadership requires a student to complete 36 credit hours of prescribed coursework. Students who complete the M.Ed. degree in Educational Leadership may earn a principal endorsement on a State of Illinois educator license, a customary requirement to become a principal or assistant principal.
-
MEDU 500 - Mission-Driven Leadership
MEDU 500 - Mission-Driven Leadership
4.00 credit hours
Mission-driven Leadership emphasizes the development of future school leaders, serving as a pre-admission course to either a Masters in Educational Leadership with principal endorsement or Masters of Arts with teacher leader endorsement. Students examine school culture, standards, organizations and the learning community, and the importance of increasing leadership capacity to achieve success in schools today. The course fosters development and competencies in future leaders regarding decisions they will make about their practice and how those decisions impact students, teachers and the community.
-
MEDU 535 - Supervision and Instruction
MEDU 535 - Supervision and Instruction
4.00 credit hours
An examination of the educational leader's role as a facilitator of learning. The primary objective of the course is the development of human resources as integral to achieving school success for students. Content includes exploration of coaching, mentoring, supervision, evaluation, pedagogical inquiry, conflict resolution, critical conversations, professional development and instructional development. The emphasis is on developing the skills of leadership that are required to enhance and extend student learning, including instructional supervision whether as a teacher colleague or supervisor. Candidates in principal preparation are required to participate in training by certified staff in accordance with the provisions of Section 24A-3 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/24A-3] outside of the course and prior to the Internship.
-
MEDU 536 - School, Home and Community
MEDU 536 - School, Home and Community
4.00 credit hours
School, Home and Community is a course for each aspiring leader to discover and define the administrator's or teacher leader's interactive role and relationship in the school, home and community. Through discussion, interactive exploration, action teams and networking, the student experiences ways to be a collaborative leader within the triad of the school, home and community. Focus is on cultural responsiveness, implicit bias, collaboration, inclusion, partnership-building and fostering community stakeholders.
-
MEDU 610 - Operations and Management
MEDU 610 - Operations and Management
4.00 credit hours
A focus on the use of leadership skills in the management function of the school principal. Students learn about the day-to-day responsibilities as well as the general, longer-term responsibilities of the school principal. Care and maintenance of the school plant, operating the food service program and the principal's role in transporting students are studied. Students study the principal's role in developing and managing a school budget. A focus is also given to writing building level operation and management orientated policies and procedures.
-
MEDU 620 - Curriculum and Program Assessment
MEDU 620 - Curriculum and Program Assessment
4.00 credit hours
Increases the student's understanding of curricular and program assessment, data-driven decision-making and technology as a transformative tool. Students gain an understanding of data collection and analysis and how to use that information in the decision-making process. Using data collected through program assessment, students learn how to formulate effective school improvement plans, impacting instruction and learning. Students also discover technology as a tool for instructional efficacy and program improvement.
-
MEDU 622 - School Law and Policies
MEDU 622 - School Law and Policies
4.00 credit hours
This course review and analyzes general legal principles, judicial and statutory law and regulatory agencies that impact schools and educational leaders. Relevant federal and state constitutions, statutes and court decisions are examined for their impact upon the responsibilities of teachers, principals, office administrators, superintendents and school board members. Students explore professional ethics, the process and management of litigation, policy development at the district level and the constitutional, statutory and regulatory provisions and accompanying legal issues.
-
MEDU 691 - Educational Internship I
MEDU 691 - Educational Internship I
3.00 credit hours
Provides extensive opportunities for leadership candidates to experience authentic field experiences and leadership development. During the internship, students are required to complete experiences working with all levels of students Pre-K-12, including special education. Internship projects require students to demonstrate proficiency in understanding and developing a school improvement plan, teacher professional development/evaluation and school-wide management of systems and resources. Each project includes a summative evaluation. During the internship experience, students work in partnership with a North Central College faculty supervisor and a field administrator as a mentor. MEDU 691,
-
MEDU 692 - Educational Internship II
MEDU 692 - Educational Internship II
3.00 credit hours
Provides extensive opportunities for leadership candidates to experience authentic field experiences and leadership development. During the internship, students are required to complete experiences working with all levels of students Pre-K-12, including special education. Internship projects require students to demonstrate proficiency in understanding and developing a school improvement plan, teacher professional development/evaluation and school-wide management of systems and resources. Each project includes a summative evaluation. During the internship experience, students work in partnership with a North Central College faculty supervisor and a field administrator as a mentor.
-
MEDU 693 - Educational Internship Residency
MEDU 693 - Educational Internship Residency
2.00 credit hours
This course helps students apply and extend the field experiences of the internship to an immersive sustained administrative experience. Students serve in a full-time administrative role mentored by a field administrator for a minimum of two weeks full-time or four weeks half-time (approximately 80 hours total). This experience, combined with the year-long internship experience of
-
MEDU 696 - Educational Leadership Capstone
MEDU 696 - Educational Leadership Capstone
4.00 credit hours
The capstone experience for the Master of Education in Educational Leadership. It requires the analysis, synthesis and application of all learning and coursework in the program, as well as the graduate's own experiential knowledge. Students are expected to frame contemporary educational issues and provide varied approaches to address those encountered by school administrators. The student develops a personal leadership platform paper and a video of themselves presenting their philosophy with guiding principles for action.
Education Alliance Partner Program
North Central College is proud to partner with several leading professional associations for educators as well as school districts. The benefits of these partnerships includes a 20% tuition grant when educators enter the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program. Click on this link to view the many school partnerships participating in this program: Education Alliance Partner Program.
- Find out how your school district can qualify for the Education Alliance Grant. (PDF)
- Questions? Contact Marsha Webster, mbwebster@noctrl.edu
Professional Associations
Faculty and Staff
Our faculty commitment to Cultures of Character...
Bruce Spitzer
With a light heart and a servant’s perspective, Dr. Spitzer seeks to empower the work of individuals and groups that value learning, seek justice, and promote equality and success for all. He considers himself a teacher at heart, a teacher educator by calling, and technology-using professional by training. He enjoys working with people who are dedicated to creating tomorrow's teachers, school professionals, and community leaders who will make a difference in the world. Bruce believes our work with character development provides North Central College with a framework and a vocabulary to put into words the deeply held beliefs and dispositions we teachers and teacher educators have long known in our hearts. Schools are about more than the content we teach: we work to develop the whole child into a virtuous citizen who can contribute to building a better world.
Kathleen B. King
Driven to facilitate the realization of others’ potential, Dr. King is deeply committed to character and leadership development through the fostering of school cultures centered on core virtues. In her teaching, she is dedicated to assuring professionals in the classroom and administrative ranks are committed to opportunity and equity, skilled in cultivating stakeholders of common mission, dedicated to fostering flourishing communities, and adept at facilitating growth towards our greatest potential.
Maureen V. Spelman
The overarching vision that has guided Dr. Spelman’s journey as a professional educator has been one of ensuring that all children have access to a high-quality learning environment. Her belief that the school leader is the keystone in that vision led her to the NCC Educational Leadership program. Dr. Spelman values and strives to integrate moral, ethical, servant, transformational, and visionary leadership styles into her work. She is committed to a path of personal life-long development focused on the character strengths/virtues of courage, strength, patience, wisdom, dignity, grace, kindness, and compassion.
The Master of Education in Educational Leadership program features a curriculum infused with research-based character education instruction. You’ll learn what it takes to promote a culture of character in your school while also mastering strong management and operational skills.
Program Outcomes
Identify and develop your own sense of a leadership role through clarity of your own vision, values, beliefs, and character orientation.
Learn how to create a safe, supportive, and nurturing culture including character frameworks.
Develop your ability to put systems into place and advocate for student-centered cultures of character that promote agency, including story-telling and sharing of best practice.
Advance your ability as a school leader to create environments that promote character development through parent and community partnerships, management efficacy and ongoing school improvement reflective of a growth mindset.
"We grapple with authentic ethical dilemmas faced by educational leaders during each class session. We work through the dilemmas, with the goal of preparing prepare candidates to recognize how to build a collective framework of wisdom with which to analyze and address situations." Maureen Spelman, Ed.D. Professor of Education and Coordinator of Character Initiatives
“Our program is 100% online, but also incorporates a unique combination of asynchronous work coupled with scheduled virtual class meetings. You’ll get to know your peers and continue to develop those important professional relationships and cohort-based friendships just as you would if you were coming to class on campus.”
