Master of Education in Educational Leadership Degree Program
Master of Education in Educational Leadership with Eligibility for Principal Endorsement
This program is delivered online and includes scheduled virtual class meetings.
“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.” Dr. Bruce A. Spitzer, chair Education Department
Join us for the next Instant Admission Webinar to learn more about how our graduate program can set you up for success in an educational leadership position.
The Educational Leadership program is focused on the moral purpose of building the capacity of our graduate candidates so they can go forward and bring Cultures of Character practices into the heart of their school communities. Our program leaves students with more than just a graduate degree- the Masters Educational Leadership program prepares students for educational leadership by focusing on professional development through real-world experience.
Educational Leadership Program Foundation Components
Why Cultures of Character?
The graduate program has an emphasis on character combined with culture-building allows future leaders to not only design curricular efforts for character education and Social Emotional Learning, but also to extend this work throughout all aspects of the school environment. Our educational leadership program will supply graduate candidates continuing education with a wealth of knowledge and experience in instructional, organizational, and school leadership, which will help set them for success in any future career opportunities.
Watch our M.Ed. in Educational Leadership webinar to learn more.
- 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.
Click here for instructions on how to apply
Follow us on Facebook.
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
- A year-long internship (3 courses, 8 credit hours total)
- Can be completed while candidates are employed full-time
| Complete the program in as little as 24 months | |
|---|---|
| Fall 2023 | |
| MEDU 500 | Mission-driven Leadership (4) |
| Spring 2024 | |
| MEDU 536 | School, Home & Community (4) |
| MEDU 620 | Curriculum & Program Assessment (4) |
| Summer 2024 | |
| MEDU 535 | Supervision & Instruction (4) |
| MEDU 693 | Educational Internship Residency (2) |
| Fall 2024 | |
| MEDU 622 | School Law & Policies (4) |
| MEDU 691 | Educational Internship I (3) |
| Spring 2025 | |
| MEDU 610 | Operations & Management (4) |
| MEDU 692 | Educational Internship II (3) |
| Summer 2025 | |
| MEDU 696 | Educational Leadership Capstone (4) |
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 Partnership Grants
North Central College has partnered with several businesses and school districts to offer eligible M.Ed. students a 20 percent tuition discount. We invite you to explore the Education Alliance Grant to learn more.
- Find out how your school district can qualify for the Education Alliance Grant. (PDF)
- Questions? Contact Marsha Webster, mbwebster@noctrl.edu
| School District Name | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-Valley Special Education Cooperative | ||
| North DuPage Special Education Cooperative | ||
| Bensenville School District | 2 | |
| Addison School District | 4 | |
| Queen Bee School District | 16 | |
| West Chicago Elementary | 33 | |
| School District 45 (Villa Park) | 45 | |
| Elgin School District | U-46 | |
| Schaumburg School District | 54 | |
| Downers Grove Grade School District | 58 | |
| Woodridge School District | 68 | |
| Franklin Park School District | 84 | |
| Joliet School District | 86 | ` |
| Richland School District | 88-A | |
| Comm. Consolidated School District (Bloomingdale) | 93 | |
| Community H.S. District (West Chicago) | 94 | |
| Community H.S. District (Downers Grove) | 99 | |
| Lake Park High School District | 108 | |
| Lemont Bromberek | 113a | |
| Manhattan School District | 114 | |
| Princeton Elementary District | 115 | |
| Yorkville School District | 115 | |
| Jacksonville School District | 117 | |
| Harlem School District | 122 | |
| Aurora West School District | 129 | |
| Aurora East School District | 131 | |
| Country Club Hills School District | 160 | |
| Hinsdale CCSD | 181 | |
| Wheaton Warrenville CSD | 200 | |
| Plainfield School District | 202 | |
| Naperville School District | 203 | |
| Indian Prairie School District | 204 | |
| Joliet Twp HSD | 204 | |
| Lockport HSD | 205 | |
| High School District (Arlington Heights) | 214 | |
| Geneva School District | 304 | |
| Oswego School District | 308 | |
| Valleyview (Bolingbrook) | 365U | |
| Providence Catholic High School |
| Midwest Principals Center | Number | School District | Number | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alsip/Hazelgreen/Oak Lawn School District | 126 | Midlothian School District | 143 | ||
| Aptakisic-Tripp Comm Cons School District | 102 | Mt. Prospect School District | 57 | ||
| Arlington Heights School District | 25 | Mundelein School District | 75 | ||
| Barrington Community School District | 220 | New Trier Township High School District | 203 | ||
| Beecher School District | 200U | Norridge School District | 80 | ||
| Berkeley School District | 87 | North Palos School District | 117 | ||
| Berwyn South School District | 100 | North Shore School District | 112 | ||
| Bloomingdale School District | 13 | Northbrook School District | 28 | ||
| Cary Community Consolidated School Dist | 26 | Northbrook/Glenview School District | 30 | ||
| Community Consolidated School District | 15 | Bellwood School District | 88 | ||
| Community Consolidated School District | 21 | Chicago Ridge School District | 127.5 | ||
| Community Consolidated School District | 59 | DeKalb Community Unit School District | 428 | ||
| Community Consolidated School District | 93 | East Maine School District | 63 | ||
| Community Consolidated School District | 181 | ECHO Joint Agreement | |||
| Community High School District | 128 | Lake Bluff School District | 65 | ||
| Community High School District | 155 | Naperville CUSD | 203 | ||
| Community High School District | 218 | Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization (NSSEO) | 805 | ||
| Consolidated High School District | 230 | Oak Grove School District | 68 | ||
| Deerfield School District | 109 | Oak Lawn School District | 123 | ||
| Des Plaines School District | 62 | Palos School District | 118 | ||
| DuPage County School District | 45 | Park Ridge-Niles School District | 64 | ||
| Elmhurst School District | 205 | Plainfield CCSD | 202 | ||
| Glen Ellyn Community Cons School District | 89 | Pleasantdale School District | 107 | ||
| Glen Ellyn School District | 41 | Prairie Hills School District | 144 | ||
| Glenbrook High School District | 225 | Prospect Heights School District | 23 | ||
| Glencoe School District | 35 | Queen Bee School District | 16 | ||
| Grayslake Community High School District | 127 | River Trails School District | 26 | ||
| Harvard Community Unit School District | 50 | Schaumburg School District | 54 | ||
| Hillside School District | 93 | Schiller Park School District | 81 | ||
| Hinsdale Township High School District | 86 | School Association for Sp. Ed. in DuPage | |||
| Indian Prairie School District | 204 | Skokie School District | 68 | ||
| Kildeer Countryside School District | 96 | Skokie School District | 69 | ||
| LaGrange School District | 105 | Skokie School District | 73.5 | ||
| Lake Forest Elementary School District | 67 | St. Charles Community School District | 303 | ||
| Lake Forest High School District | 115 | Township High School District | 113 | ||
| Lake Villa School District | 41 | Township High School District | 211 | ||
| Lincolnwood School District | 74 | Township High School District | 214 | ||
| Lisle School District | 202 | Wauconda Community School District | 118 | ||
| Lockport Township High School District | 205 | Wilmette School District | 39 | ||
| Lombard Elementary School District | 44 | Winnetka School District | 36 | ||
| Maine Township High School District | 207 | Wood Dale School District | 7 | ||
| Mannheim School District | 83 | Woodridge School District | 68 | ||
| Marquardt School District | 15 | Worth School District | 127 | ||
| McHenry High School District | 156 | Yorkville Community Unit School District | 115 | ||
| North Cook School District | Number | South Cook School District | Number | West40 School District | Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palatine CCSD | 15 | Summit SD | 104 | Hazel Crest SD | 152.5 | Rosemont | 78 | |||
| Wheeling CCSD | 21 | Willow Springs SD | 108 | Homewood SD | 153 | Pennoyer | 79 | |||
| Prospect Heights | 23 | Indian Springs SD | 109 | Thornton SD | 154 | Norridge | 80 | |||
| Arlington Heights | 25 | Central Stickney SD | 110 | Burnham SD | 154.5 | Schiller Park | 81 | |||
| River Trails | 26 | Burbank SD | 111 | Calumet City SD | 155 | Mannheim School | 83 | |||
| Northbrook (Jr. High) | 27 | Lemont-Bromberek CSD | 113a | Lincoln ESD | 156 | Franklin Park School | 84 | |||
| Northbrook (Elem.) | 28 | North Palos SD | 117 | Hoover-Schrum Memorial SD | 157 | Rhodes School | 84.5 | |||
| Sunset Ridge | 29 | Palos CCSD | 118 | Lansing SD | 158 | River Grove School | 85.5 | |||
| Northbrook/Glenview | 30 | Ridgeland SD | 122 | ESD - Matteson | 159 | Union Ridge School | 86 | |||
| West Northfield | 31 | Oak Lawn-Hometown SD | 123 | Country Club Hills SD | 160 | Berkeley | 87 | |||
| Glenview | 34 | Evergreen Park ESD | 124 | Flossmoor SD | 161 | Bellwood | 88 | |||
| Glencoe | 35 | Atwood Heights SDS | 125 | Matteson ESD | 162 | Maywood-Melrose Park-Broadview | 89 | |||
| Winnetka | 36 | Alsip-Hazlgreen-Oaklawn SD | 126 | Park Forest SD | 163 | River Forest School | 90 | |||
| Avoca | 37 | Worth SD | 127 | Brookwood SD | 167 | Forest Park | 91 | |||
| Kenilworth | 38 | Chicago Ridge SD | 127.5 | CCSD - Sauk Village | 168 | Lindop | 92 | |||
| Wilmette | 39 | Palos Heights SD | 128 | Ford Heights SD | 169 | Westchester School | 92.5 | |||
| Schaumburg | 54 | Cook County SD | 130 | Chicago Heights SD | 170 | Hillside | 93 | |||
| Mount Prospect | 57 | Calumet Public SD | 132 | Sunnybrook SD | 171 | Komarek School | 94 | |||
| CCSD (Elk Grove Village) | 59 | Gen George Patton SD | 133 | Sandridge SD | 172 | Brookfield-LaGrange Park | 95 | |||
| Des Plaines | 62 | Orland SD | 135 | Steger SD | 194 | Riverside School | 96 | |||
| East Maine | 63 | Kirby SD | 140 | Thornton Twp. HSD | 205 | Oak Park School | 97 | |||
| Park Ridge-Niles | 64 | Forest Ridge SD | 142 | Bloom Twp HSD | 206 | Berwyn North | 98 | |||
| Golf | 67 | Midlothian SD | 143 | Lemont Twp HSD | 210 | Cicero School | 99 | |||
| Skokie | 68 | Posen-Robbins ESD | 143.5 | Thornton Fractional Twp HSD | 215 | Berwyn South | 100 | |||
| Skokie | 69 | Prairie-Hills ESD | 144 | Argo CHSD | 217 | Western Springs School | 101 | |||
| Morton Grove | 70 | Arbor Park SD | 145 | CHSD - Oak Lawn | 218 | La Grange North School | 102 | |||
| Niles Elementary | 71 | Tinley Park CCSD | 146 | Reavis Twp. HSD | 220 | Lyons School | 103 | |||
| Fairview | 72 | W Harvey-Dixmoor PSD | 147 | Rich Twp HSD | 227 | La Grange South School | 105 | |||
| East Prairie | 73 | Dolton SD | 148 | Bremen CHSD | 228 | La Grange Highlands Schools | 106 | |||
| Skokie | 73.5 | Dolton SD | 149 | Oak Lawn CHSD | 229 | Pleasantdale | 107 | |||
| Lincolnwood | 74 | South Holland SD | 150 | Cons HSD | 230 | Oak Park & River Forest | 200 | |||
| South Holland SD | 151 | Evergreen Park CHSD | 231 | J.S. Morton High School | 201 | |||||
| Harvey SD | 152 | Homewood Flossmoor CHSD | 233 | Lyons Township | 204 | |||||
| Riverside/Brookfield Township | 208 | |||||||||
| Proviso Township High School | 209 | |||||||||
| Leyden Community High School | 212 | |||||||||
| Ridgewood High School | 234 | |||||||||
| Elmwood Park | 401 |
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.
Colleen M. Transier
Throughout her tenure as an educator, Dr. Transier has focused on building the capacity of others to achieve their maximum potential, both personally and professionally. Her journey as a teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent has provided keen insights into the diverse needs of school communities where aspiring school leaders will serve. As a professor, Dr. Transier strives to support school leaders in cultivating the essential knowledge and skills necessary to effectively lead schools, while additionally nurturing a culture of character in their school settings. Having served in both the public and parochial school settings, Dr. Transier affirms the contribution character education provides in a flourishing school culture.