Educational Leadership Courses

Leadership Core

ADE 6381: Leadership I: Adult Learning and Assessment
3 Semester hours. This foundational course focuses on the continuous learning that is essential for all individuals in an effective, dynamic educational unit or organization. It emphasizes analysis of oneself and of organizations and groups as learners and provides an opportunity to explore concepts, processes, and barriers in adult learning.
EDS 6100 Leadership II: Theories and Assessment
3 semester hours. The study of leadership theories, characteristics, behaviors and use of instruments that will provide indicators of leadership style with emphasis on the development of skills and abilities essential for effective leadership for different group situations, and applying knowledge and skills in context of a workplace environment.
EDA 6103: Leadership III: Administrative Processes
3 Semester hours. Explores processes necessary for leadership. Allows practitioners to develop the decision making, problem solving, communications, motivation, and conflict management skills for team building, consensus building, and group leadership.
EDA 7106: Leadership V: Reframing Educational Organizations
3 Semester hours. This course focuses on the structural, human resource, political, and symbolic dynamics of organizational life and the skills necessary to develop learning organization. Provides understanding of: (1) organizational models, (2) use of organizational structures and behavior, and (3) change models and processes.
EDA 7931: Leadership VI: Seminar in Leadership
3 semester hours. Focuses on mind-set and process skills used to lead organizations. Provides practitioners with skills to (1) envision the future; (2) be conservers of what is good; (3) find opportunities to respond to contextual demands; and, (4) craft a vision.

Adult and Community Education Professional Knowledge

ADE 5185: Adult and Community Education in a Changing Society
3 Semester Hours. An overview of adult and community education: history, philosophical based scope, processes and trends. Special emphasis is placed on the role of lifelong learning in a rapidly changing society.
ADE 6184: Program and Curriculum Development for Adults
3 Semester hours. Philosophy, principles, and practices in designing, implementing and evaluating programs and curricula for adults in a wide variety of settings.
ADE 6265: Organization and Administration of Adult/Community Education
3 Semester hours. A comprehensive overview of the principles and processes essential for effective management of adult or community education programs. Addresses the state competencies for adult education administrators.
ADE 6930: Seminar in Adult/Community Education
3 Semester hours. Selected topics in adult education. Students may select any one or a combination of topics for a maximum of five hours of credit.
ADE 7930: Advanced Seminars in Adult/Community Education
6 Semester hours. At least two seminars in various topics offered, including
  • Comparative Adult Education
  • Self-Directed Learning
  • Adult Development
  • Resource Development in Adult/Community / HRD
EDA 7905: Directed Independent Study / Directed Conferences
3-9 Semester hours
EDA 6387: Workplace Learning and Development
3 Semester hours. The course introduces adult learners to theoretical foundations and practical applications of Workplace Learning and Development. This course will explore the areas of theory and practice including formal learning & training, informal and self-directed learning, career development, and organization development. These areas will be examined from a multidisciplinary perspective, and will be considered from the individual, group, and organizational levels. The study of Workplace Learning practice will be grounded in a thorough understanding of organizational behavior as it forms the context in which WPL works, and will create a learning community to safely explore and experience the core principles.
EDA 5931: Organizational Learning and Development
Organizations are characterized by the constancy of and the inability to cope with change. The field of organizational learning and development provides proven strategies to help organizations plan change and respond to unplanned change at individual, group and system levels. Human resource developers and adult educators are often at the center of planning, implementing, and evaluating change. Not only are they responsible for instigating timely, effective, and lasting change, but also they are in the tenuous position of responding to employee and organization needs which are not always compatible. This course addresses this paradox and offers solutions for attending to competing needs and clashing interests in the change process.

Higher Education Professional Knowledge

EDH 6051: Introduction to Higher Education
This course examines key aspects of higher education in the United States within four frameworks; academic affairs, student services, college administration, and governance. Comparative perspectives are also provided. The focus is on shared purposes. Students will become familiar with leading professional resources and associations.
EDH 6635: Organization and Administration of Higher Education
3 Semester hours. Purposes, organization and administration of two-year and four-year institutions of higher education in the U.S., both public and private, are studied.
EDH 6065: History and Philosophy of Higher Education
3 Semester hours. A study of the evolution of western higher education and its philosophical basis. Primary emphasis is on the American college and university movements.
EDH 7505: Higher Education Business and Finance
3 Semester hours. An introduction to concepts and practices of administering business and financial operation in colleges and universities.
EDH 7405: Legal Issues in Higher Education
3 Semester hours. This course explores, through the problem method, various legal issues related to American Higher Education and will enable the individual to study and research in-depth selected topics.
EDH 6045: Student Affairs Leadership
3 Semester Hours. This course provides students with an overview of the student affairs programs in colleges and universities. The course will focus on topics of historical and philosophical foundations, standards and ethics, diverse services and programs, contemporary issues and practices of the student affairs. Students will explore services in public, private and proprietary institutions in areas such as career services, health programs, admissions, registration, housing and residence life, disabled student services, student activities and student organizations
EDH 6215: Community College Curriculum
3 semester hours. An examination of the background, development, function and goals of the curriculum of the community college. The course will emphasize practical applications of concepts and research.
EDH 6305: Improvement of Instruction in Colleges
3 Semester hours. A study in purposes, trends, outcomes, and special programs in the curriculum. It considers techniques for identifying, improving, and rewarding good college teaching. Test construction, measurement, and learning theories are also studied.
EDH 7935: Doctoral Seminar in Higher Education Administration
3 Semester hours. Practical and pragmatic approach toward varying aspects of higher education. Case studies, on-site experience, and visiting speakers illustrate administrative problems and solutions. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
EDH 6058: International Comparative Higher Education
EDH 6040: Student Development Theory
EDH 6931: Contemporary Issues in Student Affairs

K-12 School Leaders Professional Knowledge

EDA 6232: Practical School Law
3 Semester hours. Constitutional, statutory, and common law relating to education, legal aspects of discipline, contracts, tort liability, and attendance.
EDS 6050 Instructional Leadership 1: Role of the Leader in Continuous Improvement
3 Semester Hours: The focus of this course is on the role of the instructional leader in continuous whole school improvement to meet state and national requirements; to develop objectives for implementing, assessing, and revising a school improvement plan; and to monitor its ongoing progress and the attainment of its goals.
EDS 6052 Instructional Leadership 2: Role of the Leader in Continuous School Improvement
Prerequisites: Educational Leadership majors only and EDS 6050. 3 Semester Hours: The focus of this course is on the instructional leader's role in improvement of student learning and meeting students' needs through professional development growth plans, supervision, and evaluation of teachers to improve classroom performance and student learning.
EDA 6207 Managing School Operations
3 Semester Hours: An introductory professional knowledge course for aspiring K-12 administrators. This course focuses on the role of school administrators who are responsible for the day-to-day managerial tasks in accordance with state and national standards for school management.
EDA 6300 Community School Partnerships and Diversity
3 Semester Hours: This course studies the philosophy, principles, practices, agencies and organizations involved in or influencing school community programs and initiatives. The course addresses the identification and utilization of community resources and the creation of family engagement partnerships, community linkages, and collaborative efforts to provide for the educational, cultural, health, lifelong learning, vocational, and out-of-school needs of students and citizens in a multicultural community.
EDA 6062: School Improvement
3 Semester hours. This course will examine current issues in school reform and effective strategies for change. We will study the role of school leaders in improving school programs and performance. We will focus on school organization, curriculum and assessment with the aim of establishing a process of continuous school improvement.
EDA 7061: The Context of Educational Administration
3 Semester Hours. The purpose of the course is to prepare school leaders to understand the role of administrators in differing organizational, governance and policy contexts in which leadership is practiced. The course centers on the belief that administrators must understand the context in which they work prior to attempts at leadership.
EDA 7069: Ethics and Policy Alternatives
3 Semester Hours. This course provides a reflective (and reflexive) overview of the educational policymaking process at local, state, and national levels, and of the ethical principles that can influence such policy-making.
EDA 7235: Seminar in School Law
3 Semester hours. A seminar exploring, through the problem method, various legal aspects related to the administration and organization American education. Individuals will study and research selected topics in depth.
EDA 7930: Seminar in Administration
3 Semester hours. Discussion of problems in school administration, patterns of curriculum organization, and research projects.

Experiential Courses

EDA 6905: Directed Independent Study Organized Travel/Study
3 or 6 Semester hours.
EDA 6925: Administrative Externship #1,2; Action Learning
3 Semester hours.
EDA 6925: Administrative Externship #3; Executive Colloquia
3 Semester hours.
EDA 6945 Fall School Leadership Internship
2 Semester Hours
EDA 6946 Spring School Leadership Internship
2 Semester Hours
EDA 6947 Summer School Leadership Internship
2 Semester Hours
EDA 7905: Directed Independent Study / Directed Conferences
3 Semester hours.
EDA 7943: Field Project I
3-6 Semester hours.
EDA 7944: Field Project II
3-6 Semester hours.
EDA 6946: Internship/Exchange
3 Semester hours. The advisor works mutually with the student in assigning specialized and professional field experiences. Supervision is provided by the field professional and the university. Grades of S and U are used to indicate performance in the internship.
EDA 7945: Internship/Exchange
3 Semester Hours. The advisor works mutually with the student in assigning specialized and professional field experiences. Supervision is provided by the field professional and the university. Grades of S and U are used to indicate performance in the internship.

Research Courses

EDF 3430: Educational Measurement and Evaluation
3 Semester hours. A basic course to train students/teachers to integrate classroom assessment into instructional planning to improve student learning. Along with basic terminology, students will develop particular skills in writing instructional objectives, developing test items of various types, constructing rating scales.
EDA 6415: Introduction to Qualitative Inquiry
3 Semester hours. Introduction to qualitative research design, data collection techniques, fieldwork relations and data analysis.
EDA 7416: Advanced Qualitative Inquiry
3 Semester hours. Qualitative research design, theory building, data analysis, and how to write up qualitative research will be studied. Students will design and implement an individually defined study.
EDA 7912: Advanced Research (Literature Review)
3 Semester hours.
EDF 6481 Educational Research
3 Semester hours. Provides the student with the skills necessary to locate, interpret and analyze educational research. Emphasis is placed on the concepts involved in the critical consumption of educational research.
STA 6113 Educational Statistics
3 Semester hours. Provides the student with a broad knowledge of statistical concepts and techniques necessary for critical consumption of educational research
EDF 7482: Advanced Educational Research Prerequisites: EDF 6481
An in-depth analysis of descriptive and experimental research designs that are appropriate for specific educational problems. An original research report will be produced by the student.
STA 7114: Advanced Statistics Prerequisite: STA 6113
3 Semester hours. Advanced univariate and multivariate statistical techniques used in educational research are covered. Students are expected to gain knowledge and experience in the use of packaged statistical software in data analysis.

Dissertation

Three-step process:
  1. Admission to Candidacy (Form 8)
  2. Dissertation Proposal
  3. Dissertation Approval

Courses Offered Through Other Departments

Through the Department of Information Technology and Research
EME 6426 Administrative Applications of Educational Technology*
3 Semester hours. A survey of the fundamental application of technology to educational administration, including basic knowledge of hardware and software for word processing, database management, telecommunications and electronic spreadsheets. * NOTE: Students may substitute the Educational Leadership Technology Assessment Certificate for EME 6426