Program Director: Marie Galinski, Ed.D.
The Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (C.A.G.S) program in Educational Leadership is designed for professionals who are seeking a leadership role in schools or related institutions.
Candidates who are currently working as administrators in schools may want to align their administrative skills with the new Educator Evaluation System. For those who plan to prepare for top-level positions in educational administration, the program serves as a foundation for further graduate study.
All students in the program enroll in core courses providing a comprehensive view of educational leadership and in a capstone involving field-based work or research. Within this common framework, students specialize through their field-based experiences in preparing for roles as teacher leader, department head, lead teacher, or curriculum coordinator. The core includes classes in advanced leadership and policy, collaborative leadership, school law, and school, family and community partnerships. For those students seeking more specialized courses, the program offers additional courses in school finance and operations, supervision and evaluation, supervision of instruction for English Language Learners, and how to use data for school improvement.
There are three concentrations available in the C.A.G.S. program:
- Principal/Assistant Principal Licensure (K-6, 5-8, 9-12)
- Leadership, Non-Licensure
- School Counseling, Non-Licensure
The C.A.G.S. in Educational Leadership is a 36-credit program.
Admission Requirements
The C.A.G.S. is an advanced degree, and has the following application requirements, which may differ from the master’s level application.
- Completed online application.
- Current resume/CV that demonstrates three years employment as a teacher, administrator, or supervisor in a public, private, or higher education setting.
- Final transcript that demonstrates the receipt of a master’s degree in education or an educational related field.
- Two letters of reference from a supervisor in the education field who can speak to the candidate’s professionalism, leadership, and ability to be successful in an advanced degree program.
- Personal statement that answers the question:
- Principal/Assistant Principal Licensure candidates: “What does principal leadership require in the 21st century? (500-1000 words)
- Non-Licensure candidates: “What does it mean to be an educational leader in the 21st century?” (500-1000 words)
Principal/Assistant Principal, with Licensure
Core Requirements
|
CME 525G
|
School, Family and Community Partnerships
|
4
|
|
ED 646G
|
Transformational and Collaborative Leadership
|
4
|
|
ED 647G
|
Leadership Through a Vision of School Improvement
|
4
|
|
ED 648G
|
Leadership in Observing, Assessing, and Supporting Teacher Effectiveness
|
4
|
|
ED 652G
|
Innovative Leadership: Project-based Research (Capstone)
|
4
|
Electives
|
ED 576G
|
Education Law and Policy
|
4
|
|
ED 607G
|
Advanced Leadership and Policy in Education
|
4
|
|
ED 645G
|
School Finance and Operations
|
4
|
|
ED 649G
|
Instructional Leadership for Diverse Learners
|
4
|
Leadership, Non-Licensure
Core Requirements
|
CME 525G
|
School, Family and Community Partnerships
|
4
|
|
ED 567G
|
Education Law and Policy
|
4
|
|
ED 607G
|
Advanced Leadership and Policy in Education
|
4
|
|
ED 646G
|
Transformation and Collaborative Leadership
|
4
|
|
ED 652G
|
Innovative Leadership: Project-based Research (Capstone)
|
4
|
Electives
|
ED 645G
|
School Finance and Operations
|
4
|
|
ED 647G
|
Leadership Through a Vision of School Improvement
|
4
|
|
ED 648G
|
Leadership in Observing, Assessing, and Supporting Teacher Effectiveness
|
4
|
|
ED 649G
|
Instructional Leadership for Diverse Learners
|
4
|
Students in the non-licensure track may select from the above courses as complimentary courses to the core program components, or may choose electives from other graduate programs in the School of Education & Social Policy. (K-12 Teacher Education; Higher Education; Community Engagement; School Counseling; Criminology & Criminal Justice)
School Counseling, Non-Licensure
Core Requirements
|
ED 576G
|
Education Law and Policy
|
4
|
|
ED 607G
|
Advanced Leadership and Policy in Education
|
4
|
|
ED 646G
|
Transformational and Collaborative Leadership
|
4
|
|
CME 525G
|
School, Family and Community Partnerships
|
4
|
|
ED 652G
|
Innovative Leadership: Project-based Research (Capstone)
|
4
|
Electives
|
SC 6000G
|
Career and College Counseling
|
4
|
|
SC 6020G
|
Research and Leadership in School Counseling
|
4
|
|
Elective 1
|
Clinical Mental Health Counseling elective
|
4
|
|
Elective 2
|
Clinical Mental Health Counseling elective
|
4
|
The School Counseling Concentration integrates advanced education leadership course work with rigorous counseling, research and practice in the field of social/emotional learning, student support systems, therapeutic counseling techniques and college/career readiness. Students in the School Counseling track will select two additional electives in consultation with their advisor.
Performance Assessment for Leaders (PAL) Preparation
The PAL preparation program is a non-degree, credit-bearing program designed for professionals who are seeking an administrative license. The program consists of four courses tightly aligned to each of the PAL Tasks and culminates in a capstone to finalize PAL submissions and document internship hours required for licensure. This hybrid program is designed to be completed in one academic year.
Admission Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Three years’ work experience as a teacher or administrator
- Currently working in a K-12 school in Massachusetts under a licensed Massachusetts administrator
Required Courses
|
CME 525G
|
School, Family and Community Partnerships
|
4
|
|
ED 646G
|
Transformational and Collaborative Leadership
|
4
|
|
ED 647G
|
Leadership Through a Vision of School Improvement
|
4
|
|
ED 648G
|
Leadership in Observing, Assessing, and Supporting Teacher Effectiveness
|
4
|
|
ED 652G
|
Innovative Leadership: Project-based Research (Capstone)
|
4
|
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