A degree in exceptional child education can prepare you for a teaching career working with elementary and early childhood for students with special learning needs.
Online M.A. in Educational Leadership
MA
Online
Online
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Take the next step to become a leader in your school.
The M.A. in Educational Leadership is designed for experienced teachers who have a strong belief in continuous school improvement and a desire to become a transformational leader. Leaders who have a commitment to changing the lives of all students through engaging in a high quality, rigorous program of study focused on continuous school improvement exceed in this program.
Since SEMO has been preparing educators since 1873, you can feel confident in our history, our reputation, and our accreditation. We're consistently recognized for academic excellence by the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings for institutions in the Midwest and fully accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.
Where Bold Ideas Take Shape
As an educational leadership student, you’ll learn the tools to become a transformative leader who develops high quality programs to inspire, empower, and prepare students to succeed. More specifically, you’ll drive real change:
- Participate in an innovative project-based learning curriculum
- Explore the five Missouri leadership domains: visionary, instructional, managerial, relational, and innovative.
- Engage in productive learning relationships with students from a variety of districts.
- Gain real-world experience with an internship experience in your district.
What Can You Do with an M.A. in Educational Leadership?
A master’s degree in educational leadership prepares students to take on administrative roles in schools and school districts. The program fulfills the requirements for the K-12 Building Level Principal Missouri certification, with test preparation built into the program.
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Educational Leadership by the Numbers
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$113K
Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for elementary, middle, and high school principals is $113,360.
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5
Semesters
You can finish the program in as little as five semesters with SEMO Online’s year round-classes.
Educational Leadership Administration Curriculum
The degree program is designed to be completed in five semesters including summer. Students should contact an academic advisor each semester and use Degree Works to monitor their progress. Students may begin the degree during any semester.
In addition to the criteria established for general admission to graduate studies, applicants must have the following:
- An undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- A valid professional teaching certificate
- A resume showing one year of classroom teaching experience
An applicant having the prerequisite GPA of 2.75 may be given provisional admission prior to completion of all steps in the admissions process.
International applicants must also have a minimum IELTS Academic score of 7.0, TOEFL iBT score of 95, PTE Academic score of 64 or Duolingo English score of 125. This requirement is for non-United States citizens who are not native English speakers. Students from countries where English is known to be the official language of education are exempt from English proficiency verification.
Probationary Admission
Probationary admission will be considered by an admissions committee in a program area under the following conditions: If the applicant presents a GPA that is 2.5 to 2.74, or, if the applicant has achieved a GPA of 3.0 during the last 60 hours of undergraduate work, the admissions committee may permit the student to take up to nine hours in the program area. The student will be required to achieve a grade of no less than ‘B’ in these nine hours of coursework to continue in the program.
Appeals Process
Applicants who are denied admission have the option to appeal to the College of Education, Health, and Human Studies Admission Appeals Committee, which is composed of one representative from each program area offering a graduate program.
Graduation Requirement
The student must attain an overall GPA of 3.25 to graduate from the program.
30 hours – 3.25 GPA required for graduation
Required courses:
- EA610 Diversity and Equity in Schools (3)
- EA625 Foundations of Educational Leadership (3)
- EA634 School Supervision (3)
- EA651 School Law (3)
- EA653 Curriculum for Leaders (3)
- EA654 The Principalship (3)
- EA655 Leadership for Effective School Operations (3)
- EA660 Leadership in Special Education (3)
- EA663 Internship I: Leadership for Research in Action (3)
- EA664 Internship II: Leadership for Experiential Learning (3)
- GR698 Master's Final Comp Exam (0)
- EA655 Leadership for Effective School Operations
EA660 Leadership in Special Education - EA625 Foundations of Educational Leadership
EA665 The Principalship - EA653 Curriculum for Educational Leaders
EA610 Diversity and Equity in Schools - EA634 School Supervision
EA646 Internship I: Leadership for Research in Action - EA651 School Law
EA656 Internship II: Leadership for Experiential Learning
GR698 Comprehensive Examination
What will it cost?
Earn Your Degree on Your Schedule.
Do more than dream about the future. Take the first steps to make it all happen.
College of Education, Health and Human Studies
This program is housed in the College of Education, Health and Human Studies, where students prepare for careers that change lives. Whether you want to educate, improve health, support individuals and families, or help communities thrive, you'll gain the knowledge and hands-on experience to make a meaningful impact.
Dr. Sarah Lillo
Assistant professor in the Department of Leadership, Middle and Secondary Education
Teachers can play pivotal roles in fostering knowledgeable, passionate, equity-minded, critically thinking, and risk-taking change makers. Through our interactions, our modeling, and our teaching approaches, we can help cultivate these qualities in our students. My experiences living and teaching overseas have intensified my enthusiasm for helping students recognize the roles they play in their local and global communities.
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Online Learning at SEMO
When it comes to your success, we do whatever it takes. Online learning at SEMO takes the same reputable college courses taught by SEMO faculty and makes them available anytime, anywhere.
Accreditations
Getting the Job
Your education is just one piece to launching an extraordinary career. SEMO's Career Services office is here to help you with the next step. Our boldly supportive team will provide the expertise and support you need, so you're landing your dream job.
Additional Resources
Related Programs
A degree in educational leadership can prepare you to advance your education career into an administration role such as principal or superintendent.
A master’s degree in curriculum and instruction can grow your skills and knowledge as a high school teacher. You can choose two options: Educational Studies or Educational Technology.
A master’s degree in curriculum and instruction can grow your skills and knowledge as a high school teacher. You can choose two options: Educational Studies or Educational Technology.
A master’s degree in elementary education can assist your leadership and growth in a teaching career.
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Location
Office Location
Kent Library 305
Mailing Address
One University Plaza, MS 4610
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701