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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 will thrive in this program. 

Since Southeast 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. 

What You'll Do

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 have the opportunity to: 

  • 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. 

Online: Educational Leadership Degree Map

Explore the courses you'll need to complete your degree

Educational Leadership by the Numbers

  • $101K

    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 $101,320.

  • 5

    Semesters

    You can finish the program in as little as five semesters with Southeast Online’s year round-classes.

Educational Leadership Administration Curriculum

Degree Map

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 on a 4.0 scale 
  • A valid professional teaching certificate 
  • A resume showing two years of classroom teaching experience 

International applicants must have a minimum IELTS score of 7.0 OR TOEFL score of 95. This requirement is for non- United States citizens who are not native English speakers. Students from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand 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. 

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)  

NOTE: The Educational Leadership major requirements are based on (1) the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL), (2) National Education Leadership Preparation (NELP) standards, and (3) Missouri Leadership standards. 

  • 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 

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 degree is housed within the College of Education, Health and Human Studies. The college boasts programs that train students in mind, body, and soul. So, whether you want to teach, to care, to support, or to fix, we have a program to get you there.

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. "

Dr. Sarah Lillo

Headshot of Dr. Sarah Lillo

Online Learning at Southeast

When it comes to your success, we do whatever it takes. Online learning at Southeast takes the same reputable college courses taught by Southeast faculty and makes them available anytime, anywhere.

  • Apple Distinguished School logo
  • CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) logo
  • An Affiliate of naeyc logo

Getting the Job

Your education is just one piece to launching an extraordinary career. Once you’ve mastered the material, you still have to find the job you want, make the right connections, sell your knowledge and experience—and if all this is giving you anxiety, don’t panic. SEMO’s Career Services office is here to help you with the next step. They’ll provide the expertise and support you need, so you’re landing your dream job in no time.

Phone
Advising
(573) 651-5184
Location
Office Location
Kent Library 305
Mailing Address
One University Plaza, MS 4610
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

Take the Next Step