华盛顿州立大学

WSU offers two masters degree programs in Educational Leadership. The Master of Arts in Education – Educational Leadership (M.A.) is a thesis degree designed for students who wish to focus on continued study and research in Educational Leadership and who may pursue a doctoral degree. The following information is for the M.A. degree.

The M.A. requires a written thesis. The purpose of the thesis is to demonstrate a student’s understanding of educational research & theory as well as a student’s ability to design & implement a research study, and synthesize the results. These hypotheses/questions should be specific, clear, and focused on some aspect of educational inquiry. The thesis includes a review of the pertinent literature related to the research hypothesis/question, a description of the methodology used to investigate the hypothesis/question, the results of the study, and a discussion of the results. The outcome of the thesis research should add to the body of research in the particular field/area.

The final examination and defense of the thesis is intended to explore your ability to integrate and interpret material in the major and supporting fields with emphasis on the work presented in the thesis.

Student Learning Outcomes:

All graduates will be able to:

Identify and analyze the theories, research, and policies related to the study of K-12 educational leadership: ethics and social justice; inquiry; policy; and leadership/instructional leadership.
Prepare, write and present clear and coherent critical book reviews and reviews of the literature in educational leadership.
Understand, evaluate, and apply inquiry knowledge and skills to problems of policy and practice of educational leadership.
Design, conduct, report, and present clear and coherent research studies that contribute to understanding and solving problems of practice in educational leadership.
Articulate core values and model the guiding principles of the profession including: commitment to social justice; understanding of ethical responsibilities of leadership; effective and respectful interaction with others of similar and diverse cultures, values, and perspectives; commitment to school improvement and a positive impact on student learning.

Student Opportunities:

WSU’s Educational Leadership master’s degree programs can be aligned with the Principal and Program Administrator Certification programs, for those who qualify for certification and who wish to receive Principal or Program Administrator certificates along with the master’s degree. All required graded courses for these certification programs can be applied to the master’s degree program of study. However, the master’s degree in Educational Leadership can be done without including Principal or Program Administrator Certification classes. In either option, course sequences are designed to permit students at any of WSU’s campuses to complete the master’s degree within two to three years.

Career Opportunities:

K-12 administrator, preparation for advanced graduate study, administration in public or non-profit agency, leadership positions in higher education