Master's Degree in Educational Leadership

Our Master’s in Educational Leadership program is a 33-semester hour program which includes all the ODE courses required for the initial administrative (principal) license. The program is designed to be completed in two years including two summers. Students typically take one course in the fall semester and one course in the spring semester. During the summer semester, students typically take approximately three courses.

Candidates who successfully complete our M.Ed. program will gain insight into the challenges of educating PK-12 students and learn the vital leadership skills needed to effectively meet these challenges. Students will be well prepared to successfully complete the Master’s Comprehensive Written Examination and the O.A.E. Administrator licensure examination.

100% online option. Classes offered in the 100% online option are presented on the Canvas learning platform. The online sessions are a mix of asynchronous and synchronous sessions in their presentation depending upon the course. New Option Fall 2018!

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Custom Option

BGSU will deliver a program to your district and customize the course offerings to focus on the unique needs of your district.
* Contingent on minimum enrollment

Customized option. Classes offered in the customized option are customized to the specifications of the site (JVS, ESC, School District). Classes can be any combination of on-line and face-to-face and can range from 100% online to 100% face-to-face.

Please contact Paul Johnson at 419-372-7377 or pjohnso@bgsu.edu for more information about creating a customized option.

Principal David Malolepszy

What do our students say?

“BGSU’s Principal Licensure Program is where educational theory and best-practice come together. The real-life leadership experiences of the professors help form a sound leadership foundation for school leaders of tomorrow.”

David Malolepszy, Assistant Principal
Sylvania Schools, Sylvania, Ohio

Career Path

Graduates of our M.Ed. in Educational Leadership programs serve in primary and secondary schools as well as in district and regional educational centers as teacher leaders, assistant principals, principals, instructional coaches, directors, and consultants.

Program and Licensure Requirements

Internship

One of the essential experiences of the M.Ed. in Educational Administration is the successful completion of EDAS 6300 (Leadership Practicum/Internship I). This 3-semester hour, hands-on experience is spread over Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters so as to provide the principal candidate a first-hand experience of an entire school year from the perspective of a building principal. Candidates earn 1 semester hour of credit for each semester and must log 75 contact hours of supervised administrative experiences for each hour earned. These administrative experiences are to be spread over the following essential elements of educational leadership:

Visionary leadership
School culture and instructional leadership
School management and organizational leadership
Community collaboration and leadership
Ethical leadership
Political and legal leadership.

Comprehensive Examination

Besides the successful completion of required coursework, all candidates for the M.Ed. degree in Educational Leadership are required to take and pass a 4-hour written comprehensive examination. The exam covers the essential elements of the core administrative coursework that comprise the degree. One primary purpose of the exam is to prepare students for taking the ODE/OAE Administrator Exam (015), which is an exam that must be passed in order to receive licensure.

The comprehensive exam is administered every semester with most students electing to take it in the semester preceding their final semester.

OAE Initial Administrative Licensure Examination

Once candidates have successfully completed the M.Ed. degree, including passage of the Comprehensive Examination, they must take and pass the ODE/OAE Administrator Exam (015) before an initial administrative license will be issued by the Ohio Department of Education.