MS in Educational Leadership (30 credits)

NEW self-paced online program (BEGINNING Fall 2025)

This flexible, self-paced online program allows learners like you to take control of your learning—study when and where it works best for you, all on your schedule.

Aligned with the 2018 NELP Standards for Building Leaders, the program qualifies and prepares you for PK-12 building-level licensure while recognizing and building upon your existing experience.

With clear learning goals and resources tailored to each key area of building leadership, you'll gain the necessary skills and control your timeline.

Each unit (self-check, reflect, apply) models the teaching cycle (Learners/Learning, Content Knowledge, Professional Skills, and Professional Responsibilities) and culminates with final assessments.

Final assessments (Peak Assignments) may be in a variety of forms, including videos, essays, environmental scans, and reflections/analysis of practice, focusing on application of skills and knowledge.

Curriculum:

  • EDLEA 801 Ethical Dimensions of Educational Leadership (3 credits)
  • EDLEA 810 Philosophical Analysis of Leadership in Education (3 credits)
  • EDLEA 819 Introduction to Education Finance (3 credits)
  • EDLEA 820 Data Literacy/Data Informed Decisions in Educational Leadership (3 credits)
  • EDLEA 831 Educational Law (3 credits)
  • EDLEA 835 The Principalship (2 credits)
  • EDLEA 836 School-Community Relations (3 credits)
  • EDLEA 855 Leadership in Teaching and Learning (3 credits)
  • EDLEA 860 Inclusive School Culture in Educational Leadership (3 credits)
  • EDLEA 870 Educational Professional Learning/Human Resource Administration (3 credits)
  • EDLEA 889 Practicum in Educational Leadership (1 credit)

Practicum and Portfolio Assessment:

To complete the practicum requirement, learners must participate in field-based experiences at their current school district.

The practicum engages learners in various school settings and provides candidates with coherent, authentic, and sustained opportunities to synthesize and apply the knowledge and skills in NELP Standards 1-7. The experiences approximate the full range of responsibilities required of building-level leaders and enable learners to promote the current and future success and well-being of each student and adult in the school.

Students are required to document a minimum of 150 clock hours of guided field experience through the formal practicum and other coursework. To assist in reaching this requirement, additional practicum requirements are embedded in many courses in the licensure sequence.

Learners must include a written log of practicum activities with the student’s final portfolio assessment. Evidence of experiences is provided by the student and evaluated by a district supervisor (current principal or district leader) and the faculty member in the program.

Rubrics meeting KSDE and CAEP standards and requirements are used in the evaluation.

For more information, Contact Dr. Royce Ann Collins at edleadership@ksu.edu

Enrollment:

Enroll in 3, 6, 9 or 12 credit hours. You choose the pace. You can start the program at eight different times in the year: August, mid-October, December, January, mid-March, May, June or July. Set the pace yourself! Take a course when it works for your schedule.

Admission Requirements: Requirements are the same as the online program with synchronous class sessions. Follow the application directions on this page. To choose the self-paced option, please note that in your Statement of Objectives: I want to pursue the self-paced option.

For more information about Educational Leadership graduate programs, contact Dr. Royce Ann Collins at racollin@k-state.edu.