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College of Education
Educational Leadership

The primary mission of the Department of Educational Leadership is the development of individuals for leadership roles at all levels of education and related business/industry enterprises. Its scope includes PK-12 Education Leadership , Higher Education Leadership , and Workforce Education and Development . Our Department offers several programs, many of which involve theoretical constructs and practitioner training for those interested in careers as public or private educational leaders, policy analysis, and teachers in business and industry occupations that require educational and leadership skills or degrees focusing on educational research.

PK-12 Education Leadership

Mission Statement

The Department of Educational Leadership, in all its programs, provides students the knowledge, dispositions, skills, and understanding necessary to exercise visionary leadership in diverse and dynamic environments. The professional preparation provided by the department stresses strategic planning, collaborative problem solving, interpersonal and inter-group functioning, technological proficiency and effective communication. In our view, the ultimate mission of the department is to prepare students who will create organizational cultures that nourish the human spirit.

Programs of Study

Two distinct levels of degrees are available in Educational Leadership: a master (M.Ed.) and a doctorate (Ed.D.). The degree programs are designed to allow candidates to pursue educational leadership careers in elementary, middle level, and secondary school settings, as well as in central office administration.

Master's Degree

The master's degree in Educational Leadership focuses on the preparation of building level school administrators and satisfies the Nevada state requirements for PK-12 administrative licensure.

The 39-hour program includes four strands:

  • Foundations of educational leadership
  • Instructional leadership
  • Organizational management
  • Field-based experiences

The program includes 6 semester-hours of field-based experiences including 3 credit hours aligned with specific courses and 3 semester hours of internship.

The department offers three different options for pursuing the master's degree in PK-12 Education Leadership:

Administrative Endorsement Only

Students may also take Educational Leadership courses as non-degree seeking students if they are taking courses for endorsement only and are not pursuing a degree.

Doctoral Programs

Two distinct doctoral programs are offered in PK-12 Educational Leadership, both leading toward a Doctorate of Education (EdD) degree:

  • LEAD Doc : This is a practitioner oriented degree with a strong emphasis on school/district based leadership. Class scheduling is such is to allow the candidates to combine work on the degree with performance on the job. Students established residency during two summers, thus eliminating an extensive leave-of-absence from work. All courses are scheduled in the late afternoon or evening during the fall and spring semesters to accommodate professionals who are employed. Summer classes are also scheduled in the evening.
  • Exec. Leadership Program is designed for those currently in administrative position at the principal level or above. The program focuses on mid career leadership development. This program utilizes a problem-based learning approach that consists of series of compressed thematic seminars in which emphasis is placed on identifying and developing solutions to real-life problems.