Licensing for
educational administrators
Course descriptions
The following courses, offered through the Department of Educational
Policy and Administration, are appropriate for both aspiring and
practicing school administrators and are aligned to competencies
identified in the licensing regulations for superintendent, K-12
principal, director of special education, and director of community
education.
EDPA 5321—The Principal as Leader of High Performing Schools
3 credits This course examines the role and responsibilities of the K-12 principal
focusing on practices and supported in theory. Students will participate in
class activities and complete projects that analyze the systems, problems, and
challenges of the K-12 school and the principal's role in each. The course
addresses the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students are required to
demonstrate prior to becoming licensed as a principal in Minnesota. As half of
the director of special education competencies required for licensure are
specifically designated as general education administration this course is also
recommended for those seeking the director of special education license. * Required overview course for principal students. It is offered every semester.
EDPA 5322—Leaders in the Superintendency and Central Office
3 credits Examines the role and responsibilities of the school superintendent as chief
executive officer of a complex organization, with a particular focus on those
responsibilities that are changing in the face of current pressures on public
school administration. The course addresses skills that students are required to
demonstrate for state administrative licensure. * Required overview course for superintendent students.
EDPA 5324—Strategic Financial Planning and Policy for Educational Leaders
3 credits This course is designed to provide students with a fundamental understanding of
financial management and the budgetary process, both in terms of their
theoretical underpinnings and their practical applications.
* This course is required of all students.
EDPA 5341—The American Middle School
3 credits Focus on the uniqueness of the early adolescent and appropriate learning
situations. For educators working with middle-level students.
EDPA 5344—School Law
3 credits
This course reviews the legal foundations of educational policy with an emphasis
on statutory themes and case law. Implications for educational organizations and
administrative practice are drawn from case studies with special attention given
to issues emerging in recent court rulings.
EDPA 5348—Leaders of Human Resources Administration
2 credits
This course deals with the management concepts, functions, and practices of the
personnel subsystem in education. It is designed to provide basic personnel
administrative background in the selection, assignment, evaluation, and
development of school personnel. In addition, attention will be given to
collective bargaining and the grievance process.
EDPA 5368—Leadership for Special Education Services
3 credits This course is designated to help prospective and practicing school
administrators obtain the knowledge and skill competencies required for
licensure as a director of special education in Minnesota. The course will
provide an overview of the legal basis, administrative practices and critical
issues related to the leadership and administration of special education. This
class best serves administrators, supervisors, and other professionals
responsible for the management of special education at the district and building
levels. It is required for the director of special education license endorsement
but also contains essential understandings that address competencies required as
part of the principal, superintendent and director of community education
licensure competencies. * Required overview course for director of special education students.
EDPA 5372—Youth in Modern Society
3 credits Youth in advanced societies and as a social entity; functions and roles in
industrial society, family, education, politics and government, economy and
work, welfare and religion; organizations, social movements, and subcultures;
empirical research and cross-cultural perspectives.
EDPA 5374—Leadership for Professional Development
4 credits
(Prerequisites: post-baccalaureate, at least 3 yrs teaching experience) Designing, implementing, and evaluating staff development in PK-12 settings.
Research-based standards for effective staff development. Need for embedded time
for collaborative learning, evaluating staff/student outcomes.
EDPA 5376—Organizational Approaches to Youth Development
3 credits Defining youth development within framework of formal and informal
organizations; organizational systems responsible for youth development in the
community; policy issues surrounding these systems.
EDPA 5384—Collaboration in Heterogeneous Classrooms and Schools
3 credits Policy, research, and practice base for addressing range of student
abilities/backgrounds in diverse schools. Collaborative approaches to
curricular, instructional, and social support.
EDPA 5385—Licensure Seminar: Program Policies and Inclusionary Leadership
1 credit This course, meeting throughout the candidate’s program, addresses the
pre-assessment requirement for licensure, reflective practice as a developed
skill, review of the competencies for each license area to provide students with
an understanding of their meaning and options for developing the knowledge and
skills inherent for each, and preparation for the oral assessment and its
relationship to an administrative employment interview. * This course is required of all students.
EDPA 5386—Leadership Portfolio Seminar
1 credit This course addresses the development of the administrative licensure portfolio,
with emphasis on leader skills, presentation skills, and personal portfolio
development. Through the course students develop skills to create unique
electronic portfolios and visual presentations that capitalize on their personal
skills and simultaneously address the required competencies for licensure by the
State of Minnesota as principal, superintendent, director of special education,
or director of community education. Portfolio components include resume, vita,
philosophy, vision, reflections and exhibits – all which become essential
elements to demonstrate proficiency of required competencies. Preparation for
presentation to the candidate’s review panel as well as portfolio organization
is emphasized throughout. * This course is required of all students. It is offered every semester.
EDPA 5387—Leadership for Teaching and Learning
2 credits This course will explore the administration of teaching and learning as a system
in an inclusive school. Through the eyes of multiple experts, components of this
system will be explored focusing on the questions an administrator must address
when functioning as a leader of learning. Question areas will include: When your
district adopts a curriculum, what are the questions an administrator must ask
to assure alignment with the mission, goals and culture of your school? What
must be considered to assure that curriculum and instructional techniques are
inclusive of each culture represented by your school’s membership? What is the
framework for building a master schedule that supports rather than merely frames
teaching and learning? What are the questions that leadership must answer in the
assessment and evaluation of the learning system? And, how can professional
development be used as a tool to maximize the successes of each member of the
community of learners.
EDPA 5388—Leadership for Master(ful) Scheduling
2 credits Maximize effectiveness for teachers and students by creatively using time, space
and motion in your school to support the best practices of teaching and
learning. This course recognizes that an effective master schedule is an
enabling variable in this important equation. It is not the heart, brain or soul
of the school and therefore should not dictate what a school is or is not able
to do for EACH child. The strong master schedule must support teaching and
learning, not constrain it. This course will allow the school leader to (1)
develop broad perspectives on scheduling models for schools; (2) walk through
the entire process of building the master schedule while addressing the issues
of pedagogy, participants, politics and practices of a school organization; (3)
provide hands-on learning, using the state-of-the-art, web-based Infinite Campus
Student System, as the participant practices building a master schedule on-line.
EDPA 5389—Community
Education Leadership
3 credits This course is required for students seeking licensure endorsement for director
of community education but also contains essential understandings that address
competencies required as part of the superintendent, K-12 principal, and
director of special education license competencies. Emphasis will be placed on
the competencies of leadership, community relations, communication, community
assessment, program development, program evaluation, and the philosophy/
administration of community education and alternative education program. * Required overview course of director of community education students.
EDPA 5391—Special Education Law for Leaders
1 credit Competencies of leadership, policy, and political
influence. Legal/regulatory applications focusing on special
education law.
EDPA 5392—Special Education Finance: Program Models Policy and Law
2 credits Participants will be introduced to special
education revenue sources, compliance, and budget monitoring. The
course assumes that the participant has knowledge of special
education, although key special education policy, case law, and
program models will be addressed in the course.
*Required for director of special education licensure students
EDPA 5393—Leading School Finance Elections
1 credit Marriage of research and successful practice
presenting a comprehensive planning model for school leaders
preparing for and conducting school finance elections. Emphasis on
systems and strategies for planning and implementing a success
referendum rather than specific campaign strategies.
*Required for superintendent licensure students
EDPA 5394—Leadership in Community Education Finance and Law
1 credit Topics covered: understanding timelines; UFARS;
legislation; interrelatedness with district budget; relationship
with district goals; collaborative planning; levying; contracted
services; joint powers agreement; leases; strategic planning;
leveraging resources, managing other sources of funding. Includes
opportunities for practice in planning, presenting, and balancing a
budget; analyzing and auditing a budget, levy planning; and grant
writing. This course is part of the core of the graduate program in
educational administration for licensure as a community education
director. *Required for director of community
education licensure students
EDPA 5396—Field Experience in K-12 Educational Administration: Authentic
Practice in Leadership
3 credits Field experiences and/or internships for student seeking licensure as K-12
principal, superintendents, director of special education, and director of
community education. Content and credits dependent upon licensure requirements
and specified in individual field experience agreements. * This course is required of all students. It is offered every semester.
EDPA 5501—Principles and Methods of Evaluation
3 credits, elective (same as EPSY 5243) Introductory course in program evaluation; planning an evaluation study,
collecting and analyzing information, reporting results; evaluation strategies;
overview of the field of program evaluation.
See also: Course schedules |
