Offered in: Chicago

The program in educational leadership is designed for students who wish to be educational leaders in schools, post-secondary institutions, professional associations, nonprofit organizations, and government.

The MA in Instructional Leadership prepares licensed teachers to become teacher leaders, assistant principals, principals, and district central office personnel in diverse schools and community contexts. All goals, activities, outcomes, field experiences, assessments, and internship courses meet state rules and regulations. They are aligned with the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC, 2008) Standards and use the Illinois Performance Standards for School Leaders as a framework to guide aspiring principal practices. 

Admission

Applications to the MA degree in Instructional Leadership are due March 15th, and candidates will receive admissions no later than April 1st. Classes for the ILED, MA begin in the summer term only, which begins the day after Memorial Day in May. Candidates must complete two years of successful teaching on a valid and current Illinois teaching license before the beginning of the program, provide contact referral with supervisors attesting to students' academic growth and the applicant's leadership activities and potential, provide information that demonstrates leadership leading to the approval for the Principal Endorsement Concentration, (PEC) Partnership Steering Committee for admission to the MA degree program. For a full description of all the admission requirements, contact the Office of Admission or the Program Director. Communication with the Program Director is encouraged before submitting the admission application and documentation.

Requirements

Six core courses (18 credit hours) define the MA degree in Instructional Leadership. All courses must be passed with grades of C or higher to earn the degree. A cumulative 3.0 grade point average is required for continuing enrollment.

Concentrations

The MA in Instructional Leadership offers two concentrations: Principal Endorsement and Teacher Leader. The selection of a concentration should be done in collaboration with the program director. Enrollment in the Principal Endorsement Concentration requires a second level of admission vetting.

Principal Endorsement Concentration

To earn admission to the 15 credit hour Principal Endorsement Concentration, all candidates must have already earned admission to the MA in Instructional Leadership. In addition, candidates must present evidence of a passing score on the ILTS Test of Basic Skills or TAP (Test of Academic Proficiency), successfully present a portfolio of artifacts documenting the leadership achievements and potential of the candidate, and sit for an interview. For a full description of all the admission requirements, contact the Office of Admission. 

Successful completion of the following courses and all other state requirements will lead to the Principal Endorsement on an Illinois Professional Educator license.

Teacher Leader Concentration

Successful completion of the Teacher Leader Concentration entitles students to Teacher Leader Endorsements on their Illinois Professional Educator Licenses. Students can earn endorsements by successfully completing the two courses listed below. In order to complete the MA degree in Instructional Leadership with the Teacher Leader Concentration, students will need to take two additional electives, for a total of 30 credit hours. Typical electives are courses in reading, special education, and bilingual education; however, graduate courses in specific content areas (e.g., math) also are acceptable. Students should consult with the program director about the elective courses that best meet their leadership needs.