Admission
Please refer to “The Graduate Admissions Process” section for general graduate admission information.
- Complete and submit the Graduate Application for Admission, accompanied by a non-refundable application fee. The application can be downloaded at www.wilmu.edu/admission/documents/paperapp.pdf
- Submit an official transcript or transcripts verifying completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Transcripts and all application documents should be sent to Wilmington University Office of Graduate Admissions.
- Submit official (and complete) score reports demonstrating mastery of general knowledge, including the ability to read, write, and compute. *This requirement can be met by providing an official score report showing scores (including all sub-scores) on the ETS Praxis Series Core Academic Skills for Educators (ETS #5712, 5722, and 5732). Minimum acceptable scores are:
|
Test
|
Score
|
|
ETS 5712 Reading
|
156
|
|
ETS 5722 Writing
|
162
|
|
ETS 5732 Mathematics
|
150
|
- International students must provide results from the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) that meet current minimum score requirements.
- Schedule a program planning conference with a Graduate Program Advisor or the Program Chair.
- Register for MED 6102 (E-Folio) along with other courses selected.
*NOTE: Candidates admitted to the program prior to July 30, 2014 have until July 1, 2015 to meet these general knowledge program admission requirements.
Content and Performance Assessment Requirements
This is a state-approved degree program which contributes to eligibility for licensure/certification as an educator in Delaware public schools. As such, all candidates must meet the content and performance assessment requirements described in DE Administrative Code, Title 14, Regulation 290.
The regulation states, in part:
Content Assessment (This subparagraph shall take effect January 1, 2015).
“Where a content readiness exam is applicable and available in area, subject, or category of specialization sought, the Candidate shall achieve a passing score on an examination as established by the Professional Standards Board, in consultation with the Department and with concurrence of the State Board.”
Performance Assessment (This subparagraph shall take effect July 1, 2016.)
“Where a performance assessment is applicable and available in an area appropriate to the Program in which a Candidate is enrolled, the Candidate shall achieve a passing score as a requirement to Exit the Program. The performance assessment may not be scored by any employees of the Educator Preparation Program or Unit, and shall be scored by Certified Reviewers.”
The instrument selected by Wilmington University as a required exit assessment for the M.Ed. in School Leadership is the SLLA (School Leader Licensure Assessment), administered and scored by ETS. Candidates must consult with program advisors and/or program chairs to obtain the most current information about how to fulfill this graduation requirement.
Program Purpose
The Master of Education in School Leadership addresses research, theory, and practice related to effective schools, teaching and learning, and school reform. Translating theory into practice is a primary emphasis.
This 33-35 credit program is designed to (a) develop aspiring school leaders’ knowledge, dispositions, and skills related to effective and sustainable school and school system leadership and renewal; (b) prepare school leaders who are committed to the centrality of teaching and learning and to the removal of barriers to student learning; (c) prepare school leaders who will engage all school stakeholders in the development of a shared vision of teaching and learning; (d) prepare school leaders who will manage school operations and resources in an efficient, equitable, and ethical manner, maintaining a constant focus on the improvement of student learning; and (e) prepare school leaders who are committed to professional growth and renewal.
Program Competencies
The MED Program in School Leadership is designed to produce educational leaders who will:
- Facilitate the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community;
- Nurture and sustain a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth;
- Ensure management of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment;
- Collaborate with families and community members, respond to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilize community resources;
- Act with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner;
- Understand, respond to, and influence the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context; and
- Demonstrate standards-based knowledge, skills, and dispositions through course-embedded fieldwork experiences; a supervised, administrative practicum and internship; and completion of a practicum/internship portfolio and journal.
Outcomes Assessment
Multiple assessments are used to determine candidate growth toward achievement of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions described in School Leadership program competencies and college-wide graduation competencies. Rubrics-based evaluations of fieldwork, projects, assignments, research papers, and final grades for courses represent the first level of assessment. Goals, learning outcomes and activities, external assignments, and assessment strategies are linked directly to program and graduation competencies and are clearly stated on each course syllabus. Other assessment strategies include individual progress and advising conferences, evaluations of candidate performance in authentic settings, and a capstone portfolio and internship journal completed as part of the leadership practicum and internship.
Program Design
Candidates are expected to satisfactorily complete all requirements associated with the School Leadership program. A total of 33-35 credit hours are required for program completion. Field-based components are embedded in every course. Practicum/Internship experience/hours are aligned with certification requirements in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The program is normally completed in two to three years, although accelerated options make it possible to complete the program in one year or less by combining regular courses, summer week-long courses, weekend courses, online learning courses, and/or hybrid courses.
Required Courses
With the exception of MED 6102, courses may be taken in any order. It is recommended that candidates take MED 7590 and MED 7503 very early in the program.
Courses
| MED 6102 | E-Folio | 0 |
| MED 6490 | Education, Ethics, and the Law | 3 |
| MED 7201 | Fiscal Operations and Resources | 3 |
| MED 7503 | School and Community: Building a Shared Vision | 3 |
| MED 7590 | School Leadership: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| MED 7701 | Supervisory Leadership: Staff Selection Appraisal, and Renewal | 3 |
| MED 7705 | Measurement, Accountability, and Student Learning | 3 |
| | | |
| MED 7706 | The Principalship, PreK–8 | 3 |
| | OR | |
| MED 7707 | The Principalship, 9-12 | 3 |
| | | |
| MED 7708 | Curriculum Leadership | 3 |
| MED 8900 | Practicum in School Leadership | 3 |
| MED 8903 | Administrative Internship 3 Credits | 3 |
| MED 8904 | Administrative Internship 4 Credits | 4 |
| MED 8905 | Administrative Internship 5 Credits | 5 |
| MED 8906 | Administrative Internship 6 Credits | 6 |
MED 6102: is required for all candidates listing a major of MED School Leadership. E-Folio is an electronic portfolio system used for documenting and tracking student mastery of program competencies.
MED 8900: Includes Content Area Assessment
Elective Courses (choose one)
| MED 7702 | Classroom and School Culture: Creating Environments for Learning | 3 |
| MED 7703 | Curriculum and Teaching: Research, Theory, and Practice | 3 |
| MED 7704 | Education for Equity and Social Justice | 3 |
| MED 7709 | Personnel Administration | 3 |
| MED 7710 | Technology and the School Environment | 3 |
| MED 7712 | Curriculum Development | 3 |
| MED 7799 | Supervision and Curriculum Improvement | 3 |
Qualification for Degree
To qualify for the Master of Education in School Leadership degree, a student must successfully complete all required courses plus one of the above elective courses for a minimum of 33 credit hours (35 credit hours for New Jersey candidates), with a GPA of at least 3.0. The program must be completed within five years. Program completion and graduation are also contingent on achieving a satisfactory grade (“S”) for the School Leadership Content Area Assessment (CAA). In addition, beginning July 1, 2016, candidates are required to take the School Leader Licensure Assessment (SLLA) and achieve a score deemed passing by the College of Education. Candidates NOT passing these tests may not receive a degree that leads to certification in that area.
Graduation Planning Conference
Prior to registering for either the Practicum in School Leadership or the Administrative Internship, candidates will schedule a graduation planning conference with the Program Chair or a University Program Advisor.
Administrative Certification
The M.Ed. in School Leadership meets the academic certification requirements in Delaware for the positions of assistant principal/principal. In addition, if not taken at the undergraduate level, a course in Child, Adolescent or Human Development is required.
Candidates taking courses to satisfy certification requirements are personally responsible for verifying, with the appropriate licensure/certification authority in another state, that such course work is applicable and acceptable. Students are also responsible for meeting all state-mandated testing requirements for teachers and administrators (Praxis Core, PRAXIS II, SLLA, etc.), for fulfilling state-mandated degree and/or teaching experience requirements, and for applying for credentials. Students are requested to provide copies of scores on state-mandated examinations. These scores provide valuable data essential to maintaining CAEP/NCATE accreditation status.
The Delaware State Board of Education adopted new regulations for certification as a school leader effective March 11, 2013. These regulations require a master’s or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited college or university in educational leadership or administration. The program must be nationally accredited/recognized or state-approved using CAEP/NCATE standards; or the applicant must hold a degree from a regionally accredited college or university in any field and successfully complete one of the following: A School Principal Course of Study as defined by 14 DE Admin. Code 1595 or a School Principal Certification program pursuant to 14 DE Admin. Code 1595.
Delaware experience requirements for a School Assistant Principal and Principal certificate specify the following: “A minimum of 5 years of teaching experience as defined in 16 DE Reg 969 (03/01/13).”
Wilmington University reserves the right to change requirements to comply with any licensure/certification mandates of the Delaware Department of Education.