School of Education, Health, and Society
Educational Leadership
Graduate Programs
The Department of Educational Leadership offers these graduate degrees and licensure programs:
Master’s degrees:
M.S., Student Affairs in Higher Education (SAHE)
This program prepares students for the student affairs profession. It combines a comprehensive curriculum and a variety of practical experiences. SAHE faculty and student affairs practitioners work cooperatively with students to design opportunities that allow students to pursue specific interest areas.
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M.Ed., Curriculum and Teacher Leadership (CTL)
This program is designed to meet the needs of a diverse group of educators, including practicing P-12 teachers in public and private school settings, graduates of teacher education programs who are licensed to teach, and individuals who work in education-related agencies and programs.
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M.Ed., School Leadership (SL)
This 45 credit-hour program is designed for educators with a minimum of three years of K-12 teaching experience who wish to become school principals or administrators. The first 30 hours lead to a master’s in educational leadership. The additional 15 hours of post-master hours are required for an Ohio’s principal’s license. The program is specially designed so that teachers may complete their studies in two years of part-time enrollment while continuing to work full time. EDL also offers courses that lead to licensure in curriculum and instruction, professional development, and the superintendency.
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Doctoral degrees:
Ed.D., Educational Administration
This program is for certified practicing school leaders who have a master’s degree and at least three years of administrative experience at the elementary or secondary level who wish to improve their intellectual, professional, and technical skills as educational leaders. A major focus of coursework is the theory and practice of leadership, funding, civic engagement, and policy analysis in schools. Elective courses are also available that will satisfy students' unique needs and interests, including licensure in curriculum and instruction, and professional development, principal’s license, and superintendent’s license.
The program features:
- Summer residency
- Part-time coursework during the academic year, which allows students to earn the Ed.D. while working full time
- A curricular mix of leadership, theory, school organization, instructional leadership, and research
- Licensure in principalship, supervision, and superintendency available
- Close interactions with faculty
Ph.D., Student Affairs in Higher Education (SAHE)
The program’s purpose is to prepare student affairs professionals to create and sustain higher education programs and contexts that promote learning for all students. The program's primary focus is student affairs roles as they are enacted in the context of higher education.
Ph.D., Educational Administration with majors in Curriculum and Administration (A&C)
The Ph.D. program is designed for students with a master’s degree and an interest in educational research and educational change. Coursework prepares students for leadership roles in elementary and secondary education, faculty positions in higher education, and leadership roles in governmental agencies and private organizations. The program offers majors in Administration and Curriculum.
The program features:
- Two semester full-time residency requirement
- Teaching and research associate opportunities
- Research preparation in qualitative and quantitative methods
- Close interactions with faculty
Ph.D., Special Committee Degree (Interdisciplinary)
At Miami University, Special Committee Degree Programs are interdepartmental programs that have unique requirements for each student. Special Committee Options are “one of a kind” programs built around the specific needs of individual students; programs are developed that cross new and emerging fields and that combine disciplines. A higher degree of student independence is required on the part of the student, since guidance from departments is more difficult to obtain, and there is not the usual collegial group of students in closely related research and course work. The Special Committee Option is restricted to those departments granted the authority to offer the doctoral degree by Miami University and the Ohio Board-of-Regents.
Administrative and Curriculum Licensures
Our licensure programs prepare administrators to address the fundamental questions central to the reform of schools. The emphasis is on the teaching and learning process, the cultural and political context of schools, and the moral and ethical dimensions of schooling as well as a clinical dimension of professional practice. Our goal is to educate critical self-reflective leaders who can focus on creating schools capable of producing conditions conducive to learning for all students.
Our three licensure programs include: