Department of Educational Leadership
and Cultural Foundations
Master of School Administration (MSA)
Overview
Master of School Administration (MSA) is designed to prepare students for leadership and administration at the school building level and specifically for positions as principals and assistant principals. The degree leads to North Carolina Level I administrator licensure (school principal).
Students who already possess a Master’s degree in Education or another field that is closely aligned with human development may wish to consider the Post-Master’s Certificate in School Administration (PMC). Information on the PMC is available at: http://www.uncg.edu/elc/pmc
The MSA program is a 42-semester hour graduate program designed to prepare students for leadership and administration at the school building level and specifically for positions as principals and assistant principals. The degree leads to the North Carolina P License (school principal). It consists of ten 3-semester hour courses and 12 credits of internship. Courses are offered in the evenings during the Fall and Spring terms as well as during various times of day in the Summer. Some courses are offered off campus or as online courses. The time allowed for obtaining the degree is five years after the first date of enrollment (or the first transfer course counted for credit, whichever comes first), although one-year extensions are sometimes possible. Most students are part-time students. They typically take two courses per term (including during the summer semester). We attempt to schedule classes so that many students take two classes in one evening (e.g., on Thursday night, a class from 4 to 6:50 p.m. and another class from 7 to 9:50 p.m.).
Application Criteria & Procedures
Check out the application procedures
Program Information/Requirements
The following educational leadership courses are required:
- ELC 615: Foundations of Curriculum
- ELC 616: Culturally Relevant Leadership
- ELC 660: The School Principalship
- ELC 662: Power, Politics, and Schools
- ELC 670: Leadership for Teaching and Learning
- ELC 673: Principal Leadership for Special Education
- ELC 684: Teacher Rights, Responsibilities, and Evaluation
- ELC 687: Legal and Ethical Dimensions of Leadership
- ELC 691: School Organization and Leadership
The research course, ELC 675: Schools as Centers of Inquiry, is also required.
These courses can be taken in any order; however, there are some typical patterns. Many students begin with ELC 660 and ELC 691. Students also find it useful to take ELC 675 after having taken ELC 670.
Students who entered the MSA Program before Fall semester 2007 should contact the MSA coordinator if they have questions regarding program course requirements.
MSA CAP Information
North Carolina Administrative Licensure Information
Successful completion of the MSA program and a passing score on the School Leaders Licensure Exam (see www.ets.org) qualifies an individual for a North Carolina entry-level Principal License. For licensure applications, please contact Debbie Merritt in the UNCG School of Education certification office (Curry 319, 336-334-3414, dwmerrit@uncg.edu). Licensure questions can be directed to Ms. Meritt or Dr. Misti Williams, the MSA program coordinator (336-334-3491, mwsoutha@uncg.edu).
Financial Information
Check out the financial aid information
Handbooks
MSA Handbook - 2009-2010
Internship Handbook - 2009-2010
Contact Information
Program questions:
Dr. Misti Williams
MSA and Internship Coordinator
mwsoutha@uncg.edu
336-334-3491
336-334-4737 (fax)
Curry Building
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
P.O. Box 26170
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
For application forms for fellowships and assistantships:
Dr. Silvia Bettez
Coordinator, Student Funds & Fellowships Committee
scbettez@uncg.edu
336-334-3492
336-334-4737 (fax)
Curry Building
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
P.O. Box 26170
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170<