Research in Education (ELPS 600)

One of the things educational leaders must do is solve problems in an objective manner. Smart leaders do this by using data judiciously. This course typically asks participants to identify an educational problem or issue raised in one of their previous courses and look at potential options for responding to it, and then address it through an action-research approach. The purpose of the course is not simply to engage participants in a project but to equip them with the skills needed for systematically dealing with problems they will encounter throughout their careers.

Organization and Administration of Elementary, Secondary and Special Education (ELPS 681)

The needs of students and faculty differ with students’ ages, grade levels and programs. In addition to addressing this range of needs, educational administrators must also accommodate those of students with special needs, an area of concern in virtually every educational setting and one that is strongly affected by special-education laws and regulations. Through this course, participants learn the importance of meeting the legal and procedural requirements for various student populations, as well as the educational needs of students at all grade levels.

Decision-Making Simulation (ELPS 675)

Using an “in-basket” format, this course places students in the role of a senior administrator who is new to the job. Drawing on what has been taught in all of the previous classes, the course starts with the administrator’s visiting his/her office the day before students arrive. Twenty-five scenarios lie on the desk in the form of memos, phone messages and notes. Acting as the new senior administrator, participants must evaluate each situation, prioritize it and devise an appropriate response. In addition, this course features a career-planning component that assists participants in preparing to find jobs in the field of educational leadership/management in a variety of organizational contexts.

Fieldwork in Educational Administration (ELPS 688)

Just as student teaching provides prospective teachers with an opportunity to obtain “real-life” classroom experience, this administrative fieldwork allows participants to work under the supervision of a practicing administrator and gives participants opportunities to apply much of what they have learned in the course of the program. Typically, these opportunities involve working in leadership roles associated with educational programs; organizational-change projects; learner, student and staff supervision; and/or client and community relations.

Comprehensive Examination (ELPS 697)

The “Comprehensive Exam” is the culminating activity that concludes the master’s program. Preparation for the exam requires students to pull together all that they have learned from their various courses. The exam itself consists of five sections, three of which require students to respond to questions with essays. In addition, there are two multiple-choice tests, the first of which relates to education law while the second evaluates student’s knowledge of business and finance. To help participants prepare for the comprehensive exam, a preparatory session is held in advance, and most students form study groups in which they critique and support each other’s work.

“CSUN’s program provides a unique opportunity for participants to engage in coursework that reflects contemporary applications in an increasingly dynamic profession. Ongoing communication between our faculty and students is uniquely personal and connects each candidate’s leadership experiences with sound theory from scholars and practitioners in the field. Candidates also find value in exchanges with their colleagues, who represent learning environments from across the country and around the world.”

~ Bronte Reynolds, Ed. D. , Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Department of Education, Michael D. Eisner College of Education, CSUN