Academic Catalog 2024-2025

School Leadership, Master of Arts

Requirements

The Master of Arts in School Leadership requires completion of 32 units or more of course work with a minimum 3.0 grade point average. A minimum of 21 semester units must be completed in residence. Courses taken previously may be used to meet the course content requirements of a graduate program if they have been completed within the seven years immediately preceding the completion of the requirements for the degree or credential. However, no courses may apply toward the required number of units of approved graduate work that have been used to meet the requirements of another degree.

Students may take up to seven years to complete the course work, including exams. Course work that does not meet the seven-year deadline will have to be repeated and/or replaced by other courses with the approval of the program advisor.

In addition to the major requirements, students must meet all university requirements for the master's degree. Students should consult the section of the catalog entitled "Requirements for the Master's Degree."

Completion of Degree

  1. Complete an approved program of 32 units of course work and meet specific GPA requirements.
  2. Pass a comprehensive written examination. After completion of all course work or during the last semester of course work, the M.A. degree candidate may apply to take the comprehensive examination. There is only one retake opportunity.

Degree Requirements

Core Courses
GED 500Research Methods in Education3
GED 501Seminar in Learning and Development3
Required Courses
SLP 550Induction Preliminary Leaders2
SLP 551Visionary Leadership3
SLP 552Instructional Leadership3
SLP 553Organizational Leadership and Resource Management3
SLP 554Collaborative Leadership3
SLP 555Ethical Leadership3
SLP 556Political, Social, Economic, Legal and Cultural Leadership3
SLP 557Post-Assessment, Preliminary Leadership2
SLP 560Fieldwork A, Preliminary Leadership2
SLP 561Fieldwork B, Preliminary Leadership2
Total Hours32
Culminating Experience

Under the supervision of a program cohort leader and a school site administrator, each student engages in an action-research field-based project, Within this project the development of the knowledge, dispositions, and skills of an effective leader are measured in multiple ways throughout the program. All culminating projects are presented on CSUDH campus at the end of the spring semester to the larger school community. Each project is subsequently evaluated by a panel of practicing school administrators who assess the leadership effectiveness of the Field Based Project.

The culminating project for the Master's is a 4.5 hour comprehensive exam consisting of four distinct tasks.