• UNM 2010-2011 Catalog
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Graduate Program

Graduate Study

Student Information Contact
Linda Wood, Hokona Hall 376, (505) 277-0441, e-mail: woodl@unm.edu

Note: Administrative Internships follow a fall-spring schedule.

All graduate students are required to work under the supervision of an assigned advisor and to develop and follow a planned Program of Study comprised of required courses and, where appropriate, additional courses selected with the approval of the advisor and/or Program of Study Committee. Courses taken without prior approval may not be accepted toward the completion of the degree. Students in all programs must maintain a 3.3 cumulative GPA in all Program of Study course work.

Policy on Employment/ Load
Faculty and graduates have found that students who give themselves time to concentrate and reflect on their academic studies during their brief time at the University not only achieve academic excellence, but excel later in their professional careers. Therefore, the faculty of the Educational Leadership Program strongly recommends that students who are employed full time enroll in nine or fewer hours of course work fall and spring semesters in order to optimize their educational experience. Students will not be allowed to enroll in more than nine hours during the fall and spring semesters without prior approval. 

Degrees Offered

The degree and certificate programs in Educational Leadership are designed to prepare individuals to assume leadership positions in complex educational organizations at successively higher levels of responsibility. All rely heavily on concepts drawn from the social sciences for insight into leadership behavior and are premised on five Core Domains: Strategic Leadership, Organizational Leadership, Leadership for Learning and Professional Development, Community & Political Leadership, and Informed Leadership.

Note: The State Public Education Department, not UNM, awards administrative licensure. Students seeking licensure must meet all UNM requirements in order to be eligible to apply for state licensure through our programs.

The Educational Leadership Program provides a variety of career pathways for students pursuing licensure; contact the Program Office for information and advisement.

M.A. in Educational Leadership

All applicants for admission into the M.A. program in Educational Leadership must meet the requirements set forth in the preceding College section of this catalog and in the sections on graduate studies at the University of New Mexico. The M.A. in Educational Leadership can be pursued through one of three concentrations, each of which requires 15 hours in the Core Domains, as described below. In addition to University requirements for graduation, students must successfully complete a leadership project and exit assessment.

School Leadership toward Administrative Licensure Concentration

Intended for future school building leaders, this concentration provides a set of standards-based core courses aligned with state administrative competencies. Applicants must hold a valid Level II or Level III New Mexico teaching license. Applicants admitted in Spring 2008, must hold a Level III teaching license at the time they intend to participate in the internship. Students with a Level II license may complete the M.A. concentration and subsequently enroll in an Ed.S. Internship Experience option (see below) to complete state licensure requirements.

Instructional Leadership Concentration

This concentration is intended for educators desirous of career paths that focus on leadership for curricular and instructional improvement: curriculum directors, instructional coaches, or program coordinators, for example.

Leadership for Community and Organizational Learning Concentration

Educators who want to pursue leadership positions outside of a PK-12 venue, such as higher educational institutions and community groups, can enroll in this program concentration, designed to prepare individuals for visionary leadership that transforms educationally-oriented organizations into dynamic learning environments for all.

Post-Masters Education Specialist Certificate in Educational Leadership

The Educational Leadership Program offers a post-masters Education Specialist certificate with five concentrations ranging from 12 to 30 hours. The concentrations include Advanced Study in School Leadership and Administrative Licensure, Instructional Leadership, and Leadership for Organizational and Community Learning (each 30 hours); Administrative Licensure (24 hours); and Internship Experience (12 hours). Applicants must hold a master’s degree in Educational Leadership or a complementary field and meet the requirements set forth in the preceding College section of this catalog and in the sections on graduate studies at the University of New Mexico. In addition to University requirements for graduation, students must successfully complete a leadership project and exit assessment.

Advanced Study: School Leadership and Administrative Licensure

The Advanced Study certificate in School Leadership and Administrative Licensure is designed to support students in their pursuit of an advanced credential in school administration. Applicants must hold a valid Level II or Level III New Mexico teaching license. Applicants admitted after Spring 2008 must hold a valid Level III New Mexico teaching license at the time they intend to participate in the required Internship.

Advanced Study: Instructional Leadership

 
Advanced Study: Leadership for Community and Organizational Learning

Advanced Study: Administrative Licensure

The Administrative Licensure concentration is a 24-hour program designed to support students in fulfilling state requirements for administrative licensure. Applicants must hold a valid Level II or Level III New Mexico teaching license. Applicants admitted after Spring 2008, must hold a valid Level III New Mexico teaching license at the time they intend to participate in the required Internship.

Advanced Study: Internship Experience

The Internship Experience Concentration is a 12-hour program designed to support students who have completed core requirements in the School Leadership toward Administrative License concentration at UNM but who require an internship experience to qualify for state licensure. Students must hold a valid Level III New Mexico teaching license at the time they intend to complete this 12 credit certificate program.

Complete this 12 credit Certification Program

Ed.D. in Educational Leadership

All applicants for admission into the doctoral program in Educational Leadership must meet the requirements set forth in the preceding College section of this catalog and in the sections on graduate studies at the University of New Mexico. Generally, minimum requirements for admission include experience as an educational leader, evidence of strong academic potential, ability to work cooperatively in a community of learners, and a letter of agreement regarding summer and academic year study. In addition, applicants must hold a masters degree and submit GRE General Test scores for consideration.

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership is designed for active, high-achieving educators seeking to develop a more profound understanding of leadership for learning and transformation. The program employs a modified cohort model, with groups of students entering every summer and sharing a core of coursework. Members contribute to and benefit from an emergent community of learners. Cohorts commit to three summers of full-time study in July. For the fall and spring terms of 2007-2008, cohorts will meet five intensive Friday-Sunday weekends each term. Beginning in fall of 2008, cohorts will have the option to pursue elective classes outside the core of Educational Leadership classes required for the doctorate. The range of courses students can select from are offered in evening and weekend formats (largely on Saturdays), in online and hybrid formats, and as field-based experiences. Contact the Program office for additional information.

In addition to University requirements for graduation, students must successfully pass comprehensive exams and complete and defend a dissertation, which may be oriented towards practitioner research.

Minors in Educational Leadership

Three Educational Leadership minors exist: School Leadership toward Administrative Licensure*, Instructional Leadership, and Leadership for Organizational and Community Learning. To qualify for a transcripted minor, the student must successfully complete, with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or better and a minimum grade of B in each class, the 15 hours of Core Domain courses associated with the minor. These are set out in the corresponding concentration in the M.A. in Educational Leadership section above.

*Note: Completion of a minor in School Leadership toward Administrative Licensure does not constitute administrative licensure. Administrative licensure is awarded through the NM Public Education Department (PED). In addition to meeting coursework and internship requirements, an individual must hold a New Mexico Level III teaching license for one year prior to applying for New Mexico Administrative Licensure.