Principal Superintendent

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Principal Preparation

Master of Education Degree
with
Principal Preparation

PURPOSE

The Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership provides opportunities for graduate students to acquire the knowledge base, technology skills and practical experience essential for futuristic education leaders. Designed to certify administrative personnel other than the school superintendent, the degree with certificate program offers learning experiences that promote service to learner-centered schools, course work and research opportunities that support educational and cultural equity, and field-based experiences which connect scholarly and practical learning Graduates integrate intellectual work into their professional lives in order to contribute to the understanding of important individual, social and cultural issues. The program, based upon guidelines of accrediting agencies at the state and national levels, is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Professional Learning Community - Students, public school administrators, and professors build professional learning communities through mentor practices. The collaboration connects course work and applied skills in the field.

Field Based Experiences - Each course requires experiences in the public schools called field experiences. Some activities and/or projects may be determined by the professor and field experiences may be developed collaboratively by the student, professor, and mentor. The Graduate Faculty Council determines the structure of the field-based experiences.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The 36-hour Master of Education degree is aligned with the Professional Administrator Certificate. Course work and field experiences are built upon the Texas Proficiencies for Administrators, developed by the Texas Education Agency in conjunction with a cross section of community, business and school administrators. The proficiency-based curriculum focuses on:

Learner-Centered Leadership
Learner-Centered Curriculum and Instruction
Learner-Centered Communication
Learner-Centered Management
Learner-Centered Climate
Learner-Centered Professional Development
Learner-Centered Equity and Excellence

COHORT DESIGN

The principal preparation program is offered as a cohort design: students complete all course work as a member of the cohort for which they were admitted. Cohort students benefit from common experiences and develop as members of a professional learning community. Continuous enrollment in all course work is scheduled for the cohort program.

Courses are taught in the following locations:
Cy-Fair	Hallsville	Humble
Jasper	Mabank	Nacogdoches
Pine Tree	Van	Online

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

To be accepted in the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership for degree or professional certificate work, students must first meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School as outlined in the Stephen F. Austin State University Graduate Bulletin 2000-2002. Applications forms are available through the Graduate School Office and should be returned to the Graduate Office. An applicant to the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership must complete the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) prior to entering graduate study.

The admission process is designed to ensure a good match between the applicant and the department. Applicants must satisfy department requirements, including a professional profile, essay, and interviews with the Graduate Faculty Council.

PROCEDURES FOR APPLICATION

Admission to the program is determined by the Graduate Faculty Council from the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership. To apply, the applicant should complete applications forms from the Graduate School Office (including undergraduate and graduate official transcripts and GRE scores). Application forms for the degree and certification program can be obtained from the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership.

Online Program

GRADUATE FACULTY

Click to Enlarge

(Back Row L-R) John Leonard, Janet Tarilo, Lee Stewart, & Emma Hagan
(Front Row L-R) Carrie Williams, Diane Trautman, Betty Alford, & Julia Ballenger

Janet Tareilo, Ed.D. Assistant Professor Sam Houston State University	John Leonard Ed.D Associate Professor Texas A&M University	Betty Alford, Ph.D. Chair Professor University of Texas
Lee Stewart , Ed.D. Assistant Professor Baylor University	Dr. Ralph Marshall Assistant Professor Illinois State University	Julia Ballenger, Ph.D. Program Director Associate Professor University of Texas
Nugget Cunningham, Ed.D. Assistant Professor Texas A&M University

Application forms for Graduate School

Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership
Stephen F. Austin State University
P.O. Box 13018, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, Texas 75962-3018
Phone: (936) 468-2908
Fax: (936) 468-1573
E-mail: williamscs1@sfasu.edu

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