Program goal

The administration and supervision concentration of the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership is a 33-credit-hour program that prepares individuals to fill positions as reflective leaders for schools. Applicants must possess an active renewable educator license and are expected to have at least two years of experience in a school setting in an instructional personnel position that requires licensure in Virginia. An end-of-program assessment is required. Individuals must meet technology standards approved by the Virginia Board of Education, and they must supply proof of child abuse and neglect recognition training. Individuals who successfully complete the program are eligible for endorsement as an administrator/supervisor K-12.

Please visit the Department of Educational Leadership’s website for additional information about program and application requirements.

Student learning outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

Educational leadership core outcomes

  1. Leverage practices of critical inquiry in promotion of equitable environments

  2. Apply leadership skills that engage internal and external communities in mutually beneficial ways

Administration and supervision concentration-specific outcomes

  1. Candidates demonstrate content knowledge: Candidates demonstrate content knowledge in educational leadership.

  2. Design, align, evaluate curriculum, guide learning: Candidates demonstrate the ability to develop a supervisory plan for classroom-based learning.

  3. Internship/clinical practice: Candidates demonstrate effective applications in internship/clinical practice.

  4. Assess application of content: Candidates demonstrate application of content.

  5. Assess management and community relations: Candidates demonstrate organizational management and community relations skills.

VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs

The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.

It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.

Degree candidacy requirements

A graduate student admitted to a program or concentration requiring a final research project, work of art, thesis or dissertation, must qualify for continuing master’s or doctoral status according to the degree candidacy requirements of the student’s graduate program. Admission to degree candidacy, if applicable, is a formal statement by the graduate student’s faculty regarding the student’s academic achievements and the student’s readiness to proceed to the final research phase of the degree program.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following degree candidacy policy as published in the VCU Graduate Bulletin for complete information and instructions.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on degree candidacy requirements.

Graduation requirements

As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on graduation requirements.

Apply online today.

Admission requirements

Degree: Semester(s) of entry: Deadline dates: Test requirements:
M.Ed. Fall Apr 1

In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, the following requirements represent the minimum acceptable standards for admission:

  1. Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate discipline
  2. Two letters of recommendation addressing the student’s potential for graduate study in education
  3. Statement of intent
  4. Transcripts of all previous college work
  5. At least two years of experience in a school setting in an instructional personnel position that requires licensure in Virginia

Please visit the School of Education website for further information.

Degree requirements

In addition to general VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, students are required to complete course work in core and elective courses.

  1. Credit hour requirements: Students are required to complete a minimum of 33 credit hours.
  2. Grade requirements: Receipt of a grade of C or below in two courses constitutes automatic dismissal from the program. Courses with a grade below C cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements.
  3. Internship requirement: Students in the administration and supervision concentration must complete an internship sequence.
  4. Testing requirements: Individuals must take the School Leaders Licensure Assessment or any other assessment required by the Virginia Board of Education for endorsement as a school principal/supervisor K-12.
  5. For endorsement, individuals must meet the technology standards approved by the Virginia Board of Education, and they must supply proof of child abuse and neglect recognition training.

Curriculum requirements

Course Title Hours
Required courses
ADMS 611School Law3
ADMS 618Leadership for Change and Improvement3
ADMS 622Understanding Diversity and Leading for Social Justice3
ADMS 624Principals as Human Resource Agents3
ADMS 625Leadership for Individualized Learning3
ADMS 627Enhancing and Supporting Instruction3
ADMS 629The Business of Schools3
ADMS 630Understanding and Engaging School Communities3
ADMS 633Multiple Dimensions of Leadership3
ADMS 670Administrative Internship I 11
ADMS 671Administrative Internship II 21
ADMS 675Administrative Internship III 31
EDUS 660Research Methods in Education3
Assessment
Individuals must take the SLLA or any other assessment required by the Virginia Board of Education for endorsement as a school principal/supervisor K-12. (no credit)
Total Hours33
1

ADMS 670 must be taken in the first semester of enrollment in the program. 

2

ADMS 671 is taken in the next-to-last semester of enrollment in the program. 

3

ADMS 675 is taken in the last semester of enrollment in the program.

The minimum total of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 33.

Contact
Office of Strategic Recruitment
soeinfo@vcu.edu
(804) 827-6847

Additional contact
Whitney Newcomb, Ph.D.
Professor, chair and graduate program director
wsnewcomb@vcu.edu
(804) 828-8724

Program website: soe.vcu.edu/academics/masters-programs/med-educational-leadership