High school principal with clipboard in busy corridor with students

Academic Program

Educational Leadership

Our graduates are trained to lead, advance and improve educational systems. 

The mission of the Educational Leadership program is to develop and support effective leaders for high-quality elementary/secondary education. In partnership with the global community, we identify and enhance individuals through degree and certification programs and support their lifelong learning through our conferences and publications. 

About

Our vision of effective leaders is working collaboratively as scholar-practitioners who foster the cognitive and affective development of all learners both through technological, managerial and interpersonal skills as well as through agile and creative habits-of-mind.

The Educational Leadership program offers master’s and doctoral degree programs for individuals interested in pursuing leadership careers within academic institutions. We also offer K-12 principal certification, director of curriculum and instruction certification, and superintendent of schools certification.

Features of our program include:

  • Personalized advisement and attention
  • Excellent instruction by full-time faculty
  • Balance of theory and practice
  • Earned reputation for quality
  • Proven placement record

Accreditation

The Educational Leadership Certification programs are accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to offer PreK-12 Principal Certification, Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction Certification and Superintendent PreK-12 of Schools Certification - Letter of Eligibility.

Educational Leadership Spotlight

  • Cameron Anglum

    Anglum's Work Cited in White House Report

    The work of Educational Leadership faculty member J. Cameron Anglum was cited in the White House's annual Economic Report of the President, which was released last week. His paper (cited on page 259) examines the federal school funding response to the Great Recession to draw lessons for federal pandemic relief funding in public schools nationwide.

  • COE_News_Story_UnreasonableHospitality.png

    Applying the Concepts of Unreasonable Hospitality to Educational Leadership

    One morning, not long ago, Dr. Craig Hochbein opened his email to find a message from Bob Steckel ‘20 Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools for Whitehall-Coplay. A graduate of the COE’s Educational Leadership program, Steckel had recently read the national bestseller, Unreasonable Hospitality. As Steckel moved through the book, he saw applications to educational leadership and thought of Hochbein. “I kept thinking that this is the book you wished was written for your classes,”  Steckel told his colleague.

  • Armando Quiroz Asks, “How Do We Define Language Mastery?”

    As part of his doctoral degree in the COE’s Educational Leadership program, Quiroz is exploring areas of research that blend educational leadership and change leadership.

    As part of his doctoral degree in the COE’s Educational Leadership program, Quiroz is exploring areas of research that blend educational leadership and change leadership.

  • Adam Schmucker Builds Bridges Through Language

    Adam Schmucker has always been interested in language and the world that exists outside our individual bubbles.

    As part of his doctoral program, Schmucker is conducting research about the influence of school leadership on bilingual education. His multi-site, qualitative case study is taking place at three elementary schools in eastern Pennsylvania, conducting document analysis, semi-structured interviews and observational field observation.

A Day in the Life

Learn more about our Educational Leadership degree programs from our students:

Spring Shank, M.Ed., Educational Leadership, '19 

Gina Gullo, Educational Leadership, M.Ed. Special Ed, '14 and Ed.D. Educational Leadership, '16

Faculty & Staff

Documents