Master of Education in School Leadership

Master of Education

Diane DiSanto, Ed.D., Program Director
Harkins Hall 336B
401.865.2881

The Graduate Studies Program in School Leadership is designed to equip education professionals with the skills necessary to become a school administrator. Recipients of Providence College’s master’s degree in school leadership have become assistant principals, principals, directors of special education, assistant superintendents, and superintendents.

Coursework is designed to provide the prospective administrator with an understanding of both theoretical and practical aspects of the instructional leader’s role. Program candidates complete ten courses focusing on research, data, law, parent/community engagement, equity, organization/management, personnel, instruction, curriculum, professional development, and finance. The program culminates with a six-credit internship in which each candidate demonstrates proficiency according to state and national standards. The intern independently leads initiatives in a school placement under the supervision of a field-based principal and college-based clinical supervisor. The overarching goal of the program is to develop school administrators who have a vision for improving the achievement and personal well-being of all students.

Please visit the School Leadership site to review the Guidelines for Coursework Portfolio.

Application Deadlines*

Start Term	Application Deadline
Summer I or II	March 1st
Fall	July 1st
Spring	November 1st

*Note that students can take up to 2 courses while their application is under review.

Program Requirements

All requirements for the master’s degree must be completed within a period of five calendar years from the time of admission. All teachers who successfully complete the program and pass the Praxis School Leaders Licensure assessment are eligible for certification in Rhode Island as a PK-12 Building Administrator. Successful completion of the program includes:

Completing all required coursework while maintaining a 3.0 or higher GPA

Successfully completing and defending a performance assessment.

Taking the Praxis School Leaders Licensure assessment is a program completion requirement as well as a state certification requirement. For information regarding this assessment please click here.

The Sequence

Strand I
EDU 810 - Data Analysis, Technology, and the Principal
EDU 504 - Supervision/Personnel Problems in Education
EDU 505 - School Law
EDU 512 - Family and Community Engagement: Promoting Culturally Responsive Schools
EDU 522 - Operations and Management: Organizing Schools for Success
Strand II
EDU 514 - Program Evaluation: Research for Continuous School Improvement
EDU 513 - Supervision of Instruction
EDU 515 - Principal as Instructional Leader: Building Capacity to Support All Students
EDU 516 - School and District Finance: Maximizing Resources for Effective Schools
EDU 532 - Curriculum Design and Construction
Strand III
EDU 530 - Education Administration Internship I
EDU 536 - Education Administration Internship II
(For a total of 36 credit hours)
NOTE: EDU 530 and EDU 536 are not sequential. Students may take these courses in any order.

Internship I and II

The Graduate Studies Program in School Leadership requires all students to spend two semesters (6 credits) completing an internship of 400 hours based on the RI Standards for Educational Leaders. This field opportunity provides interns with authentic experiences in a school setting where they put into practice the theory and knowledge that they have gained in their coursework. The intern works under the supervision of both a school principal and college supervisor. Seminars are conducted throughout both semesters to allow for peer reflection and sharing of experiences. Interns also engage in field experiences at a variety of grade levels and in diverse socioeconomic communities to prepare for K-12 certification in Rhode Island.

In addition to the above required courses, the Graduate Studies Program in School Leadership also offers the following courses:

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Master of Education in School Leadership