License Only Sequence for the Master of Arts in School Leadership & Management

This course introduces school leadership as the work of building thriving schools and communities. Students examine school culture, climate, communication, trust, stakeholder engagement, and community assets. The course emphasizes how leaders understand school context, listen to stakeholders, and identify improvement opportunities that are responsive to students, families, staff, and the broader community.

Major projects / field-based products:

• Thriving Schools and Community Audit
• Culture-climate survey and results
• Leadership reflection
• Audit presentation

This course prepares students to lead school improvement through disciplined inquiry, implementation science, and continuous improvement methods. Students learn to identify problems of practice, analyze contributing factors, develop driver diagrams, plan improvement cycles, and communicate improvement strategies aligned with school and district priorities.

Major projects / field-based products:

• School improvement plan draft
• PDSA cycle or improvement-cycle artifact
• Driver diagram
• Implementation plan

This internship supports job-embedded leadership practice connected to the first semester of the program. Students apply course concepts in authentic school settings under faculty and mentor guidance, gather evidence of leadership practice, and reflect on feedback and outcomes.

Major projects / field-based products:

• Thriving Schools and Community Audit
• Culture-climate survey
• School improvement planning
• Leadership reflection
• Required evidence artifacts

This course prepares students to use action research as a leadership tool for studying practice, improving outcomes, and making evidence-informed decisions. Students develop researchable questions, examine local data, select appropriate methods, consider ethical issues, and design a practical inquiry process connected to school improvement.

Major projects / field-based products:

• Action research plan
• Problem statement
• Literature-informed rationale
• Data collection plan
• Leadership reflection

This course focuses on how school leaders use multiple sources of data to guide instructional improvement, equity, resource allocation, and stakeholder communication. Students learn to interpret student learning data, identify trends and gaps, facilitate data conversations, and translate findings into leadership decisions.

Major projects / field-based products:

• School Data project
• Data visualization presentation
• Equity-focused teaching strategies
• Leadership recommendations aligned to school goals

This internship extends students’ job-embedded leadership practice through action research and data-informed decision-making. Students complete leadership tasks in their school setting, compile artifacts, receive mentor feedback, and connect course products to school or district improvement priorities.

Major projects / field-based products:

• Action research project
• School Data project
• Leadership reflections
• Evidence documentation

This course examines the legal, ethical, and policy responsibilities of school leaders. Topics include student rights, personnel issues, special education, due process, school safety, compliance, policy interpretation, and legally sound decision-making. Students practice applying legal and policy principles to authentic leadership scenarios.

Major projects / field-based products:

• Legal/policy analysis
• Compliance review
• Leadership response memo
• Scenario-based decision-making artifacts

The capstone course requires students to synthesize program learning through a culminating leadership project aligned with school or district needs. Students implement or evaluate an improvement project, organize evidence of leadership competencies, analyze impact, and present findings and sustainability recommendations.

Major projects / field-based products:

• Integrated capstone leadership report
• Evidence portfolio
• Professional capstone presentation
• Final leadership reflection