MSA Course Descriptions
MSA 770 – Research for School Administrators
This course will examine the quantitative and qualitative research methodologies appropriate to school settings and the evaluation of research, data analysis, and its application to schools.
MSA 771 - Diversity Issues and Community Relations for School Executives
This course will focus on the skills school executives need to build professional learning communities. School leaders must address the needs of diverse student populations. Candidate will develop a greater awareness of diverse school culture that is rooted in the community which he/she serves.
MSA 773 - Contemporary Issues in Educational Administration
This course will focus on current education issues and administrative organization of schools, federal-state-local contexts, accountability issues, school finance, role of technology as both an instructional and administrative tool, building consensus, communicating effectively, and developing collaborative skills.
MSA 774 - Curriculum Leadership and Assessment
This course will focus on the application of current theories of learning and psychological research in educational leadership of classroom instruction. This course is designed to study practices of applied curriculum leadership, curriculum planning, curriculum design and trend analysis. Instructional models to improve instruction and student achievement will be examined.
MSA 776 - Educational Law Policy and Politics
This course will cover the influence of the laws, educational policies, and power structures of communities on the goals and operations of schools. Examining state statutes, administrative policies, and regulations as court decisions regarding public school personnel functions is essential for school administrators. Legal and ethical issues relative to equity, quality, gender, ethnicity and appropriate application of legal principles are also discussed.
MSA 778 - The School Principalship
The principalship course will examine different management perspectives of school operations, organization, team leadership, school-based collaboration, business management, public school, finance, and school-based budgets. The way school districts operate, district level decision making, elements of school quality that impact on operating programs, and the relationship of schools to other community agencies will be discussed.
MSA 784 - School Finance
This course explores how school administrators can allocate limited resources to achieve prioritized goals and objectives. Emphasis is placed on both the understanding of the methods of financing public schools, as well as the basic overview of budgeting and evaluation principles that are needed to ensure that resources are allocated with optimum efficiency and effectiveness. Candidates explore the primary revenue sources for Pre-K-12 education and the mechanism for distributing revenues to individual school districts at the state and local level.
MSAL 784 - Internship Supervision I
Internship Supervision I is the initial level of the internship experience. The internship provides an opportunity for skill development in key leadership areas. Each student will complete an internship in a school setting with joint supervision by a university faculty member and a cooperating principal mentor for each individual intern. Internship Supervision I is the first half of a year-long (ten month) clinical experience that is taken by permission of the advisor/program coordinator only. The internship supervision course is capped at six students.
MSAL 785 - Internship Supervision II
Internship Supervision II is the advanced level of the internship. Students will complete their action research projects and North Carolina Department of Public Instruction requirements for licensure certification. Each student will complete the internship in a school setting to put into action leadership skills mastered in Internship Supervision I. Internship Supervision II is the second half of a year-long (ten month) clinical experience that is taken by permission of the advisor/program coordinator only. The internship supervision course is capped at six students. Prerequisite: MSAL 784 (Internship Supervision I).
MSAL 789 - Internship Seminar I
The Administrative Internship Seminar is the culminating experience in the MSA Program. The central purpose of the Internship is to offer interns opportunities to develop and document their achievements and mastery of the performance standards necessary for effective school leadership. Designed to facilitate the application of knowledge and the development of leadership skills, the internship provides intentionally planned and supervised "real world" opportunities for aspiring administrators to impact learning for all students.
MSAL 792 - Internship Seminar II
The internship seminar is conducted once a week during the full-time internship. This seminar complements field activities and provides interns the opportunity to share experiences, develop concepts, and broaden their knowledge of school administration. Students will develop case studies, and portfolios to demonstrate acquisition of skills. Prerequisite: MSAL 789 (Internship Seminar I) and Co-requisite: MSAL 785 (Internship Supervision II).
