MEd in Administration
(for candidates who work in Oregon or Washington)
For aspiring educational leaders, the path ahead offers both exciting opportunities and interesting challenges. Today’s school leaders have an extensive and important set of responsibilities, including instructional leadership, program and personnel evaluation, staffing, budgeting, data analysis, school improvement planning, professional development, employee and student discipline, and providing equitable, welcoming, and supportive environments for all types of learners. Principals and assistant principals must be strong communicators, ethical decision makers, and collaborative thinkers, as well as effective instructional leaders and organizational managers.
Concordia’s MEd in Administration is for experienced, licensed educators with at least three years of teaching experience who wish to become principals in the state of Oregon by earning a master’s degree and a Preliminary Administrator License (Pre-AL). This degree program has been designed to meet the National Education Leadership Preparation (NELP) standards. Candidates who already hold a master’s degree may pursue the Preliminary Administrator License by itself. Concordia’s program has reciprocity with licensure in the state of Washington, too.
Accredited, nonprofit, and taught by experienced practitioners, all of Concordia’s MEd programs reflect the passion and commitment to excellence that has marked our 110-year history. Clearly defined coursework—paired with realistic deadlines and the ability to immediately apply what you learn at Concordia in your own classroom or school—makes our programs ideal for busy lifestyles. And the potential career benefits—from higher pay to promotions—are second only to the reward of having a lasting impact on the lives of your students.
Note: TSPC has recently approved a redesigned system of preparing and licensing school and district administrators in Oregon. Learn more about the TSPC Oregon Administrator License Redesign.
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Earn your MEd on a schedule that fits your life.
Curriculum is up-to-date and relevant
Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Concordia is one of the most respected names in learning today
91% of MEd students say that Concordia's Portland campus experience is having a significant impact on their professional development.
20,000-strong alumni network
97% of MEd students say they are satisfied with their academic program experience.
Program Objectives
The program objectives for the MEd in Administration are written to meet TSPC's standards for the Preliminary Administrator License. In addition to meeting the objectives for all Concordia University MEd programs, successful candidates in the MEd in Administration program will demonstrate skills in:
Program completers will show competency with Oregon’s six administrator standards:
1. Visionary leadership
2. Instructional improvement
3. Effective management
4. Inclusive practice (equity)
5. Ethical leadership
6. Socio-political context
All courses are aligned with these standards as well as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL, 2015) and the National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP, 2018) standards, building level.
MEd in Administration Core Courses
6 credits
Course challenges candidates to confront the tremendous diversity in their current environment and develop strategies to build community in the midst of the social, ethnic, economic, and alternative lifestyle differences that permeate today's 21st century workplace. Course stresses the critical importance of creating community in the workplace and illustrates how that community can generate an efficient, supportive, and positive workplace.
This course provides an overview of what constitutes effective classroom instruction. The course will also explore in depth the categories of strategies that research show will have a high probability of enhancing achievement for all students in all subject areas at all grade levels. The research and theory will be studied as well as the practical classroom application of the strategies.
MEd in Administration Courses
22 credits
During the first semester of any in-service licensure (CTL/M.Ed./ Initial or Continuing Admin/Ed Leadership) program matriculation, or as close to that time as possible, all candidates for licensure programs are required to complete the Professional Planning Seminar (PPS). This seminar sets the stage for the candidates to outline personal and professional goals, and to develop a roadmap whereby class work, activities, and a portfolio are created to support and reinforce these goals-all tied to Oregon state competency standards. (Advanced Teaching Competencies, Initial Administrator, or Continuing Administrator Competencies.) The candidate, University supervisor, and school or district mentor work collaboratively to develop an individualized Professional Education Plan (PEP) for the support and continuing professional development of the classroom teacher, school or district administrator. The PEP is based on a pre-assessment of the candidate's skills, competencies (in relation to State competency standards), and work environment. The PEP will include, but not be limited to, a mentoring component, portfolio development, professional course work and as required, an Action Research project or Thesis project that will address state standards for licensure or degree completion.
This course introduces graduate candidates to the process of understanding the funding of the educational enterprise and how those funds are expended to accomplish the goals of the institution. Tracking the flow of income and expenditures per the state mandates are complicated, but vital to the educational processes. Students will become actively involved in the operational practices by means of an awareness of the documents used as tools for those actually in the field. Since human resources account for 80-85% of those expenditures, the understanding of that quantity and of the legalities of using these resources is absolutely critical.
This course provides classroom teachers and administrators with a relationship among instructional goals, curriculum development, classroom instructions, and assessments; it will look at conventional and alternative assessment methodologies, strategies implemented by instructional leaders to conduct classroom observations, and study the impact of educational reform efforts.
This course builds a common knowledge base for understanding the critical role data plays in school improvement as well as improving instruction and increasing student achievement. Candidates in this course collect, analyze, communicate, and use various forms of data to improve instruction, increase student achievement, and influence decision-making at the district, building, and classroom levels.
This course introduces prospective administrators to the essential skills and competencies necessary for effective school leadership in an environment of change. The principles and processes of educational administration, the numerous roles of the principal, the need for collaboration and partnering with all members of the school community, and current research relating to school leadership are all emphasized. The course aims to intentionally provide candidates with a number of the administrative skills outlined in the latest OARs.
Law and the legal system have profoundly influenced the shaping of education in America. Many of today's issues of educational policy (e.g., desegregation, the treatment of students with disabilities, English as a second language, religion in the schools, school finance) are also issues of law. As a consequence, we see decisions regarding our schools increasingly being made by the courts. Accordingly, it is critical for the leaders of today to have a basic knowledge of the judicial branch of our government and its impact on education. Specifically, this course encourages students to become familiar with the manner in which courts operate, how they make their decisions, and the impact of their decisions on education and educational policy.
Organizational Change provides an introductory overview to the theoretical and sociological foundations of organizational change. Additionally, the course explores sources, processes, and outcomes of educational change and the resulting implications for teachers and administrators. Topics and activities are designed to review issues of interest and importance to those contemplating careers in educational administration or roles as lead teachers and agents of change.
The Preliminary Administrative License practicum provides administrative candidates with practical experience. This 360-hour practicum provides opportunities for aspiring school administrators to demonstrate professionalism and proficiency in relation to specific administrative processes and skills required for effective educational leadership. It enables administrative candidates to practice fusing theory with reality under the supervision of qualified and competent mentors in an accredited public or private school environment.
Prerequisites: EDGR 500 and EDAD 607 with a B- or higher.
Research Course 1
3 credits
This course provides students with the basic competencies necessary to understand and evaluate the research of others, and to plan their own research with a minimum of assistance. This course includes the basics of both qualitative and quantitative research.
The Master of Education culminates with the choice of either EDGR 698-Action Research or EDGR 696-Practitioner Inquiry. Either option provides candidates with an understanding of the role of research in the field of education as a tool to solve problems and as a way to improve student learning.
SELECT ONE CAPSTONE COURSE:
Research Course 2
3 credits Select one of the following:
Practitioner Inquiry focuses on the reflective acts of the candidate as an educator seeking to improve teaching practice. Premised on the self-study research methodological traditions, Practitioner Inquiry provides the opportunity to reflect on teaching practice and generate improvements based on classroom observation. Practitioner Inquiry is focused on the educator and her/his own practices, developing skills of inquiry, observation, reflection, and action in teachers.
Prerequisites: EDGR 601 with a B- or higher
Candidates will learn more about the action research methodology, complete final edits of the literature review, and design a complete action research proposal including data collection methods and analysis approaches. During this course, the proposal will not be implemented with students/participants. This design provides candidates with the requisite skills and means to pursue the transformative practice called Action Research in their classroom, school, district or other work environment.
Prerequisites: EDGR 601 with a B- or higher
Concordia education students have a way of standing out – even to other educators. Find out what Jennifer McCalley, principal at Faubion School, has to say about what teachers educated at Concordia University bring to the classroom – and why they’re at the top of her hiring list.
3toPhD®
The 3toPhD® campus is home to our College of Education as well as to urban, diverse Faubion School — and its 800+ pre-Kindergarten through 8th-grade students. This means that as an MEd student, if you take courses on campus at Concordia, your classrooms are just down the hall from the Faubion classrooms. The College of Education faculty and staff who helped develop 3toPhD® are innovators in teaching and learning, providing practical application of the latest best practices in education.
A groundbreaking new model of education, the 3toPhD® initiative powerfully demonstrates not only innovation in practice but also compassion in action — a collaborative effort to strengthen the community from the ground up.
READ MORE ABOUT 3toPhD®MEd Programs
- Administration
- Career and Technical Education
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Adolescent Literacy
- Community Engagement
- Early Childhood Education (ECE)
- Educational Technology Leadership
- English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL - Online)
- English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL - OR/WA Residents)
- Environmental Education
- Health and Physical Education
- The Inclusive Classroom
- Leadership
- Mathematics
- Methods and Curriculum
- Reading Interventionist (Online)
- Reading Interventionist (OR/WA Residents)
- Science
- Social Studies
- STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics)
- Trauma and Resilience in Educational Settings
- Educational Leadership
- Educational Technology and Learning Design: K-12 Education
I feel like Concordia truly cares about my success in the program.
CAREER OUTCOMES
See where an MEd in administration could take you
Upon completion of the program, candidates will receive a Master of Education degree in Administration and will be eligible to apply for the Preliminary Administrator License (Pre-AL) from TSPC. Candidates completing the Preliminary Administrative Licensure Certificate program will be eligible to apply for the Preliminary Administrator License (Pre-AL) from TSPC.