MEd, Educational Leadership

Admission Requirements

Federal enrollment regulations do not permit the Educational Leadership program to enroll international students on F-1 student visas. International applicants holding another U.S. visa type may still be eligible to enroll. Please consider reaching out to the International Admissions Office at interntl@boisestate.edu to confirm your eligibility prior to applying. Submit an online graduate application along with the application fee to the Graduate Admission Office. The online application will include:

• Contact information from two individuals who can supply academic or professional letters of recommendation.
• A cover letter discussing your professional goals and reasons for applying to the Educational Leadership Program
• Request official transcripts from all institutions previously attended to be sent to the Graduate Admission Office, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID 83725.

Admission to the MEd Leadership Program:

• Minimum of 3.0 GPA in previous undergraduate or graduate degree.
• Two letters of recommendation, one from an immediate supervisor in support of the candidate’s participation in the program and one from someone who can speak to the candidate’s leadership ability and/or potential.
• Application letter to the Program Coordinator stating the candidate’s professional goals and why the candidate believes the program will be a good fit.
• Recommendation based upon an interview with a member of the Educational Leadership faculty.

Apply for the Principal Endorsement:

After graduation from the Educational Leadership Program you may apply for the principal endorsement.  Please note the Department of Education requires that you have a  minimum of four (4) years certified teaching or work in a K-12 setting to be eligible for the endorsement.

Please submit an application packet with the following items:

(1) Completed B1 Form: Idaho Educator Certification Application (SDE website)

(2) Completed School Administrator PreK-12 School Principal (Program Coordinator)

(3) An official Boise State transcript w/degree posted that shows all applicable endorsement coursework: all five Ed Leadership courses

(4) $25 Application Fee (personal check or money order ONLY)*

If you are also renewing your current certification, the State Dept. of Education normally doesn’t charge the additional $25 fee.  If you are renewing your certificate and applying for the endorsement, please note that on your paperwork.  DO NOT submit renewal paperwork with the Principal endorsement paperwork.  If you are completing both, the applicant should contact Lori Pierce-French at lfrench@boisestate.edu.

Program Requirements

The Educational Leadership Program begins a new cohort of students each Fall semester. Leadership candidates complete five 6-credit modules, one each semester for five consecutive semesters. During the academic year, the cohort meets one night per week and one Saturday per month.

The curriculum is organized as a series of instructional modules designed to encourage the integration of theory, research and practice. A problem based approach utilizing case studies of fictional, but realistic school settings provides students with a more authentic environment within which to solve problems of practice. Field experiences are a component of each instructional module. Students are encouraged to reflect on crucial issues related to the guiding principles and five broad curricular modules: Leadership Foundations, Leading Teaching and Learning, Leading Systems, Internship, and Capstone.

ED-CIFS 576 Module 1: Leadership Foundation. This module emphasizes the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to serve as the foundation for candidates pursuing positions of leadership.

ED-CIFS 577 Module 2: Leading Teaching and Learning. This module emphasizes the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of an effective instructional leader who is expected to influence, manage, monitor and ensure the quality of curriculum, instruction and assessment. Students reflect on and practice the state identified teacher evaluation process to gain proficiency in the Framework for Teachers.

ED-CIFS 578 Module 3: Leading Systems Change. This module emphasizes the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to create school and organizational conditions and capabilities that support deep levels of learning for all students. A service learning component, in which students work with an at–risk population they are not familiar with, is integrated into the coursework. Student participate in a minimum of 20 hours, write a reflection paper and create a poster for exhibit. This is a service-learning designated course.

ED-CIFS 579 Module 4: Internship. This module is an extensive field experience in which students engage in carefully planned activities with their mentor principal(s). Internship activities are coordinated as much as possible with the typical cycle of activities in a school year. Students conduct an Ethnographic Sketch of their internship site to gain a deeper understanding of the site culture.

ED-CIFS 692 Module 5: Capstone. This module is the execution of substantial exercise that demonstrates the ability to successfully and independently carry out a professional activity, similar to what is encountered in the professional workplace. Students are required to complete a Critical Inquiry Research Project that demonstrates influence on the improvement of teaching and learning.

Course Number and Title	Credits
ED-CIFS 576 Leadership Foundation	6
ED-CIFS 577 Leading Teaching and Learning	6
ED-CIFS 578 Leading System Change	6
ED-CIFS 579 Educational Leadership Clinical Experience	6
ED-CIFS 692 Capstone Course	6
Total	30

Application Deadlines

Prospective students may apply for admission at any time. The program begins fall semester, and all application and admission material must be received by July 1.

Graduate Assistantships

The College of Education also offers Graduate Assistantships. A limited number of competitive graduate assistantship opportunities are available in the College of Education. Graduate assistantships typically offer a 9-month research assistantship position that includes a stipend, tuition and fee waiver, and student health insurance.

Apply for a College of Education Graduate Assistantship