The graduate program in Leadership at Georgia Regents University (GRU) is a performance-based program that is aligned with both NCATE standards and Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC) standards. Information on educational leadership certification rules, as stipulated by the Georgia PSC, is available on the PSC’s website (www.gapsc.com). Candidates seeking certification in school leadership are responsible for ensuring the M.Ed. in Leadership is appropriate in their respective states. In Georgia, the M.Ed. in Leadership does not lead to initial certification or to certificate upgrade. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission is currently reviewing the rules for certification in Educational Leadership. Interested applicants should contact the Educational Leadership Program Director concerning proposed changes and the implementation of these.
A performance-based educational leadership program offers candidates significant opportunities to apply knowledge and skills in real educational settings. In courses, field-specific experiences require candidates to demonstrate to faculty and personal leadership coaches the ability to transfer classwork to the demands placed upon today’s educational leaders.
The Master’s program in Leadership has an emphasis on foundational knowledge, skills, and dispositions essential for school leaders. Candidates complete at the school level a variety of administrative, organizational, managerial, supervisory, and instructional experiences. A Beginning Leader Candidate Support Team (BLCST) develops specific field residency requirements for each candidate. The BLCST consists of the candidate, a faculty member, and a personal leadership coach. The BLCST collaborates to provide support and guide a candidate and to provide the candidate with authentic responsibilities that increase over time and in complexity. The residency experiences include direct interaction with appropriate staff, students, and the school/district community.
The Master’s in Leadership is a 36-hour program. Candidates holding a Master’s degree in leadership from an accredited college or university program are eligible to apply for the Education Specialist degree 30-hour program which leads to a clear, renewable Georgia PL-6 certificate. A PL-6 certificate holder may apply for building and district educational leadership positions. Candidates who have earned a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in a field other than educational leadership may apply for the extended 48-hour Education Specialist degree in Leadership.
