School Leadership, Management, and Administration

[1] Master of Science (MS) Program in School Leadership, Management, and Administration

Offered through the Department of Leadership Studies, graduate programs in school leadership are designed for individuals seeking Arkansas licensure as building administrators, curriculum administrators, or program administrators for special education or gifted-talented education. These programs are aligned with both state and national standards. The program is part of UCA’s Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accreditation and is approved by the Educational Leadership Constituent Council. The program is designed to prepare school-based leaders who are (1) strong educators with a focus on students’ and adults’ needs and learning, (2) moral agents and social advocates for the children and communities they serve, (3) effective communicators with students, colleagues, and members of the community, (4) effective leaders of change, and (5) effective integrators of technology into the educational environment. The program is delivered online. An internship is required. Instruction and training is online for interns and mentors; however the internship is conducted in the field.

The professional degree, Master of Science (MS), is designed to meet the needs of professional educators for preparation as building level leaders and administrators as principals, vice principals, assistant principals, or curriculum/program administrators. Candidates may choose one of the two tracks for their master’s degree work: Building Administrator or Curriculum/Program Administrator. Both tracks require completion of a minimum of 30 hours of approved coursework that includes an internship. To be recommended for the related licensure endorsement, the candidate must present a satisfactory score on the Arkansas Department of Education mandated examination.

[2] Post-Master’s Certificate Programs

The Department of Leadership Studies has approval from the Arkansas Department of Education to offer programs of study in the following areas for individuals with appropriate master’s degrees: building administrator and curriculum/program administrator for special education, or gifted talented education. These programs of study vary in length based upon individual applicant backgrounds. All programs require an internship and portfolio defense. Contact the Department of Leadership Studies for details.

[3] Arkansas License for Building-Level Administrators

The state of Arkansas offers the following Building-Level Administrator’s licenses: Building Administrator (principal/assistant principal/vice principal) and Curriculum/Program Administrator endorsements. Significant internship experiences must be completed at P–12 levels. Regardless of the type of license being sought, all candidates must pass the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA) to be recommended by UCA for a Building-Level Administrator’s endorsement. Curriculum/Program Administrators must hold a valid teaching license in the area of administrator endorsement being sought. Candidates must provide documentation of at least three years of teaching experience. For UCA to recommend a candidate’s application to the Arkansas Department of Education for the endorsement, the candidate must present to the Department of Leadership Studies the appropriate endorsement application, an SLLA score report showing at least the minimum score set by the state for the endorsement, and all other documentation that is required by the state.

[4] Master of Science Degree

[4.1] Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the general requirements of the Graduate School, the prospective candidate must

1. Complete the Department of Leadership Studies application.
2. Provide a valid and current standard educator license to the department. OR Individuals who do not possess this license must provide a one-page letter of intent.
3. Provide at least three professional references that may be contacted regarding potential for success in the program.
4. Provide a letter of recommendation from the Superintendent verifying the applicant is performing at the level of an Effective Teacher or equivalent measure if the applicant is not employed by an Arkansas public school.
5. Engage in an interview with SLMA faculty.
6. Submit evidence of emerging leadership abilities from one of the following:
   1. Participation in ADE-recognized or approved teacher leader academy, institute, or program,
   2. NBCT in the past three years,
   3. Portfolio of evidence of adult leadership activities

[4.2] Retention Requirements

Retention is contingent upon making satisfactory academic progress toward the degree and holding a current and valid teacher’s license. Serious violations of the state ethics mandates for P-12 educators, and/or serious violations of UCA student academic conduct policies may result in suspension or dismissal from the program.

[4.3] Residence Credit and Transfer Credit

Students must complete the Graduate School requirement of at least 24 hours in residence. All requests for transfer work including courses from previous completed graduate degree/certificate programs must be submitted to the department and program coordinator. To be considered for transfer, the semester hours must have been awarded by a state and regionally accredited institution and must complement the student’s approved program of study. The number of hours transferable to the SLMA degree program is dependent upon the currency of the course work and the appropriateness of the course work to the program. Only courses in which a grade of B or above will be considered. Internship and portfolio hours are not transferable. Acceptance of transfer credit does not reduce the minimum residency requirement.

[4.4] Continuous Enrollment Requirement

College of Education graduate students are expected to maintain continuous enrollment throughout their program of study until achieving program completion. Specifically, College of Education graduate students are expected to be enrolled in at least two of the three semesters in a given calendar year (Spring, Summer I or II, and Fall). If a student must take a time-out, the student is expected to notify his/her home department. If a student fails to register for more than one semester out of three in a given calendar year, he/she may be ineligible for readmission unless granted by the home department.

[4.5] Degree Requirements

To be recommended for a degree, candidates must meet the following requirements:

1. Complete all required coursework with at least a 3.00 GPA (maximum of nine hours of “C” grades may be counted toward degree).
2. Complete satisfactorily all student assessments required as part of the state and CAEP accreditation process.
3. Complete satisfactorily the program’s required culminating experience.

[4.6] Courses for the MS Degree (limited flexibility allowed)

Candidates (Building, Curriculum, and Program Administrators) will take the following:

Building Administrator

Curriculum/Program Administrator

[5] Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC) for Adding a Leadership Endorsement to a Teaching License

[5.1] Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the general requirements of the Graduate School, admission to the Post-Master’s Certificate Program requires completion of an appropriate master’s program and the following:

1. Complete the Department of Leadership Studies application.
2. Provide a valid and current standard educator license.
3. Provide at least three professional references that may be contacted regarding potential for success in the program.
4. Engage in an interview with SLMA faculty.

[5.2] Retention Requirements

Retention is contingent upon making satisfactory academic progress toward the certificate and holding a current and valid teacher’s license. Serious violations of the state ethics mandates for P–12 educators, and/or serious violations of UCA student academic conduct policies may result in suspension or dismissal from the program.

[5.3] Transfer Credit

All requests for transfer work including courses from previous completed graduate degree/certificate programs must be submitted to the department and program coordinator. To be considered for transfer, the semester hours must have been awarded by a state and regionally accredited institution and must complement the student’s approved program of study. Three hours may be transferable to the PMC program. Transfer approval is dependent upon the currency of the course work and the appropriateness of the course work to the program. Only courses in which the student earned a grade of B or above will be considered. Internship and portfolio hours are not transferable.

[5.4] Continuous Enrollment Requirement

College of Education graduate students are expected to maintain continuous enrollment throughout their program of study until achieving program completion. Specifically, College of Education graduate students are expected to be enrolled in at least two of the three semesters in a given calendar year (Spring, Summer, and Fall). If a student must take a time-out, the student is expected to notify his/her home department. If a student fails to register for more than one semester out of three in a given calendar year, he/she may be ineligible for readmission unless granted by the home department.

[5.5] Certificate Requirements

To be recommended for the certificate, candidates must meet the following requirements:

1. Complete all required coursework with at least a 3.00 GPA (maximum of three hours of “C” grades may be counted toward a certificate).
2. Complete satisfactorily the program’s required field/internship experiences.

[5.6] Endorsement Requirements

1. Present score reports on the state mandated external national examination and meet at least the minimum score set by the state for licensure.
2. Present other documentation that is required by the state in order for the department to recommend you for the appropriate administrator’s license.
3. Candidates seeking endorsements in the state of Arkansas must have equivalent courses in the following areas:
   1. K-12 Organizational Leadership
   2. School Law
   3. Instructional Leadership
   4. School Community Leadership

Candidates who do not have equivalent courses in these areas will be required to complete up to an additional twelve hours of coursework in addition to the Post-Master’s Certificate courses listed below.

[5.7] Courses for the Post-Master’s Certificate

[5.7.1] School-Based Leadership: Building Administrator (12 Hours)

[5.7.2] School-Based Leadership: Curriculum Administrator (13 Hours)

[5.7.3] School-Based Leadership: Program Administrator – Special Education (13 Hours)

[5.7.4] School-Based Leadership: Program Administrator – Gifted-Talented (13 Hours)

[6] Courses in School Leadership, Management, and Administration (SLMA)

Follow this link for SLMA course descriptions: course link.