Johns Hopkins University Offers graduate degrees in Education:

Master of Science in Education, School Administration and Supervision

Advisers: Wilbert Hawkins or Kenneth Gill, 410-516-9755

This MSEd concentration is designed for individuals pursuing leadership positions in kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) school settings and is approved by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) for certification in administration and supervision. Designed primarily for those pursuing principalship and supervisory positions, this 39-credit program is aligned with the nationally recognized Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards. Program options are also appropriate for preparing department chairs, team leaders, or curriculum coordinators.

A strong emphasis is placed upon the development of personal portfolios and the refinement of individualized professional development plans. Students are expected to use their professional development plans and their schools' improvement plans in implementing their individual programs of study. The seminar and internship provide opportunities for discussion and critique of these plans and for the development of professional portfolios.

Please note that students must attend an organizational meeting or make arrangements to meet with the program coordinator in the semester prior to registering for the internship.

Program Plan

Number of Credits Required: 39

First Sequence of Concentration Requirements (24 credits)

Must be taken prior to second sequence.

Second Sequence of Concentration Requirements (15 credits)

Take the following two courses for a total of 6 credits:

Final Sequence

Choose one of the following 3-credit electives:

Electives

The following two courses are taken as a year-long course over two semesters. These courses may be taken only after completing the first sequence of 24 credits:

 

  • 851.601 Organization and Administration of Schools

    Students examine the role of the school administrator, with emphasis on instructional improvement, pupil development and services, school and community relations, administration of facilities and finance, professional development and services for staff, and organizational relationships and responsibilities. Participants explore various reform proposals for schools. (3 credits)

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  • 851.603 School Law

    Participants explore the legal foundations and structure of education and consider contemporary issues based on legislation and court decisions. Students develop techniques of legal research and analyze a topic of interest. (3 credits)

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  • 852.602 Supervision and Professional Development

    Students examine models of instructional supervision, including clinical supervision and various approaches to personalizing supervisory strategies. Emphasis is on supervision skills, including the assessment of teacher performance, effective conferring strategies, and working with teachers to construct instructional improvement plans. Students apply concepts developed to practical situations in laboratory sessions. (3 credits)

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  • 881.610 Curriculum Theory, Development, and Implementation

    Students examine curriculum theory through philosophical, historical, and sociological perspectives and apply course content to contemporary curriculum issues. Topics include aligning instruction with state and school district curriculum and modification of curriculum to meet individual learner needs. Students also explore effective strategies for implementing curriculum changes. (3 credits)

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  • 851.708 Systemic Change Process for School Improvement

    Students examine the literature on systemic change in schools, with an emphasis on the roles of the teacher leader. Topics include planning, implementing, and evaluating the change process for school improvement. (3 credits)

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  • 881.611 Action Research for School Improvement

    Students explore the role of the educator as an action researcher, with special emphasis on formulating and refining research questions as well as on selecting appropriate methodologies for classroom or school-based research. Students review research as a tool for assessing and improving teaching/learning environments. (3 credits)

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  • 881.622 Advanced Instructional Strategies

    Students review recent research on effective instruction and explore advanced classroom strategies and techniques designed to enhance their effectiveness in meeting the needs of diverse populations of learners. Examples include direct instruction, cooperative learning, dimensions of learning, creative problem solving, and applications of technology to thinking and learning. Students develop expert teaching skills and learn to diagnose and deliver instructional strategies that are most appropriate in specific circumstances. (3 credits)

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  • 851.705 Effective Leadership

    Students review the principles and techniques required of teacher leaders. The course emphasizes diagnosis of the school climate, principles of distributed leadership, motivation of faculty teams, and the dynamics of working in and with groups to accomplish school improvement goals. (3 credits)

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  • 851.609 Administrative and Instructional Uses of Technology

    Prospective and practicing school administrators examine the issues, ideas, and programs surrounding the use of technology as a tool for administration and instructional management. Through hands-on experience, participants explore practical uses for software that can be applied to their daily work. (3 credits)

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  • 881.621 Effective Schools and Effective Instruction

    Participants review recent research on effective schools and effective instructional techniques. Additional topics include strategies for implementing relevant research findings and implications for administrators, supervisors, and teachers. (3 credits)

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  • 882.524 Education of Culturally Diverse Students

    Choose one of the following 3-credit electives:

    Participants analyze recent research related to the education of culturally diverse children and youth and explore case studies of successful minority education programs. The course focuses on understanding the interrelated roles of the school, the family, and the community in addressing the educational needs of culturally diverse children and youth. (3 credits)

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  • 884.615 Cross-Cultural Studies in Literacy

    Students in this class investigate how culture, language, school and out-of-school literacy experiences, and education policy influence student attitude, learning, and content area knowledge. Participants evaluate multicultural literacy research, curriculum, literature, and new literacies, and how social and cultural factors contribute to daily classroom literacy instruction and everyday life. The course emphasizes creating democratic and culturally sensitive learning environments. (3 credits)

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  • 893.632 Data-Driven Decision-Making for Schools and Organizations

    The increasing impact of a knowledge economy and globalization has been a catalyst to the fields of knowledge management and organizational decision making. This course is designed to introduce knowledge management concepts into an educational context and to provide an in depth focus on data-driven decision making in educational organizations and institutions. The models, tools, techniques, and theory of data-driven decision making that can improve the quality of leadership decisions are examined through solution-based scenarios. Students investigate how decisions and strategies are developed and how tacit or explicit knowledge can be identified, captured, structured, valued, and shared for effective use. Course topics include leadership and strategic management relative to organizational decision making, power and politics, managerial and organizational structures, strategy formulation, organizational learning, and decision support systems. A related intent is to develop an understanding of data-mining metrics that can be used to make predictive models that support systemic change. (3 credits)

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  • 851.630 School, Family, and Community Collaboration for School Improvement I

    Participants examine the theory, research, and best practices on school, family, and community partnerships. Individuals explore different types of partnerships, challenges to developing school-based partnership programs, and the components of effective partnership programs that enhance student performance and success. Participants design an action plan for partnerships to address school improvement goals. (3 credits)

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  • 851.809 Seminar in Educational Administration and Supervision

    Students prepare and present a seminar paper on a problem in educational administration or supervision. The paper includes a comprehensive literature review, an assessment of implications for administrative and supervisory behavior, and an implementation plan for addressing the problem in an educational setting. Students engage in case study analyses, role playing, and assessment exercises. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.851.601 AND ED.851.603 AND ED.851.705 AND ED.852.602 AND ED.881.611 AND ED.881.622 AND ED.881.610

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  • 851.810 Internship in Administration and Supervision

    Students participate in a supervised practicum experience in an educational setting. Individual and group sessions of the interns are held. Students must attend an organizational meeting in the semester prior to the semester in which they wish to intern and obtain approval to register for the internship. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): ED.851.601 AND ED.851.603 AND ED.851.705 AND ED.852.602 AND ED.881.610

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