Secondary Education Masters Online | Administrative Leadership

We prepare our online classroom to make you more passionate and effective as a teacher in your classroom or as a school building- or district-level administrator.

PennWest California's online teaching program melds your real-world teaching experiences with the latest in pedagogy and learning theory, providing five tracks of graduate study that are tailored to the career needs of teachers and educational leaders.

Our top graduate program offers the following master's degrees for teachers, principals, superintendents and other educators:

An Educational Leadership Master of Education degree, which provides teachers with an array of teaching approaches while preparing them for roles as school leaders.
An Administrative Program for Principals Master of Education degree, geared to the unique needs of K-12 principals.
An Advanced Studies in Secondary Education and Teacher Leadership master's degree, which focuses on preparing teachers and school leaders for the challenges and opportunities posed in both middle and high school.

Career educators already holding a master's degree may take advantage of our online Administrative Program for Principals Certification or our Superintendent Letter of Eligibility (SLE) program, both of which fulfill the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Explore our flexible and interactive online program, designed with your needs in mind.

Earn your master's degree from an accredited, state-approved program with a long tradition of success.
Discover the latest and best methodologies for classroom practice, school building administration, or school district leadership.
Interact with informed peers and instructors who understand and have relevant experience in addressing the challenges of modern-day education.

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Program Highlights: Secondary Education and Administrative Leadership

Flexible Schedule: Our programs are designed to account for the demands placed on working teachers and school leaders. The curriculum incorporates your real-life teaching and administrative challenges, so that our courses add to your classroom, school and district.

Experienced Faculty and Classmates: Our doctorate-level professors are not only well-versed on teaching theory, but they also have extensive teaching and administrative experience. Your classmates will almost always be working educators and school leaders, offering a fresh set of perspectives.

Top Accreditation: This degree program is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In addition, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accredits PennWest California. CAEP promotes excellence in educator preparation through quality assurance and continuous improvement. See CAEP reporting measures of program impact and outcomes.

5

online programs for working educators, including three master's programs and two specialized certification courses.

30

credits needed to complete a master's degree in education.

Degree Benefits

Explore the many opportunities created by a master's degree in education from PennWest California:

Master-level teachers earn $23,000 more per year on average than those holding a bachelor's degree, according to a 2011 study by Georgetown University.
School principals earn more than $92,000 per year, on average.
School superintendents average more than $140,000 with top earnings over $322,000.
Learn real-life strategies that immediately apply to your classrooms and students.
Online certifications for both principals and superintendents make a promotion that much more attainable.

Graduate Outcomes

As a top graduate program, PennWest California's reputation and wide alumni network of in-the-field teachers and school administrators mean our graduates often go on to top education jobs throughout the nation. With teaching shortages across Pennsylvania and other parts of the country, there is a spiking demand for well-trained educators. As more states require a master's-level education for those teaching in a public school system, this degree will only gain value, and since most pay scales for teachers factor in education, this is one degree that immediately begins to pay for itself. Also, given the challenging nature of educational leadership positions, there is constant demand for highly qualified principals and superintendents.

Curriculum, Admission Requirements and Related Programs

This top online graduate program for teachers and educational leaders is designed to develop confident, compassionate educators who understand the latest pedagogical approaches and best practices used in the field of education today. The flexible format incorporates theory with real-world practice while aslo accounting for the demands on the working educator. All of the courses are offered entirely online, but field experiences and internships take place at the school building or school district level.

Curriculum

Course	Credits
ADP 664 Field Project/Leadership	3
ADP 673 Field Project/Research and Evaluation	3
MSE 720 Advanced Standards-Aligned Instruction 7-12	3
MSE 740 Advanced Instructional Technology	3
MSE 745 Advanced Classroom Management	3
MSE 750 Online Technologies in Education	3
MSE 755 Constructivist Instructional Strategies	3
MSE 761 Assessment	3
MSE 766 Instructional Design and Assessment	3
MSE 771 Strategies for Inclusive Classrooms in 7-12	3
Total	30

Admission Requirements

Regular Admission Requirements

Regionally accredited bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.80 or higher (Students with a GPA below 2.80 may apply for conditional admission)
Official transcripts from an accredited undergraduate institution
Copy of teaching certification

Conditional Admission Requirements

Conditional Admission may be granted with the following modifications of the Regular Admissions Requirements:

Bachelor's degree with a GPA under 2.80 will be reviewed for a decision
Copy of teaching certification

Provisional Admission:
Applicants who have provided unofficial documentation of test scores, prerequisite courses, transcripts or lack of letter(s) of recommendation may be admitted provisionally.

This policy also applies to undergraduate students who apply for graduate admission pending bachelor degree completion. Upon receipt of all official documents, a student will be changed from Provisional Admission to either Regular Admission or Conditional Admission. Provisional Admission students may take classes for one term but will not be eligible for Federal Financial Aid.

How to Apply:

Complete the Graduate School Application
Submit the nonrefundable $35 Application Fee
Mail official transcript to:

School of Graduate Studies and Research
PennWest California
Box 91
250 University Ave.
California, PA 15419

For additional information:
Email: calugo@pennwest.edu
Phone: 1.866.595.6348

Related Programs

Online Superintendent Letter of Eligibility - Certificate

Specialized Curriculum

PennWest California's graduate program in teaching is geared toward all levels (elementary, middle and high school), with practical instruction on advanced classroom management and instructional technology.

Leadership-focused Design

Our online programs are for teachers as well as educators seeking certification as principals or superintendents. All of our courses are created to make our candidates more effective and conscientious teachers and school leaders with the skill set for promotion.

A Community Approach

Along with quality classmates and professors who have time to devote to your individual concerns, support units such as the Career and Professional Development Center are available to all members of the PennWest California family.