P-12 Administrative Leadership

The P–12 Administrative Leadership program specialization is primarily designed for public school and district administrators. Courses emphasize inquiry and analysis of problems confronting the administrator in education environments. In addition to focusing on practical issues, candidates' values will be clarified and tied to a leadership vision. The candidates will learn to seek clarity and focus when faced with ambiguity, to evaluate operations, and to design and implement improvements required to address the needs of all students.

Students in the P–12 Administrative Leadership program specialization will work with faculty advisors to select program electives that reflect this specialization, as well as student goals and interests. The list of WKU courses described below provides a starting point for program development, but is not exhaustive. Courses described under other WKU doctoral program specializations may serve as appropriate electives.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Although the P-12 Administrative Leadership specialization is not specifically designed for Kentucky teachers seeking certification in educational administration, students may be able to work with their advisor to embed a planned certification program within their doctoral elective coursework. Students desiring this option should make their advisor aware of this desire early in their program so that their doctoral program of study can be carefully planned to include the necessary course requirements.

WKU courses specifically designed for this specialization:

EDAD 707 Educational Policies and Politics: Designed to equip students with analytical skills for confronting leadership issues that require the application or creation of policy in diverse settings. Examines the exercise of political power in education and the impact of politics on managing and leading educational institutions.

EDAD 708 District Resources and Systems: Ethical concepts of school finance, school business administration, fiscal management, contemporary economic theories, and related procedures, and practices in educational institutions at the district or system levels.

EDAD 710 School Leadership and Technology Planning: Use of modern technological tools in instructional and administrative processes; evaluation of hardware and software for both instructional uses and as administrative tools.

General WKU graduate courses that may serve as additional electives:

EDFN 601 Applied Statistics and Design: Parametric and non-parametric statistical techniques applied to experimental and quasi-experimental research designs in education.

EDFN 603 Qualitative Research in Education: Qualitative research for graduate students within the educational setting. Includes the foundational theory of qualitative research, methodological designs and techniques of data collecting, analysis, and reporting.

EDFN 703 Field Methods for Qualitative Research: Developing and conducting qualitative research.

EDU 695 Advanced Topics in Education: Readings or special projects in education.

LME 737 Leadership in Educational Technology: Emphasis on educational technology leadership, professional development, and instructional management. Topics include equitable access, technology plans, meeting needs of diverse learners with technology, and technology integration strategies.

CNS 710 Leadership and Stress Management: Examines the meaning of stress, its effects on the individual and the organization, how it manifests itself, and strategies for its management. Explores the organizational demands that contribute to stress and addresses how leaders in organizations can help provide preventative stress management.

Additional graduate courses in the Department of Educational Administration, Leadership, and Research that may be appropriate for this strand are described in the WKU Graduate Catalog.

Dr. Marguerita DeSander

Department Head/ Associate Professor

Office:  Gary A. Ransdell hall, Room 3085

Phone:  270-745-6039

Email:  marguerita.desander@wku.edu