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An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't.
--Anatole France

Guide to Graduate Programs in Educational Administration

What is Educational Administration?

Principals, assistant principals, deans, and chairpersons all help to determine whether an institution fulfills its educational mandate. They are largely responsible for the overall management of their facilities and are frequently in charge of many diverse and unrelated tasks. Perhaps most importantly, they set academic standards for their establishments by selecting, evaluating, and improving their faculty. A quality educational administration degree program foresees each of these tasks and provides accurate instruction and support.

Some of the job tasks associated with educational administrators include:

Coordinating activities within a school/school system.
Selecting and evaluating standardized tests.
Curriculum design.
Overseeing athletic programs.
Create and enforce disciplinary measures.
Connecting with parents, faculty, and students.

Organizational and managerial skills are required to effectively juggle these responsibilities. A successful educational administrator needs to know how to survey demographic needs and plan for them accordingly. He needs to be knowledgeable of the latest trends in curriculum development and aware of the myriad state/school district laws. A rigorous educational administration degree prepares the administrator for all these scenarios and more.

Degree Programs in Educational Administration

Graduate degree and certificate programs for careers in education administration

A bachelor's degree is the absolute minimum requirement for a career in education administration (an education-specific bachelor's degree is particularly helpful). Today, school administrator positions almost universally require some form of graduate degree. A master's degree in education administration is the most common degree in the field. Many school systems also insist that you have a certain amount of prior teaching experience.

Online Degrees in Education Administration

Online degree programs in educational administration are increasingly popular among education professionals who wish to boost their careers without giving up income or advancement opportunities in their current jobs. Advanced education administration degrees online are particularly useful for current teachers who want to further their education without getting off the tenure track.

The policies and practices of online degree programs may vary greatly. Some programs are largely dependent on occasional on-site visitation. Some may be conducted entirely online. Others may require you to visit distance-learning facilities where live classroom instruction is viewable via satellite.

Master's Degrees in Education Administration

Typical courses for a master's degree in education administration include:

Administration/Personnel Supervision
Administrative Theory (leadership)
Public Policy and Law
Ethics
Financial Management
Public Relations
Curriculum Planning and Development
Multicultural Topics
Research in Education Topics

As with any other graduate program, practical experience plays a key role in your role as an education administrator. Internships and fieldwork may play key roles in your educational administration program. You may be asked to monitor or work with a small group of students in a classroom setting. You may even be required to evaluate an entire system's curriculum. This degree often requires that you complete a master's thesis before exiting the program.

PhD Degrees in Education Administration

For a career at the uppermost levels of university administration or in research and policy, you'll need a PhD in education administration. These rigorous programs are available on-campus and online, and require considerable original research. For experienced administrators who want to effect change on a schoolwide, district-wide, statewide or even national basis, a doctoral degree is strongly recommended.

What can you do with a Graduate Degree in Education Administration?

Career Outlook for Educational Administrators

Over 442,000 Americans worked as educational administrators in 2004; two of every 10 are employed by private institutions. 60 percent of educational administrators work for state and local governments, while less than five percent of education administrators are self-employed.

The American Association of School Administrators states that approximately 6,000 of these positions will need to be filled within the next five years, and the United States Department of Labor expects this field to grow faster than average through the year 2014. Potential employers often experience difficulty finding quality candidates to fill these positions. Professionals with advanced educational administration degrees make excellent candidates for these positions.

Education administrators can attract other potential high-level opportunities with their advanced degrees. Some educational administration graduates hold positions as:

community education directors,
business managers,
school system superintendents,
curriculum coordinators,
and administrators at post-secondary schools.

Many graduates also serve as leaders on local school boards and in government organizations.

Education Administrator Salaries

The salary range of school administrators largely depends upon the level of the held position, the amount of responsibility the position has, and the size and geographic location of the school and its district. Salaries may vary greatly by state and region, but administrators with degrees generally earn more than $60,000 per year. As of February 2005, the median annual salary for principals in the United States is just over $68,000. Academic deans typically earn more than $100,000 annually. Education administrators also qualify for benefits such as health insurance, state pension plans, and vacation and sick leave.

Certification and Licensure

Most states require their school principals to obtain licenses as school administrators. However, this licensure varies greatly from state to state. The Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium has developed a series of national standards for various school officials. Many states now use these national standards to evaluate the conditions of their licensure requirements. Some states may require their administrators to continue taking "refresher courses" in order to keep their licenses. Be sure to investigate your state's specific requirements for licensure/certification before choosing an online degree program.

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