M.A. in K-12 Principal Leadership (Online)
This program is offered fully online via a blend of synchronous and asynchronous courses to meet the needs of working professionals.
This concentration is designed to prepare a student for the leadership role of being a building principal. Pending approval from MDE, students who complete this concentration will be recommended to receive, from the state of Michigan, the School Administrator Certificate. Program graduates may be endorsed to receive the administration certification outside of Michigan as well (depending on the certification process in state of residence).
Why this program at Western Michigan University?
- Offered fully virtually to support working professionals, including several synchronous class sessions each semester to support "face-to-face" student engagement.
- This program can have the fewest required credits of any similar M.A. in the state of Michigan, with students able to earn up to 15 of the 30 required credits with our Prior Learning Assessment program. Learn more.
- Ranked by U.S. News and World Report as No. 22nd in the nation and No. 1 in Michigan for best online master's degrees offering educational supervision for veterans in their 2025 rankings (and an overall best ranking of No. 71 in the nation, and No. 2 in Michigan). Learn more.
- Great outcomes in that 97% of WMU K-12 administrative graduates have been rated as "effective" or "highly effective" by their school district within their first three years as an administrator.
Interested in learning more? Please join us for an upcoming virtual information session!
Course requirements
- EDLD 6020: Educational Leadership, Systems and Change (or other elective approved by advisor)
- EDLD 6300: Data Informed Decision Making, Research and Evaluation
- EDLD 6610: School Law and Ethics
- EDLD 6620: School Business Management
- EDLD 6640: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
- EDLD 6670: The Principalship
- EDLD 6730: Instructional Leadership and Supervision
- EDLD 6740: School Community Relations and Cultural Competence
- EDLD 6793: Principal Internship I
- EDLD 6794: Principal Internship II
Application information and deadlines
Applications are accepted on an on-going basis throughout the year. Admission decisions take approximately two weeks after all materials are received.
Note: To complete many course assignments, and to have a mentor for a two-semester principal internship, applicants must be employed within a K-12 setting OR have access to a school setting.
Accreditation
The K-12 Principal master's degree program meets the new standards for the Michigan K-12 administrator certification requirements, CAEP accreditation standards and the guidelines of the National Educational Leadership Preparation Standards (NELPS), and is Michigan State Department of Education principal preparation program approved.
Cohorts
The K-12 unit has successfully delivered the Educational Leadership MA and K-12 Administrator Certificate in the cohort model that is job embedded by utilizing local and intermediate school district resources and opportunities. The department is willing to create cohorts that target specific school districts, counties, or regions. If you have an interest in starting an educational leadership cohort, please contact Dr. Rusty Stitt.
Multi-year course offering/planning tools
Newsletter
The Lead is a monthly online publication that highlights the work of our Educational Leadership (K-12) programs, and contains a wide-array of information relevant to school administrators; it also celebrates the work of our alumni, students and faculty. Visit The Lead newsletter page for all issues.
Licensing
Notification: Starting, January 2025, the State of Michigan will be requiring state testing for those that are wanting to attain a School Administrator license for either the Central Office or Building Level. We will provide additional information as it becomes available.
Cost & Funding
- Tuition and fees
- Cost of attendance
- Scholarships
- Assistantships
- Grants
- Loans
- Employer-paid tuition
- Military and veterans
Helpful links
Questions?
