PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The online Master of Arts in Educational Leadership program is designed to prepare students for administrative and leadership positions in PK-12 school settings and other education-related fields. This is not a state approved program for certification in Florida. In addition, the Educational Leadership MA offers two tracks focused on higher education: Higher Education/Student Personnel and Community College Education, both of which have different requirements. The Master of Arts in Educational Leadership program is designed to prepare students for PK-12 school leadership positions and other education-related fields, and does not fulfill Florida state certification requirements. Two tracks offer programs of study in Higher Education/Student Personnel and Community College Education and have different program admission and graduation requirements. 
International students (F or J visa) are required to enroll in a full-time course load of 9 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters. Only 3 of the 9 credit hours may be taken in a completely online format. For a detailed listing of enrollment requirements for international students, please visit
www.intl.ucf.edu. If you have any questions, please consult the International Services Center at 407-823-2337.
CURRICULUM
The Educational Leadership MA program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree, including 9 credit hours of research and measurement courses, 21 credit hours of administration courses, and passing a comprehensive exam at the end of studies. The courses may be taken in any order the student wishes but the culminating Research Report (EDA 6909) must be taken last.
Students enrolled in the Florida State approved MED, EdS, or Modified Core programs in educational leadership may not take these online courses for credit unless approved by their educational leadership faculty advisor.
| Total Credit Hours Required: |
| 30
Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree |
The MA program does not fulfill state certification requirements.
Required Courses—30 Credit Hours
Research and Measurement—9 Credit Hours
- EDF 6481 Fundamentals of Graduate Research in Education (3 credit hours)
- EDF 6401 Statistics for Educational Data (3 credit hours) or EDF 6432 Measurement and Evaluation in Education (3 credit hours)
- EDA 6909 Research Report (3 credit hours)
Administration—21 Credit Hours
It is recommended that these courses be taken in the following sequence.
- EDA 6061 Organization and Administration of Schools (3 credit hours)
- EDS 6123 Educational Supervisory Practices I (3 credit hours)
- EDA 6232 Legal Aspects of School Operation (3 credit hours)
- EDA 6240 Educational Financial Affairs (3 credit hours)
- EDA 6260 Educational Systems Planning and Management (3 credit hours)
- EDA 6502 Organization and Administration of Instructional Programs (3 credit hours)
- EDA 6931 Contemporary Issues in Educational Leadership (3 credit hours)
Comprehensive Examination
Students are required to pass a comprehensive examination at the end of their studies. For more information, contact the graduate program director.
INDEPENDENT LEARNING
A research report is required.
Application Requirements
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
Applicants may apply to the online MA or one of the two tracks offered within the MA in Educational Leadership. The track programs are not online programs and may have different requirements.
Please note: Due to restrictive state regulations, UCF is not permitted to provide online courses or instruction to students in the following states. If you reside in one of these states, you may not be permitted to enroll in or be admitted to a UCF online program. Please contact your state’s higher education regulation authorities or the UCF Graduate Program (see contact information above) for more details.
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Maryland
- Minnesota
Application Deadlines
All application materials must be submitted by the appropriate deadline listed below.
| Educational Leadership MA |
Fall Priority
|
Fall
|
Spring
|
Summer
|
|---|
|
Domestic Applicants
| Jan 15 | Jul 15 | Dec 1 | - |
|---|
|
International Applicants
| Jan 15 | Jan 15 | Jul 1 | - |
|---|
|
International Transfer Applicants
| Jan 15 | Mar 1 | Sep 1 | - |
|---|
FINANCIALS
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see
Funding for Graduate School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The
Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowships
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student’s graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see Fellowships, which includes descriptions of UCF fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.