Master in Catholic Education Leadership

The master's program in Catholic Educational Leadership prepares graduates for effective leadership as administrators in Catholic elementary and secondary schools and for diocesan positions. The program consists of 30 credits, 24 of which are core credits.

Program Delivery

To meet the needs of working professionals, the program follows a schedule of alternate weekend classes that convene nine times a semester (Friday evenings and all day Saturdays).

COURSE DETAILS

CORE CURRICULUM | 24 CREDITS

• CEL 640 - History and Principles of Catholic Education (3)
• CEL 641 - Private School Law (3)
• CEL 642 - Moral Development (3)
• CEL 644 - Curriculum and Instruction Leadership in Catholic Schools (3)
• CEL 650 - Catholic Leadership and Educational Administration (3)
• CEL 651 - Business and Finance for Catholic Schools (3)
• CEL 653 - Personnel Leadership in Catholic Schools (3)
• CEL 690 - M.A. Culminating Project (3)

ELECTIVES | 6 CREDITS

The remaining 6 credits are earned in elective courses selected from among those in Catholic Educational Leadership or those offered by other master's degree programs in the School of Education.

The program is offered during three semesters of the academic year: fall, spring, and summer. The summer CEL semester, referred to as the SummerWest program, includes a wide variety of course offerings; the summer faculty are from many parts of the country and bring expertise in theory and practice in elementary and secondary Catholic schools.

MORE ABOUT SUMMERWEST

The founder of the Jesuits, St. Ignatius Loyola, invested his considerable talent and energy into starting and improving educational institutions because he believed “We should be influencing those who will influence others.” Summerwest is a program of profound influence. We have been influencing Catholic educational practice, discussion, and research, both nationally and internationally, for over thirty years through our students, our faculty, our courses, our conferences, and our community. We invite you to contribute to the vision of St. Ignatius Loyola, to continue his legacy as an educator who influences those you serve, by participating in SummerWest.

The three non-CEL courses (offered through the Organization and Leadership Program) that pertain to specific domains of content and competence are:

• Educational Governance and the Community.
• Public School Law.
• Information Technology in Educational Management.

Two remaining courses provide the field experiences that incorporate the specific domains indicated above:

• Field Experience I*
• Field Experience II

*Students who have completed at least two years of service in a line administrator’s position in a school setting within the last five years may be permitted to waive Field Experience I. Permission to waive Field Experience I is granted upon recommendation of the Administrative Credential Programs Coordinator to the Dean after submission of appropriate documentation to the Program Coordinator.

Learning Outcomes

The Catholic Educational Leadership Program Learning Outcomes

• Students will become integrated leaders of Catholic education, which includes religious, spiritual, and moral competencies.
• Students will become academically and professionally competent leaders in Catholic Education.
• Students will engage in a lifelong learning process and are the catalysts for lifelong learning in Catholic education.
• Students will foster in their schools the four aims of Catholic Education, namely, message, community, worship, and service.
• Students will seek to develop the essential personal skills of Catholic educational leadership as modeled by Jesus Christ.

THE CATHOLIC EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Students will demonstrate an understanding of the vision, mission, and values of Catholic education with the ability to communicate them to the various stakeholders of their schools.
• Students will demonstrate competency in coursework assignments and apply research skills to Catholic education and the field of education in general.
• Students will demonstrate the knowledge and skills required within contemporary models of learning, which are characterized by transformative, reflective, and engaging modes of learning and higher-order thinking.
• Students will apply Gospel values with their school communities, demonstrate a knowledge of Catholic social teaching and the promotion of social justice, and will integrate cura personalis (care for the person) in their relationships with their stakeholders.