Education is changing rapidly in the United States, and that means that a new generation of leaders must accept the challenge to improve today’s schools through educational leadership degrees in Arizona. These unique degrees prepare existing education professionals to take on roles at the senior administration level, from school principals to chancellorships and superintendent positions. Educational leadership programs focus on the unique issues that face not only today’s students, but also today’s school districts. Whether it’s working with limited resources, creating a balanced and effective budget, or accommodating federal and state standards that are increasingly affecting how teachers plan their lessons and how students demonstrate their proficiency in a given topic, these degrees convey the leadership skills and industry knowledge to make it happen.
Arizona State University
Teachers College
Arizona State University is the largest public institution in the state of Arizona and easily the largest per capita producer of teachers statewide. The Teachers College is among the most prestigious departments at the university and has earned both regional and national accolades for its unique curriculum, its development programs for teachers and administrators, and its capacity to produce a new generation of educational leaders. The doctoral program in educational leadership takes advantage of ASU’s high-tech teaching environment, and makes good use of professors who have real experience in administrative settings both within large, public school districts, and private institutions throughout the southwestern part of the country.
Doctor of Education – Leadership and Innovation
The future of education will be shaped not necessarily by federal policy and state standards, but by individual innovations worked into existing school districts and private institutions. That’s where the Ph.D. program in Leadership and Innovation at ASU comes in. Students undertake 60 credit hours of coursework and scholarly research that teaches them how to be “edupreneurs,” as the university calls it. Teachers are shaped into leaders who aren’t afraid to come up with new solutions to old problems, implement new strategies for student success, and change the field of education for the better. Thanks to the enterprising spirit gained through this three-year, cohort-based program, graduates are primed to lead school districts as innovative, entrepreneurial superintendents with an eye toward student achievement and cutting-edge methods to make that happen.
Featured Programs
Contact
Arizona State University
Teachers College (Downtown Campus)
411 N. Central Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85004
Phone: (602) 543-6358
Website
Grand Canyon University
College of Education
Phoenix’s Grand Canyon University has long been a leader in developing programs that work for adults already pursuing their career during the day, with evening and online courses that can fit into virtually any schedule. This commitment is brought to the school’s College of Education, which hosts numerous programs designed to cultivate better teachers, informed leaders, and industry decision-makers. Through a combination of evening classes in Phoenix and online coursework, the department guides students toward self-discovery of leadership potential and solutions to common problems both in the classroom and in administrative settings. Graduates are ready to work in those administrative settings, especially if they’d rather be involved in finance and planning than school administration and principal positions.
M.A. Education in Educational Leadership
Designed for teachers who haven’t yet pursued a principal certification, or those industry professionals who would simply prefer not to do so, the M.A. in Educational Leadership at Grand Canyon University focuses on the importance of proper budgetary planning, state standard conformity, and student achievement methods. The program is designed primarily for teachers who have an innate tendency to lead their departments or engage in administrative roles, and the unique courses can even help members of a local school board learn more about how to make decisions that benefit the largest number of students and parents. Courses in educational funding and project management, as well as required courses in budgeting and regulation oversight, cover important concepts that will govern education for many years to come.
Contact
Grand Canyon University
College of Education
3300 West Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85017
Phone: (602) 639-7500
Email: coe@gcu.edu
Website
Northern Arizona University
College of Education
Northern Arizona University’s College of Education is responsible for producing a large number of current and future teachers in the northern reaches of Arizona and several surrounding states. For this reason, the college is among the largest on-campus and among the most tech-connected in the state. Those who select NAU for education degrees at any level will be taught by seasoned veterans of classroom education and school district administration, with valuable insight that will help them make informed decisions in a number of roles after graduation. Higher-level degrees, including the EdD program in leadership, give existing educational professionals the skills and certifications they need to advance into sweeping leadership roles throughout Arizona and beyond.
Educational Leadership, Doctor of Education
Two different tracks are offered to those students pursuing their leadership doctorate. The first, and perhaps the most popular, is the track that focuses on school administration. As part of this track, students will learn how to consider and make the important decisions that govern school budgets, state standards compliance, student achievement, long-term funding, school renewal projects, hiring, and benefits management. Those who don’t currently work in a primary or secondary school might want to consider an alternative track that focuses on community college administration and adult education. In this role, students will learn some of the same skills but apply them to the public funding and decision-making that governs how and whom community colleges can educate.
Contact
Northern Arizona University
College of Education
S. San Francisco St.
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
Phone: (928) 523-3202
Email: edl@nau.edu
Website
University of Arizona
Graduate College
The Graduate College at the University of Arizona is comprehensive and covers virtually all graduate-level offerings on campus. For those seeking a greater understanding of the modern educational system and its capacity for leadership, the college offers both master’s and doctoral programs that highlight modern dilemmas, solutions to common problems, and strategies for success in both public and private schools. The department also engages in scholarly research, concerning themselves primarily with how a new generation of leaders can manage student success within tighter budgets, and with more diverse populations, than the industry has perhaps ever experienced in its history.
M.Ed. in Educational Leadership
The master’s program in educational leadership at the University of Arizona gives students the tools they need to start planning a career in school administration. Courses focus on how to handle student disciplinary issues, how to plan a school budget, and how to best allocate teachers, physical resources, and monetary programs, so that the school can achieve great results more consistently. The program lends itself naturally to the UAZ doctoral program in educational leadership, which will further prepare students for a role as a school district superintendent or a public policymaker within state or federal government agencies.
Contact
University of Arizona
Graduate College
PO Box 210069
Tucson, AZ 85721
Phone: (520) 626-7313
Email: coe-edlprog@email.arizona.edu
Website
Few debates are as contentious as the fate of public and private education in the United States. For those who would prefer to have an active role in defining the future of America’s education programs, rather than merely sitting by as changes are decided upon and enforced by a remote group of leaders, it’s worth pursuing one of the many prestigious, educational leadership degrees in Arizona.