The Don Chalker Award for Excellence in Educational Leadership
Curriculum
The M.S.A. program requires a total of 42 hours divided among the following areas: professional knowledge and skills, school management, instructional leadership, and internship. An intensive internship requires you, the student, to develop an environmental scan of a school and to conduct an action research project. Download a Sample Environmental Scan (PowerPoint) or a Sample Action Research Project (Word).
You also are required to develop a portfolio related to the North Carolina Standards Board's Standards for School Leaders and must successfully present the portfolio to graduate.
Instruction in the program features case studies, simulations, and in-basket activities. In 2004-2005 the pass rate on the school administrator test was 100%. Most of the program faculty members are former building-level and central office administrators.
Admission & Advisement
To apply to the program, visit graduate admissions. Once admitted to the program, you will be assigned an adviser who will assist you in planning a program of study. Please do not register for any courses without consultation with your adviser. Both you and your adviser will maintain a copy of the M.S.A. checklist (PDF or Word). Your adviser will be responsible for guiding the development of your portfolio and will chair the portfolio committee to which you will present your portfolio prior to graduation.
Licensure
To be licensed as a principal in North Carolina, students must take the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA) To learn more, read about licensure in the M.S.A..
The North Carolina Principal Fellows Program
The North Carolina Principal Fellows Program is a scholarship loan program funded by the North Carolina General Assembly and based upon academic merit (financial need is not a consideration) to assist interested individuals to earn the master's degree in educational administration in preparation for a career in school administration.
To learn more about the M.S.A. Program, please contact Dr. Frederick Buskey at 828-227-3213 or email fbuskey@wcu.edu.