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Master of Education with Principal Certification

The Education and Community Leadership Program is committed to developing leaders that understand the process and conditions necessary for building and nurturing strong and healthy organizations including schools, families, and communities. Commitment to this philosophy is demonstrated with a broad-based rigorous curriculum, a strong and relevant instruction, and the monitoring of students at various points in the program including the ongoing use of the fitness form. This process is student-centered and set up for student success.

Texas State’s Master’s Degree plus Principal Certification program is a 36 semester-hour program, including a two semester, field-based practicum. Students may begin the program in the Summer I or the Fall semester on the Texas State campus and at the Round Rock Higher Education Center (RR CAMPUS).


M.Ed. Course Sequence:

Level I:

  • EDCL 5339 Understanding Self: Developing a Personal Vision for Leadership*
  • EDCL 5340 Understanding Organizations & Using Inquiry
  • EDCL 5345 Understanding People: Professional Development
  • EDCL 5347 Understanding Environments: Social, Political, Economic, Legal, & Technical
  • EDCL 5348 Supervision of Instruction

Level II:

Level III:

  • EDCL 6358 Integrative Seminar (Prerequisite to EDA 6388)
  • EDCL 6387 Field-Based Practicum (Fall semester only)
  • EDCL 6388 Field-Based Practicum (Spring semester only)

Level IV:

  • EDCL 6345: Administration and Staff Personnel
  • EDCL 6347: The Superintendency
  • EDCL 6349: School Finance and Business Management
  • EDCL 6389: Internship Practicum (Fall semester only)
  • EDCL 6390: Internship Practicum (Spring semester only)

*Must be taken the first semester of course work.


Course Load Information and Considerations

The normal graduate course load is two courses (6 hours) each semester. The first two courses taken in the program are EDCL 5339 and one other Level I course (5340, 5345, 5347 or 5348). Students may combine the last Level I course with a course from Level II or Level III. Courses are offered on the Texas State campus as well as at a north Austin site, the RR CAMPUS.

The program faculty strongly recommend a six-hour course load for students who have full-time employment. The faculty believes that a course load beyond the six hour recommendation will compromise the quality of work, quality of life, and quality of the learning experience. Students who wish to apply for an exception to this practice should contact the administrative assistant, Jacqueline Todd

For more information contact us at:

ASB-South 317 - 601 University Drive - San Marcos, TX 78666-4616
Phone: 512.245.9909 - Fax: 512.245.9923