Educational Leadership, MEDL

Bernardo Pohl, Ph.D., Assistant Department Chair for Graduate Studies
C440, 713-221–5051

Our Educational Leadership programs offer two options: the full Master of Educational Leadership degree program, which provides a pathway to seeking Texas principal certification, and the Foundations of Educational Leadership graduate-level certificate. Both options are offered in an online format using a cohort approach. Working teachers have built-in peer support as well as asynchronous learning engagement. Online coursework is enhanced by virtual, synchronous interactive sessions as scheduled by the instructor. The certificate includes 4 compressed classes, so students take no more than one at a time. All 4 certificate courses can be applied directly to our Master of Educational Leadership degree, which includes an additional 6 courses and encompasses a standards-aligned practicum experience.

The MEDL is a 30-hour program designed to provide advanced professional knowledge in the areas most needed for leading diverse schools. Courses emphasizing leadership in the areas of educational equity, policy development, educational innovations, curriculum and instruction, and school improvement are required in the program. The MEDL at UHD is designed to prepare students for K-12 leadership roles at the school and district level ranging from school principal to other mid-management leadership positions requiring principal certification in Texas. The program will offer leadership coaching from UHD faculty to support the required, standards-based internships with principals currently and effectively serving in the role. The program will include assessment artifacts aligned to the new, performance-based, state principal exam. This will enable students to utilize program assessment expectations to successfully pass principal certification exams and unlock their career potential.

The program, which admitted its first cohort in Fall 2023, is designed for students currently holding a teaching certificate and working towards principal certification. A cohort approach coupled with an online delivery format will be used so working teachers have built-in peer support as well as asynchronous learning engagement. Students will complete educational leadership courses online enhanced by virtual, synchronous interactive sessions as scheduled by the instructor. The courses for the MEDL degree program are complemented by a full practicum experience.​

To meet the leadership needs of students and educators in urban schools, students completing the MEDL degree will demonstrate competency in the following areas of knowledge:

• Collaboratively lead, design, and implement a school mission, vision, and process for continuous improvement that reflects a core set of values and priorities that include data use, technology, equity, diversity, digital citizenship, and community. (Mission, Vision, & Improvement, NELP Standard 1)
• Understand and demonstrate the capacity to advocate for ethical decisions and cultivate and enact professional norms. (Ethics and Professional Norms, NELP Standard 2)
• Engage families, community, and school personnel to strengthen student learning, support school improvement, and advocate for the needs of their school and communities (Community and External Leadership, NELP Standard 5)
• Improve management, communication, technology, school-level governance, and operation systems to develop and improve data-informed and equitable school resource plans and to apply laws, policies, and regulations. (Operations and Management, NELP Standard 6)
• Build the school’s professional capacity, engage staff in the development of a collaborative professional culture, and improve systems of staff supervision, evaluation, support, and professional learning. (Building Professional Capacity, NELP Standard 7)

Program Outcomes

Graduates who earn the MEDL will be able to:

• Collaboratively lead, design, and implement a school mission, vision, and process for continuous improvement that reflects a core set of values and priorities that include data use, technology, equity, diversity, digital citizenship, and community. (Mission, Vision, & Improvement, NELP Standard 1)
• Understand and demonstrate the capacity to advocate for ethical decisions and cultivate and enact professional norms. (Ethics and Professional Norms, NELP Standard 2)
• Engage families, community, and school personnel to strengthen student learning, support school improvement, and advocate for the needs of their school and communities (Community and External Leadership, NELP Standard 5)
• Improve management, communication, technology, school-level governance, and operation systems to develop and improve data-informed and equitable school resource plans and to apply laws, policies, and regulations. (Operations and Management, NELP Standard 6)
• Build the school’s professional capacity, engage staff in the development of a collaborative professional culture, and improve systems of staff supervision, evaluation, support, and professional learning. (Building Professional Capacity, NELP Standard 7)

Admission Criteria

Admission to the MEDL program is a competitive process and seeks to identify applicants who have the qualities necessary to complete the program with success and the potential to impact the field of education.

Applicants to this program should have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 AND be a certified teacher with at least one year of teaching experience. There are no exceptions to the GPA or credit-hour requirements.

Admissions Materials

• Minimum GPA of 3.0 overall or in the last 60 hours of college courses
• Graduate Records Exam (GRE) if GPA < 3.0 or if undergraduate degree > 10 years old
• An official transcript which depicts an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited university and any graduate credit earned. UHD graduates must request a transcript from the UHD Registrar’s Office.
• Personal statement indicating that Educational Leadership is the area of interest and how educational and professional background will contribute to success in this program (700-word minimum).
• Professional résumé.
• Three professional letters of recommendation from professional colleagues, such as teachers, supervisors, and school principals.
• Internship agreement letter from a building-level administrator.
• Two years of creditable teaching experience needed before the end of the MEDL program or to be eligible to apply for a Principal Certificate in Texas.
• If qualified, admissions interview with the Department of Urban Education.
• Applicants whose baccalaureate degree was conferred by a university whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam. The following minimum scores are required: 24 for speaking, 22 for listening, 22 for reading, and 21 for writing on each of the subscales. A TOEFL waiver is granted for students who have earned a B or better in Composition I & II taken at a US college or university.

Admissions Process

Candidates for the MEDL will be evaluated by the MEDL admissions committee based on the strength of application materials and the criteria established by the program. Special emphasis will be placed on the strength of writing in the personal statement as well as the candidate’s potential for academic success based on previous academic records. Candidates whose application materials are considered acceptable for potential admission will be invited to interview with two Urban Education faculty members. Final admission decisions are based on the evaluation of the candidate’s interview. Final admission decisions will be communicated via an email from the Assistant Director of Graduate Studies containing the decision letter from the MEDL Program Director. Conditional admission may be granted to candidates who do not meet all established criteria but who the committee feels has the potential for success. Conditions of admission will be included in the decision letter.

Admissions Appeals

Admissions appeals for the MEDL may be filed using the appeal link located at https://www.uhd.edu/mat.

Application Deadlines

The Application due date for the MEDL is July 31st for the Fall semester start only. Any questions regarding the admissions process should be directed to UHD Graduate Admissions or the College of Public Service Assistant Director for Graduate Studies.