Leadership & Administration

Leadership & Administration Degrees

Classroom teachers guide and educate their students, but to chart the course for a school or school system you’ll need an advanced Leadership and Administration degree. Master’s and Ph.D. programs in education leadership, education administration, and education management prepare you to take a lead role in improving student performance, designating system-wide curriculum, setting school or system-wide goals, and managing the day-to-day operations of a school or school system. If you want to be a school administrator, these programs may be for you.

A master’s in education administration program will include courses in administrative theory, leadership, public policy, law, ethics, public relations, curriculum planning and development, and research in education topics. Master’s degree programs typically involve 2 years of study, and require that you have previously earned at least a bachelor’s degree.

A PhD program is recommended if you wish to take your career to the highest level of university administration, or want to make a career out of educational research and policy development. Students enrolled in PhD programs in education administration will conduct a considerable amount of original research.

Job Opportunities in Education Administration

Employment of education administrators is expected to grow about 8 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Due to a large amount of expected retirements, the job outlook for education administration professionals is quite good. Job opportunities for principals and assistant principals will be most abundant.

Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition; Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.