Courses in Instructional Leadership

Students in this program typically take some combination of the primary courses in Instructional Leadership listed below. In consultation with their program of study committee, students may also substitute or take additional courses in Educational Administration.

AEL 602 Educational Leadership and School Restructuring. Three hours.
Prerequisite: AEL 500, AEL 505, or permission of the instructor.
An inquiry into identification, analysis, and application of leadership theories and interpersonal dynamics and the relationship of leadership theories to other disciplines. Implications of these for school restructuring and change for the improvement of instruction are emphasized.

AEL 619 Politics of Education. Three hours.
Prerequisite: Advanced graduate standing.
Study of politics as it relates to educational decision making, with emphasis on political theory, history of politics in education, and the legislative process. Offered once during the academic year.

AEL 620 Curriculum: Theory and Practice. Three hours.
Prerequisite: AEL 510 or permission of the instructor.
Presents a synoptic overview of historical and contemporary discourses necessary to understand curriculum as a synergetic field of study and an area of professional practice. Emphasis is placed on the contributions of individual scholars and the 1970s shift in the field from traditionalist to reconceptualist perspectives. Applications to practice are explored.

AEL 622 Staff Development
A study of principles and techniques for the continued professional development of individuals and groups who are responsible for establishing learning environments. The course is designed for those in instructional leadership positions who are responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of staff development (in-service) programs, including conferences, workshops, single sessions, and comprehensive programs.

AEL 630 School-Community Partnerships
This course will present strategies on building effective school-community partnerships while engaging in advanced sociological and political analyses of different types partnerships.”

AEL 649 Advanced Research. Variable credit.
Directed research activities related to educational leadership topics. Enrollment is subject to program regulations and permission of the student's program committee. Credit is based on the nature and degree of student involvement.

AEL 655 Human Resource Development: Theory and Practice. Three hours.
Prerequisite: AEL 610 or permission of the instructor.
An analysis of the major functions involved in administering a staff personnel program. Stresses the interrelationship of functions and focuses on the administrative level and the organizational development/human resource development relationship.

AEL 661 Major Issues and Trends. Three hours.
An advanced analysis of current issues and trends impacting educational organizations and the leaders of those organizations.

AEL 664 The Dynamics of Change. Three hours.
Components of change will be identified and theories of social and personal dynamics will be adapted and applied to planned programs of change in education.

AEL 667 Multicultural and Social Education for Leadership Personnel. Three hours.
An advanced inquiry into contemporary social and cultural dimensions of education and their relationships to leadership. Includes issues of diversity, gender, ethnicity, pluralism, and equality.

AEL 669 Curriculum and the Study of Schooling. Three hours.
Prerequisite: AEL 620 or permission of the instructor.
An inquiry into the curriculum of schooling. Critical analysis of the relationship of curricular decision making to social and political systems and other school context variables is emphasized. Application is made to contemporary issues and problems in school leadership and restructuring.

AEL 671 Survey of Instructional Supervision. Three hours.
Prerequisite: AEL 612 or permission of the instructor.
A critical examination, interpretation, and evaluation of significant current and classical writings in the field of instructional supervision with particular emphasis on research findings, the emergence of instructional trends and issues across the literature, and applications for effective leadership of instructional supervision.

AEL 681 Ethics and Education. Three hours.
Doctoral core course. An exploration and examination of traditional and contemporary ethical issues confronting educational leaders, managers, and teachers at all levels of the educational process. Emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach to foundations in ethical theory and establishing a conceptual framework for the resolution of moral and ethical questions prevalent across the education spectrum.

AEL 683 Contemporary Political and Economic Issues in Education. Three hours (core course for Ph.D./Ed.D. in educational administration).
An exploration of contemporary economic and political dimensions of education and their relationships to leadership. Includes issues related to issues of democracy, governance, power, equity, and choice.

AEL 695 Seminar in Curriculum Leadership. Three hours.
An advanced seminar for students to explore, discuss, and interpret contemporary curriculum practice and research. Provides students with opportunities for critical inquiry into an area of specialized need and interest.

AEL 697 Seminar in Instructional Leadership. Three hours.
An advanced seminar for students to explore, discuss, and interpret contemporary curriculum practice and research in instructional leadership. Provides students with opportunities for critical inquiry into an area of specialized need and interest.

AEL 699 Dissertation Research. Variable credit.
Twelve semester hours (Ed.D.) or 24 semester hours (Ph.D.) required. Directed dissertation research in the area of educational leadership. Student must maintain continuous enrollment for a minimum of 3 semester hours per semester until the dissertation is completed. Enrollment is subject to program regulations and permission of the student's dissertation committee.