Department of Educational Administration

EDAD 801 – Next Gen Academy I: Leading Leaders     3 credit hours

This course is purposed to provide students of school leadership and educational administration with a strategic and systematic learning experience designed to develop and support the next generation of school personnel in these specific leadership roles: teaching and instructional leadership, building-level leadership, and district-level leadership. Participants will participate in a combination of virtual and in-person learning opportunities intended to create a collaborative learning experience with practitioners, experts, and recognized leaders in the field of education.

EDAD 802 – NexGen Academy II: Changing School Culture     3 credit hours

This course is purposed to provide students of school leadership and educational administration with a strategic and systematic learning experience designed to develop and support the next generation of school personnel in these specific leadership roles: teaching and instructional leadership, building-level leadership, and district-level leadership. Participants will participate in a combination of virtual and in-person learning opportunities intended to create a collaborative learning experience with practitioners, experts, and recognized leaders in the field of education. EDAD 802 is designed to examine the key concepts and foundational capacities necessary to lead change in the development of a positive school culture.
Prerequisite: EDAD 801

EDAD 803 – NexGen Academy III: Leading Change in Assessment     3 credit hours

This course is purposed to provide students of school leadership and educational administration with a strategic and systematic learning experience designed to develop and support the next generation of school personnel in these specific leadership roles: teaching and instructional leadership, building-level leadership, and district-level leadership. Participants will participate in a combination of virtual and in-person learning opportunities intended to develop skills in making connections between assessment and school improvement initiatives.

EDAD 804 – NexGen Academy IV: Leading Change in Professional Development     3 credit hours

This course is purposed to provide students of school leadership and educational administration with a strategic and systematic learning experience designed to develop and support the next generation of school personnel in these specific leadership roles: teaching and instructional leadership, building-level leadership, and district-level leadership. Participants will participate in a combination of virtual and in-person learning opportunities intended to create a collaborative learning experience with practitioners, experts, and recognized leaders in the field of education on the changing functions and process of professional development.

EDAD 831 – Social Foundations of Education     3 credit hours

This course provides insight into the relationship of education to the social order, a rationale for the underlying philosophy of education, and an understanding of how political theory and social forces provide for school organization and authority.

EDAD 832 – Current Issues in Education     3 credit hours

This course is designed to provide the educational administrator with a view of the contemporary educational issues for focused investigation. Topics will include but not be exclusive to current curriculum issues and trends, diversity in the classroom, global education, assessment, change and reform.

EDAD 833 – EDAD Assessment Leadership     3 credit hours

This course provides educators with the knowledge base and skills required to provide leadership with regards to assessment issues which include but are not exclusive to analysis of data to improve instruction; utilization of assessment instruments for guiding instruction to determine best practices for improved student learning; engagement in continuous evaluation of curriculum and instruction; development of criteria for evaluating data. Using basic knowledge, students will identify an assessment issue of individual significance and develop background information, data, and materials needed to provide leadership with regards to this topic.
Prerequisite: Enrollment in Masters or Educational Specialist degree programs

EDAD 842 – Administration of Special Education     3 credit hours

The purpose of this course is to provide the school administrator information concerning legal aspects of special education, identification of special needs students, and options available in programming for students with handicaps.

EDAD 843 – Practicum in Educational Administration     3 credit hours

This course is designed to provide a practical learning experience inherent to school principals. Experiences will include discussion of current topics, involvement of presentation of current topics as preparation for conducting staff development, use of resource personnel from education and/or other fields, the completion of 105-hour internship, visitation to a large school district, and preparation for the administrative job search.
Prerequisite: EDAD 869 or permission of instructor

EDAD 846 – The Junior High/Middle School     3 credit hours

This course focuses on program design, implementation and evaluation at the middle grade level. It is designed primarily to meet the needs of elementary and/or secondary trained administrators who plan to become administrators at the middle grades level.

EDAD 848 – Curriculum Planning     3 credit hours

The current arena in which principals function is constantly being impacted by societal forces and conditions. The class is designed to assist students to understand major curriculum design models, to interpret school district curricula, and to adjust content as needs and conditions change. The course is designed to prepare individuals for positions in educational administration, particularly those who are interested in the school principalship. Students will study the basic principles of curriculum planning as they relate to curriculum design, implementation, and evaluation.

EDAD 851 – Human Resource Management     3 credit hours

This course deals with aspects of human resource management, including recruitment, selection, orientation, evaluation, staff development, affirmative action, contract management, and collective negotiations. Course emphasis remains on the function of personnel actions on behalf of quality classroom instruction.

EDAD 853 – School Business Management     3 credit hours

A study of the functions of business management for schools including: budgetary procedures, financial accounting, auditing and reporting, management of funds, purchasing procedures and inventory, the administration and protection of property, and the administration of auxiliary services.

EDAD 854 – Introduction to Educational Administration     3 credit hours

The course is designed to provide an overview of the function of educational administration in school district organizations. Students will explore the role of the school principal as an instructional leader and a change agent. In addition to the comprehensive coverage of theory and research, there will be a focus on practical applications that are designed to help students implement their acquired knowledge.

EDAD 855 – Supervision of Instruction     3 credit hours

This course is designed to assist students in obtaining entry-level understandings and skills relating to the supervision of instruction.

EDAD 858 – Improving Teaching Through Effective Evaluation of Educators     3 credit hours

This course is designed to enhance the ability of principals to effectively train, teach, coach, and evaluate teachers for the purpose of improving teaching and thereby student learning. As an extension of EDAD 855, Supervision of Instruction, and EDAD 851, Human Resources Management, the course will prepare school principals to be experts in the "science of teaching" and give them the ability to demonstrate that expertise to their instructional staff.

EDAD 859 – Legal Basis of Education     3 credit hours

The purpose of this class is to explore the role of the school principal as an educational leader, understand the intricacies of public school administration as it relates to supervision and instruction. An emphasis will be placed on preventative law through the development of an understanding of legal issues facing the school administrator and avoiding possible litigation.

EDAD 869 – The Principalship     3 credit hours

This is a foundation course in school administration that places emphasis on the responsibilities of the principal. It is designed to serve the interests and needs of certificated personnel who plan to become principals.
Prerequisite: EDAD 854 or permission of instructor

EDAD 870 – The Principal as Instructional Leader     3 credit hours

This course is designed to explore the role of the principal as instructional leader and change agent. It is based in the educational effectiveness research and will focus on the leadership role of the principals. It is designed to serve the interests and needs of current administrators who wish to expand their qualifications for the Principalship or certified personnel seeking an additional endorsement.
Prerequisite: EDAD 869 or permission of instructor

EDAD 875 – Activities Director     3 credit hours

This course deals with the roles and responsibilities of the interscholastic Activities Director. Emphasis will be placed on the philosophies that are required for the Activities Director in the educational setting. The course will cover the skills and prerequisites for the school activities administrator, as well as legal issues, activities policies, finances, sportsmanship initiatives, and the "nuts and bolts" tasks of the school Activities Director.

EDAD 890 – Introduction to Educational Research     3 credit hours

This course is designed to explore the attributes of educational research and the roles of the educator in appraising and conducting reliable and valid research studies. Students will not only explore the attributes of effective research and learn to evaluate the quality, efficacy, and validity of research studies, but also learn how to do meaningful research inquiry so that they can design effective research studies and collect, analyze, and interpret data effectively in the study of educational questions at the classroom, building, or district level.

EDAD 895 – School Improvement     3 credit hours

School Improvement is designed to provide students of educational administration an understanding of issues related to the school improvement process and its role in the school reformation movement.

EDAD 896 – Independent Study     1-6 credit hours

Individualized study under the supervision of educational administration faculty and approved by the advisor. Topics of study are tailored to meet the needs of the student.
Total Credits Allowed: 6.00

EDAD 898 – Endorsement Internship     3 credit hours

This Endorsement Internship is designed for those students who already hold a principal Master's degree and seek the complementary principal endorsement.

EDAD 899 – Thesis     3-6 credit hours

A thesis provides an opportunity for candidates in educational administration to conduct research on educational problems which are relevant to particular interests and school settings. This is an elective for Master's Degree candidates.
Total Credits Allowed: 6.00

EDAD 899P – Special Topics in Education     1-3 credit hours

A course designed to enable administrators to become knowledgeable of recent trends and issues in school management, finance, or other concerns affecting the administration of the public schools.
Total Credits Allowed: 6.00

EDAD 940 – Administrative Theory     3 credit hours

This course introduces students to aspects of current administrative theory by treating the school district as a social system in need of organization, leadership, and change. Styles and effects of human behavior in organizations are explored.

EDAD 944 – Seminar in Educational Administration     3 credit hours

This course is graded on a credit-no credit basis, and is a requirement for the Educational Specialist Degree. The student will read and submit written critiques on several contemporary writings related to education and participate in a three-day, summer field trip to Lincoln, which will involve visitations at the Nebraska Department of Education, the Lincoln Public Schools, and the quarters of various professional education organizations.

EDAD 945 – Independent Readings     1-6 credit hours

Independent reading on Educational Administration topics. Readings to be selected and directed by the student's advisor and may be tied to field study literature review.
Total Credits Allowed: 3.00

EDAD 955 – The School Administrator and the Law     3 credit hours

This course is designed to provide the educational administrator with a view of the law governing the operation of schools. An emphasis will be placed on preventative law through building an understanding of legal issues facing the school administrator and avoiding possible litigation. Issues deserving attention will include school district organization, meetings of the board of education, personnel administration, conducting hearings, developing board policies, student rights, discrimination, tort liability, and other current issues.

EDAD 956 – School/Community Relations     3 credit hours

This course is designed to provide the student with an analysis of principles, practices and materials that facilitate the adjustment and interpretation of schools to their internal and external publics, along with an examination of the function of the media and the roles of schools and community groups in an effective school public relations program.

EDAD 957 – Public School Finance     3 credit hours

The primary objectives of this course are to provide the student with (1) the background of school finance, (2) a background of public school financing in the United States, (3) an understanding of the various governmental levels of financing in public schools, (4) judicial decisions and their effects, and (5) finance of schools in the future.

EDAD 958 – Educational Facility Plan     3 credit hours

A study of the principles and processes of developing functional educational facilities. Procedures and techniques for each phase of facility planning are included. Topics include: survey of needs, population projection, site selection, development of educational specifications, selection of architects, furniture and equipment selection, and maintenance and operation.

EDAD 966 – Special Topics in Educational Administration     1-3 credit hours

A course designed to enable the administrators to become knowledgeable of recent trends and issues in school management, finance, or other concerns affecting the administration of the public schools.
Total Credits Allowed: 6.00

EDAD 991 – Field Study     3 credit hours

The field study provides an opportunity for an educational administration candidate to prepare a proposal for a research project or a grant relevant to the candidate's school settings. The minimum credit for the proposal is three hours. If the candidate elects to complete a research project going beyond the proposal stage, an additional 3 credit hours may be applied towards the candidate's plan of study. This course is required of all Specialist Degree candidates. A written product is the outcome of the course. Enrollment by permission of the instructor.
Total Credits Allowed: 6.00

EDAD 992 – Executive Administrator     3 credit hours

This is a capstone course that focuses upon the executive administrator's role as leader in an educational setting. It is designed to provide both theoretical and practical approach thru discussions, problem solving, and case studies to allow students to demonstrate administrative skills that are relevant to today's educational leader. The focus of this course is on administrative leadership and its relevance to student achievement. Areas to be addressed may include board-administrator relations, human resource management, problem solving, communication, legal issues, financial planning and board policy development. This is an elective class in educational administration program.
Prerequisite: Enrollment in Educational Specialist degree program

EDAD 998 – Internship     3-6 credit hours

Internships are designed to provide administrative experience for students having limited administrative background and to strengthen skills of those who have served as administrators. This course is required for all Specialist Degree candidates.
Total Credits Allowed: 6.00