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School Administration Courses

LSA 5010: Public School Administration. An introductory study of basic structure, organization, and philosophical theories and administration of public schools of the US.

LSA 5030. The Principalship. The purpose of this course is to help students better understand the functions and purposes of the principalship. Theories, principles, and practices applicable to the organizational components of schools will be emphasized.

LSA 5070. School-Based Evaluation. This course is designed to help prospective school administrators learn the central role of assessment and evaluation as a part of their general leadership responsibilities in schools. The demands for school-based accountability coupled with the continuing need to justify allocation of resources make this course particularly important. Students will learn how to use evaluation as a tool to facilitate planning, decision-making, and allocation of scarce resources.

LSA 5180. Fiscal Operations and Resource Management. This course is designed for entry-level school administrators at the school building level. It will provide an intense study of fiscal operations and management, maintenance and property control, and emergency planning at the building level. Emphasis will be placed on planning for emergencies and the development of staff utilization plans at the building level.

LSA 5250. Conflict Management in Educational Administration. Sources of conf lict for the administrator are analyzed including communications and professional negotiations. Emphasis is placed on basic problem solving techniques.

LSA 5300. Community Education and the Public School Administrator. Designed to familiarize the student with the variety of models of community education and community schools together with the underlying philosophy of each. Particular emphasis will be placed on the administration of community education from the point of view of the public school administrator.

LSA 5400. Developing and Managing Resources in Schools. This course is designed for entry-level school leaders, particularly the K-12 schools and certain post-secondary settings. The course will focus on the thinking and activities site-based leaders and managers bring to human resource development in K-12 schools and other educational settings. Emphasis will be placed on the administrator’s role, at the building level, in human resources development.

LSA 5500. Independent Study. Subject matter may vary depending on student interest and need. A student may enroll more than once provided the content does not duplicate that of the previous course.

LSA 5530-5549. Selected Topics.

LSA 5585. Teacher Leadership and School Improvement. This course is designed to help teachers develop an understanding of and skill in assuming leadership roles and responsibilities in their schools. Those aspects of school leadership seen as most appropriate and potentially beneficial for teacher involvement will be emphasized. Particular attention is paid to the relationships among teacher leadership, school improvement, and site- based accountability. Students will have the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills and formulate their own approaches through both university based classroom and site-based clinical activities. Activities such as participant- observations, shadow-studies classroom-action research, problem-based learning, case studies, survey research, and qualitative research studies can be included. Students will be expected to present tangible evidence that represents, authentically, their professional growth.

LSA 5600. School Law. A study of the fundamental principles underlying the relationship of the state to education and the laws which are applicable to practical problems of school organization and administration.

LSA 5700. Educational Leadership. A study of the process of leadership with activities designed to improve skill in planning, decision making, organizing, communicating, and evaluating. Research on leadership and the processes of implementing change will be analyzed.

LSA 5800. Critical Inquiry and Thought in Educational Leadership. This course is designed as a culminating course for the Master of School Administration program. The course examines current issues and problems that impact school administration. Emphasis is focused on administrative tasks, roles, and functions of educational leaders in schools. The course includes an in-depth review of contemporary trends that change or inf luence educational administration and governance.

LSA 5810. Planning Educational Programs. The principles and processes involved in programming, including basic theories and concepts supporting the programming process
for adult clientele. Consideration will be given to determining needs for specific training in a community and developing programs appropriate to meet those needs.
LSA 5820. Theory and Development in Educational Organizations. The purpose of this course is to inform students in educational leadership of the nature of organizations and ways in which educational organizations maintain themselves. During the course, it will be
emphasized that organizational theory and development are eventually about how people grow and develop relationships. The course is designed to bring educational leadership and organizational thinking into a common framework. Students will have the opportunity
to examine their own assumptions about organizations, to engage in the study of organizational culture, and to study how organizations form as they do.
LSA 5850. Politics and Public Policy Analysis for Educational Leadership. Designed to give students a comprehensive view of the transformation of educational problems into policy and the bureaucratic duties of public education administrators. Equip educational leaders
with knowledge of policy theory, development, implementation and analysis necessary in the management of public educational institutions and agencies.
LSA 5870. The School Administrator in Contemporary Society. This course is designed to study the school administrator’s role in the context of contemporary society. Particular emphasis is placed on: the interrelationships that exist among institutions within a community, the changing attitudes of groups, of individuals, the traditional
family, and educational agencies. The course is intended to provide the student with an appreciation of the current and possible function of schools.
LSA 5900. School Administration and Supervision Internship/Field Study. Supervised experiences of leadership and management under the direction of competent personnel, or study of problems in public schools, public school systems, or other appropriate agencies. Graded on an S/U basis for MA/MSA degree students.

LSA 5989. Graduate Research. This course is designed to provide access to University facilities for continuing graduate research at the master’s and specialist’s levels. Graded on an S/U basis. LSA 5989 does not count toward a degree.

LSA 5999. Thesis. Graded on an S/U basis.

LSA 6050. Seminar in School Supervision. A course for students preparing for positions as general county or city school supervisors. Includes methods of evaluating staff and the planning of staff development programs for the improvement of instruction.
LSA 6180. School Finance. A study of the principles which contribute to an understanding of public school finance. Emphasis is placed on budget making, fiscal management, and business operations.

LSA 6300. Personnel Administration in Education. This course will provide the student with a broad array of tools for administering the human resources in a school or school system. Particular attention will be paid to issues such as tenure, grievances, evaluation, interviewing, and recruitment. Appropriate statutory law will be examined.

LSA 6400. Administering Change in Education. This seminar course is designed to assist school leaders in the process of leading and managing change in educational organizations. The content is appropriate for any practicing or aspiring educational leader who will face the dynamics of changing educational settings. The course will provide both conceptual and practical models for managing the change process. A primary focus will be placed on educational and instructional leadership.

LSA 6491. Educational Facilities. Planning the modern school plant, design and nature of functional educational facilities, personnel involvement, maintenance, determining the needs of the community, factors in the selection of sites, architectural and contractual services.

LSA 6500. Independent Study. Subject matter may vary depending on student interest and need. A student may enroll more than once provided the content does not duplicate that of the previous course.

LSA 6530-6549. Selected Topics. Topics considered may include the following: Seminar in Educational Leadership; and Seminar in College Administration, etc.

LSA 6600. Seminar in Legal Problems. Current legal issues and problems related to organization and administration of public and private educational institutions.

LSA 6700. Politics in Administration. Politics in Administration will focus on those less obvious processes that accompany the decision-making process. Particular attention will be paid to concepts such as power brokering, interdependence of agencies, and agency politics.

LSA 6900. School Administration and Supervision Internship/Field Study. Supervised experiences of leadership and management under the direction of competent personnel, or study of problems in public schools, public school systems, or other appropriate agencies. Graded on an S/U basis for Ed.S. degree students.