Admission Requirements for the MASL Program

The admissions policy for the MASL at Benedictine College are designed to select students who have demonstrated the ability to be successful in academic, teaching, and leadership vocations. The School of Education carefully considers each application during department meetings and makes one of the following decisions:

1. regular admission,
2. probational admission, or
3. denial of admission.

The decisions of the department regarding admission are subsequently brought to the Committee on Graduate Studies for confirmation. The Director of the MASL will notify the applicant of the admission decision in writing. The applicant may appeal any adverse decision by submitting a written petition. Unless formal approval is received from the Director, a maximum of two courses taken as a special graduate student may be applied to degree requirements.

The requirements for formal admission are as follows:

Regular Admission

Applicants to the MASL program must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average in their last two years (60 hours) of college coursework from accredited institutions.

In addition to the completed application form, applicants must submit:

1. Official transcripts of all applicable college-level work completed and indication of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
2. Evidence of teacher licensure for a role in the public/private schools and at least one year of professional experience.
3. Professional Disposition evaluation completed by two supervisors as a recommendation of the candidate's potential abilities as a school leader.
4. A résumé or curriculum vitae of educational and professional experience.

Note: For teachers/administrators who do not hold a valid teaching license, a letter from the candidate's current school administrator indicating support and a statement of the benefit to the candidate and the educational setting are required. The MASL Director will notify the candidate of the admission decision and the written notice that completion of the MASL would not lead to licensure unless the candidate completes all of the KSDE criteria. 

Probational Admission

Applicants with less than the required GPA may be admitted on a probationary status. The status of students under this provision will be re-evaluated after the completion of the first six hours of graduate work at Benedictine College in the prescribed curriculum of the program as follows:

1. Those students who achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the first six hours of the prescribed curricula will be granted regular admission status.
2.  Those students who do not achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the first six hours of the prescribed curricula will be dismissed from the program.

Comprehensive Examination

 All graduate students must successfully complete a comprehensive exam over the course of study for the degree. The comprehensive exam for the MASL is the Praxis School Leadership Assessment (test 6990). 

Degree Requirements

1. All course work must be completed within six (6) years from the date of the initial enrollment.
2. A cumulative GPA of 3.00 must be maintained at the conclusion of each semester.
3. A maximum of six (6) semester hours of ‘C’ credit will be accepted. If a student receives a grade of ‘C’ in more than six (6) semester hours he or she will be dismissed from the program.
4. Any grade below ‘C’ will not be accepted and will result in exclusion from further study.
5. Degree candidates must pass a written comprehensive examination.
6. Degree candidates must complete the online graduation application by the appropriate date.

Dispositions

To complete the MASL program at Benedictine College, all candidates must demonstrate appropriate “dispositions” for school leadership. This term means the values and professional ethics the graduate student brings to becoming principal. We are required by the State of Kansas to evaluate candidates on their dispositions. The dispositions we expect candidates to demonstrate may be summarized in the phrase, “Professionally Responsible Builders of Community.” These are divided into two areas: 1) “Professional Responsibilities” and 2) “Building Community.” Dispositions are reviewed each semester and are scored at each of the three (3) benchmark points in the program. If a supervising mentor, teacher, principal, or faculty member has serious concerns about a candidate’s professional dispositions, a meeting will be held with the candidate, Program Director, and Chair. A plan for improvement will be made and a timeline for re-evaluation will be set. Failure to meet the tenets of the plan in a timely and professional manner may lead to the dismissal from the program.

Course List

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
EDUC-5512	Introduction to Educational Research	3
EDUC-5515	Models & Strat Instructional Leadership	3
EDUC-5516	Practicum in Instructional Leadership	1
EDUC-5532	Foundations of Curriculum Developme K-12	3
EDUC-5534	Assessment & School Improvement	3
EDUC-6606	School Leadership, Management & Finance	4
EDUC-6612	Supervision in Education	3
EDUC-6613	Practicum in Supervision	1
EDUC-6622	Educational Law	3
EDUC-6623	Practicum in Legal, Ethical & Comm Issueý@	1
EDUC-6640	Partnering With Parents & the Community	3
EDUC-6642	Educational Leadership	3
EDUC-6643	Practicum in the Principalship	1
EDUC-6680	Special Education Administration	3
EDUC-6688	Master's Comprehensive Exams	0
Total Hours		35

Licensure-Only Courses

Candidates who have already earned a master's degree in Education may elect to pursue a 29-credit licensure-only program that does not earn a master's degree. They take all of the courses in the degree, except for EDUC-5512, EDUC-5516, EDUC-6643, and EDUC-6613. Licensure-only candidates must complete 200 hours of supervised school leadership experiences during the program as part of their EDUC-6688 Master’s Comprehensive Exam requirement. Licensure-only candidates may not receive transfer credit for any graduate courses taken at another institution.

School Leadership Practicum for the MASL Program

The program includes a 200-hour practicum in educational leadership and administration during specific courses, with activities aligned to standards addressed by the course. Practicum requirements include a 20-hour visitation to a school of a different cultural setting than their “home school” with a subsequent reflection paper based on this experience. Practicum experiences are designed in collaboration between the Program Director, the student, and the supervisor at the proposed practicum location.

Endorsement as a Building Leader

To receive institutional recommendation for an initial building-level school leadership license, the candidate must:

1. Have completed a master's degree;
2. Have completed the 29-credit state-approved building administrator program at Benedictine College;
3. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all MASL coursework;
4. Have five years of full-time experience as a professionally licensed teacher in a school accredited or approved by the state board of a comparable agency in another state;
5. Have completed the School Leadership Licensure Assessment (SLLA) with a minimum passing score as established by the state of Kansas.