This plan is no longer offered at the Flagstaff or the NAU - North Valley Campuses. See the Campus Availability tab below for alternate plan campus options.
Through this program, you explore the underpinnings of the K-12 educational system and develop knowledge and leadership skills applicable to the K-12 setting. We designed this program for teachers wishing to take a more active leadership role in their schools.
If you are interested in our online program or a cohort, contact the department to learn more at edl@nau.edu.
If you are a school district interested in starting a cohort in your community, contact us at partnerships@nau.edu.
This program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) This program is nationally recognized by the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC)
The Master's Degree in Educational Leadership, Principal Pre K-12 emphasis is designed to prepare students to qualify to serve as a school principal at the Pre K-12 level.
To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units.
You must additionally complete:
Read the full policy here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Candidates in this program are required to demonstrate content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and skills, professional knowledge, and professional dispositions to be eligible to enter student teaching or internship placements.
Content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge or skills, and professional dispositions are demonstrated through candidate performance on key assessments embedded in the following course(s):
| Minimum Units for Completion | 36 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required. |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Required |
| Arizona Endorsement | Prepares student for Arizona Endorsement. |
| Progression Plan Link | View Program of Study |
| Licensure | This program may lead to licensure. |
Purpose Statement
The purpose of the Master's Degree in Educational Leadership, Principal Pre K-12 program is to prepare its participants to qualify to serve as a Pre K-12 school principal. The thirty-six credits required to complete this program include courses that translate theory into practice as the role of the school principal, educational research, instructional planning, supervision of instruction, personnel administration, publicity and politics, leadership skills, critical issues, school funding and school law are examined. The program also includes an internship in a school where participants will apply what they have learned in their courses.
Following completion of the Ed. Leadership-Principal Pre K-12, MED program participants will receive an Institutional Recommendation and may apply for state certification as a Pre K-12 principal. Unfortunately, the success rate for Indian administrators graduating from the current program has not been without concern and problems mainly from Indian school superintendents and their school boards. These new courses were developed based on these concerns regarding a lack of emphasis on leadership skills they felt were missing and needing attention. For example, they believe that the sixty percent turn-over rate of principals is directly related to inadequate preparation. Causes often mentioned for the high attrition included not understanding their roles, lacking knowledge how to deal with the contentious and challenging work climate, not knowing the culture, administrators unwilling to be involved in tribal-community functions, and a lack of knowledge and expertise to work effectively in a tribal-school setting. These new courses will link cultural knowledge originating in tribal communities to the EDL principal curriculum. Leadership fields recommended to be included in the curriculum include the role of education in tribal nation-building; tribal leadership beliefs; communication and leadership styles of Indian school boards and Indian educators; appropriate communication with parents, elders, and community leaders; accountability practices by parents and Indian school boards; managing tribal language and culture programs; tribal expectations of young men and women in leadership roles; attitudes toward non-tribal members in positions of leadership; school-tribal/community development; tribal education codes including the cross-jurisdictional tribal, state and federal education laws; Indian preference in hiring practices; tribal labor relations; tribal cultural decision-making; Diné Education Standards; attributes of power structures found in tribal communities; institutional racism; and issues of social justice, equity and inequality from a tribal perspective. Through incorporating these and other topics into the courses, students will not just understand the school-leadership dynamics in a tribal community, they will know how and when to use them, and able to monitor the impact of the leadership decisions they make on the education values and beliefs of the tribal community.
Student Learning Outcomes
Outcomes align with Standards from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC), and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC).
A building-level education leader applies knowledge that promotes the success of every student by collaboratively facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a shared school vision of learning through the collection and use of data to identify school goals, assess organizational effectiveness, and implement school plans to achieve school goals; promotion of continual and sustainable school improvement; and evaluation of school progress and revision of school plans supported by school-based stakeholders.
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Admission requirements include the following:
Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
Ready to apply? Begin your application now.
International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
Take the following 36 units:
You may only enroll in Principalship and Internship in the last year of your program of study. Note that separate internship application and deadlines apply.
Students must have a valid Arizona teaching certificate and 3 years of teaching experience before starting the internship.
Students must apply for graduation the term before they expect to do an internship.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.