Application Deadlines
Deadline dates for applications and receipt of all required application materials are:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 1 | Fall Admission |
| November 1 | Spring Admission |
| April 1 | Summer Admission |
Application Materials Required for the MSE in Instructional Leadership P-12
Applicants for a master’s degree education program must submit all of the following documentation to Graduate Admissions to be considered for admission:
Graduate Admissions
Jacksonville State University
700 Pelham Road North
Jacksonville, Alabama, 36265-1602
- Completed JSU Graduate Application for Admission.
- Non-refundable $35.00 application processing fee.
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities with degrees posted. To be considered for admission, applicants must hold a degree from an institutionally accredited institution or its foreign equivalent. (Students who have previously attended JSU do not need to request a transcript from the university.)
- Valid Alabama Bachelor’s-level professional educator certificate in a teaching field or a valid Alabama Master’s-level professional educator certificate in a teaching field or instructional support area. All certificate(s) must be valid throughout the program and at graduation.
Note: Applicants must have a valid Alabama Master’s-level professional educator certificate for the Reduced Credit Hour Option. - Background check1. Any candidate applying for admission to a state approved teacher education program shall be required to be fingerprinted for a criminal history background check through the Alabama State Department of Education to the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Instructions for completing the background process can be found here.
- Must have a minimum of three full years (or six full semesters) of full-time, acceptable professional experience in a P-12 setting, which must include at least one full year of full-time P-12 classroom teaching experience prior to unconditional admission to the program and will document their educational experience on the state-approved Supplemental EXP Form. Applicants should contact their superintendent’s office/central office for completion of this form.
- Professional resume.
- Statement of Goals: Summary (typed, one page, double-spaced) of the applicant’s reasons for pursuing the program.
- Letter of Expectations: Summary (typed, one-page, double-spaced) of what the applicant expects is required for this master’s program.
-
Copy of applicant’s most recent performance appraisal.
- Three Graduate Reference Forms. One of the references must be from the applicant’s principal or superintendent. The other two references must be from individuals who can provide qualitative assessment of an applicant’s potential for success in graduate coursework. For the Reduced 18-hour Certificate in Instructional Leadership, references must be from a principal and a superintendent. The other reference must be from an individual who can provide qualitative assessment of an applicant’s potential for success in graduate coursework.
- International student applicants must see the International Student Applicants section of this catalog for other application and enrollment requirements.
- Applicants whose packages are complete will be contacted to schedule an appointment for a writing sample and an interview with faculty members of the program.
- Through the professional resume, graduate reference forms, performance appraisals, writing sample, and/or interview portfolio, applicants must present a.) evidence of ability to improve student achievement and b.) evidence of leadership and management potential, including evidence of most recent accomplishments in the area of educational leadership.
| 1 | If the candidate holds a valid Alabama professional educator certificate and has already completed a background check through that process, another background check will not be required. |
Admission Requirements for the MSE in Instructional Leadership P-12
Applicants are admitted on a selective basis upon review of the completed application package.
Individuals must be unconditionally admitted to the (Class A) Instructional Leadership program before enrolling in any Instructional Leadership (IL) courses in the program.
Minimum Requirements for the MSE in Instructional Leadership P-12
An overall 3.25 GPA is required on all coursework attempted for the master’s degree. Transfer credit cannot be used to raise the GPA to the required 3.25.
Successful completion of the appropriate Praxis Subject Assessment(s) is required before taking internship.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| EFD 502 | Curriculum Development | 3 |
| EIM 503 | Technology-Enhanced Teaching and Learning 1 | 3 |
| IL 504 | Graduate Education and Technology (Required first semester of enrollment) | 3 |
| IL 510 | Action Research | 3 |
| IL 552 | Diversity Issues for Instructional Leaders | 3 |
| IL 555 | Management of the Learning Organization I | 3 |
| IL 562 | Leading Change for Student Learning | 3 |
| IL 564 | Law and Ethics | 3 |
| IL 566 | Internship in Instructional Leadership | 3 |
| IL 576 | Internship in Instructional Leadership and Residency | 3 |
| Special Education Requirement | 0-3 | |
| Survey Course in Special Education 2 | ||
| Total Hours | 30-33 | |
30-33 Graduate Semester Hours Required for this Degree
| 1 | Students may substitute EIM 504 or EIM 505 if they have met the prerequisites. |
| 2 | SPE 500 Survey Course in Special Education (3) is required if not previously completed for prior level certification. |
Completion of this program leads to eligibility for Master’s-level professional educator certification in Instructional Leadership P-12.
Please Note: Teacher education programs are approved by the Alabama State Board of Education and are, therefore, subject to periodic revision resulting from changes in State certification requirements. Subsequently, modifications in students’ programs may become necessary. Students in all graduate level teacher education programs must schedule their coursework each semester with approval of their faculty advisors.
Graduation and Comprehensive Exam
A comprehensive exam is required for this degree. Please see the graduate advisor for full details. All students must apply for graduation by the given deadline of the semester in which they plan to graduate. Please see the Graduation and Comprehensive Exam section of this catalog for more information.
Alabama Class A Professional Educator Certification Requirements
Teacher education programs are approved by the Alabama State Board of Education and are, therefore, subject to periodic revision resulting from changes in State certification requirements. Subsequently, modifications in students’ programs may become necessary. Students in all graduate level teacher education programs must schedule their coursework each semester with approval of their faculty advisors.
Issuance of Alabama professional educator certificates is the legal responsibility of the Alabama State Department of Education. Universities cannot issue a professional certificate. To be eligible to apply for certification, a student must complete an appropriate program of study at a college or university which has been approved by the State Board of Education to offer a program leading to the desired certificate. When a student completes the program of study, the institution recommends to the State Department of Education that the appropriate certificate be issued.
- Alabama State Department of Education regulations are subject to change; therefore, it is recommended that students apply for certification upon graduation. During their last semester of coursework, students should contact Teacher Education Services, 207 Ramona Wood Hall, for information about this process. The university cannot recommend any student for certification who has not satisfied all state and university requirements for admission to and completion of an approved program. Please see the Alabama Certification Instructions on the Teacher Education Services.
- Recommendation for certification must be made within 60 months of program completion. Recommendation after 60 months requires completion of a current program.