About The Program
Format: Online or On Campus
Northern’s Masters of Science in Education in Leadership and Administration is a flexible and affordable degree that is entirely online and will develop your leadership abilities. It's a state-approved program for principal preparation, complying with SDCL 24:53:08:02. Through Northern’s master’s in Leadership and Administration, candidates gain the content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge and skills - identified in National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) building-level standards - to serve as a principal at the P-12 level.
For principal certification, graduates of this program must pass the Praxis Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision exam.
The program's curriculum addresses critical knowledge and skill areas for beginning, building-level educational leaders. Courses are designed to provide a framework for understanding how to best prepare, support, and evaluate education leaders in their efforts to help every child grow. Specialized courses include models of leadership, organizational behavior, data-driven decision making, leading inclusive schools, and fostering school and community partnerships.
Potential careers include positions at the PK-12 level as a principal, assistant principal, athletic director or dean of students.
Students often complete their internships in the school in which they are currently employed.
The Bob Lehr Memorial Scholarship is an annual scholarship available for students in this program.
To learn more about this program, offered online and on campus, contact NSU Graduate Studies via or !
Our Faculty
Dr. Anna Schwan joined Northern’s faculty in 2018 after 16 years in public K-12 education, serving as a high school teacher and secondary school administrator. She currently serves as interim dean of the Millicent Atkins School of Education. Previously, she was department chair of Teacher Education and graduate faculty coordinator of the Educational Studies and Leadership and Administration programs.
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