Kennesaw State first in Georgia to offer master’s in teacher and educational leadership

KENNESAW, Ga. (May 18, 2024) — Kennesaw State University is launching a Master of Education in Teacher Leadership and Educational Leadership, providing education professionals an opportunity to elevate their leadership skills and advance their careers. 

The new master’s degree in the Bagwell College of Education will be the first in Georgia to offer the combination of teacher leadership and Tier I educational leadership certifications. The program will provide educators with content knowledge and credentials to effectively lead schools through an integrated lens, in which administrators and teachers lead together and understand each other’s perspectives.

“The benefits are reciprocal,” said Nicholas Clegorne, interim chair of the Department of Educational Leadership. “When teacher leaders understand higher-level, 30,000-foot-view functions, they can make better decisions that fit the strategic plan of the school. When administrative leaders stay in touch with what it means to be in the classroom and to lead curriculum at that level, they are better leaders.”

Elements of Kennesaw State’s existing master’s degree in educational leadership, which will continue to be offered, and the previously offered master’s in teacher leadership are now combined into one degree. Educators enrolled in the Master of Education in Teacher Leadership and Educational Leadership will select one of three concentrations: Coaching for Performance, Leadership in Rural Schools, or Leadership in Urban Schools.

“The learning experience improves when school leadership is distributed throughout your organization,” Clegorne said. “It spreads to the students as well, and they turn into better young scholars and better young leaders as a result of it.”

Teachers who complete the degree will earn not only teacher leadership certification but also Tier I educational leadership certification, the credential required for entry-level leadership positions such as assistant principal or curriculum coordinator. Along with teachers boosting their potential for job promotions, Bagwell College leaders say the biggest beneficiaries of the new master’s degree will be the schools and districts that see results from enhancing their leadership teams.

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