Master’s Degree Program Overview

CSP Masters Course Schedule	CSP Masters Program Plan Worksheet

The Cooperative Superintendency Program (CSP) at the University of Texas at Austin offers a Master’s degree in educational administration with concentration in the public school superintendent and/or executive-level educational leadership.

The Master’s degree in Executive Superintendent Leadership is designed to specifically target candidates who aspire to the Superintendency but not interested in the attainment of a doctoral degree.  This program also aims to recruit and prepare school leaders with non-traditional educational backgrounds. Of particular interest are candidates who are sitting superintendents or who hold executive leadership positions in Texas schools and\or public education charter schools. The Superintendent Executive Leadership master’s program of studies will be conducted in conjunction with the CSP doctoral program of studies, but will have an abbreviated schedule of required courses. Additionally, students in the Superintendent Executive Leadership master’s program will be provided the opportunity to seek departmental approval for admission and continuation into the CSP doctoral program, contingent on coursework and specialization paper performance while enrolled as a master’s student.

Scholars

The Master’s degree program in Executive Superintendent Leadership encourages didactic teaching and learning for its students. Beginning in the summer of 2012, the CSP is adopting a new, project-based curriculum with an integrated technology/distance-learning component. The students will be required to attend courses at The University of Texas campus on a half-time schedule, alternating with an online course attendance schedule. Core courses include: Ethics and Values in Education; Organizational Design and Behavior; Social Cultural Contexts in Education; Educational Policy and Politics; and Educational Economics and Finance. Courses specific to the superintendency include: Superintendency Seminars and Internships; Administrative Theory and Practice; Instructional Leadership; School Restructuring and Renewal; Planning and Data-Driven Decision Making; and School Finance and Law.

Practitioners

A variety of opportunities are provided for each student to acquire competencies and experiences that match that student’s interest, background and unique composition of strengths and weaknesses. Beyond routine tasks, each student is able to pursue projects and assignments, which expand the student’s competencies and contribute significantly to the education of the children of Texas.

While the Master’s degree in Executive Superintendent Leadership is a full-time program of studies, class schedules are organized to allow Fellows to maintain their current full-time professional positions. A combination of traditional coursework, independent directed research and field experiences provide rich opportunities for students to balance theory and practice, as well as develop higher order thinking and decision making skills.