The MA Educational Leadership with a concentration in Emancipatory Leadership for Schools, offered by the Department of Educational Leadership , prepares school leaders through deep engagement with research and practice through applied consulting on living case studies. Emancipatory school leadership approaches create organizational cultures to reflect the diversity of experience and knowledge within school communities through collaborative approaches to deconstruct power systems, challenge inequitable practices and policies, and cultivate community cultural wealth.

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Graduates will be able to:

1. Build organizational cultures that reflect the diversity of experience and knowledge within school communities.
2. Identify approaches to educational leadership that include the cultural wealth present in communities that schools serve.
3. Design professional development that challenges bias and inequity in school settings.
4. Create culturally sustaining approaches to instructional leadership.
5. Implement policies and practices that reflect emancipatory school leadership principles.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must submit a complete graduate application by applying through the CSU Cal State Apply system and meet all the university admission requirements. Applicants apply separately to the department to obtain admission into the Master of Arts degree in Emancipatory Leadership for Schools. See the GAPE Graduate Admissions website and admissions requirements  section. Applicants must submit a letter of nomination/recommendation from a school leader as part of their application. Upon review of the applications, all applicant finalists will participate in an interview by the admissions committee to finalize admission to the program. Applicants from countries in which the native language is not English must achieve a minimum English-language proficiency test score as indicated on GAPE’s Graduate Program Test Requirements webpage. For TOEFL requirements, see the admissions requirements  section.

Requirements for Admission to Classified Standing

Applicants may be admitted to classified standing if they meet the admissions requirements for both the Graduate Division and the department. The minimum requirements for the program are a bachelor’s degree in any discipline, 3 years of experience working with K-12 schools, and a nomination/recommendation from a school leader. Preference is given to candidates who demonstrate a commitment to emancipatory practices in education.

1. Candidates must meet all university admissions requirements.
2. Department application materials include the items listed below and are to be sent directly to the department office at:
   
   Department of Educational Leadership San José State University
   One Washington Square, SH 404
   San Jose, CA, 95192-0072
   1. Autobiographical and Professional Goals Statement (two to three pages, double-spaced) that includes the applicant’s:
      1. educational background
      2. experiences demonstrating work with schools
      3. professional goals in pursuing the degree (include areas of interest in leadership)
      4. any additional information explaining interest in the Emancipatory Leadership for Schools master’s degree program
   2. One nomination/recommendation from a K-12 school leader.
   3. Two letters of recommendation from current or former professors and/or employers who can testify to the applicant’s ability to successfully pursue an advanced academic degree and/or discuss the applicant’s experience within the proposed field of study. Forms for these letters can be found on the Department of Educational Leadership website.
3. Official sealed transcripts from each college/university attended should be sent to:
   
   Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations San José State University
   One Washington Square, SH 404
   San Jose, CA, 95192-0073