Graduate Courses

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
www.educ.iastate.edu/elps/homepage.htm

John H. Schuh, Chair of Department
University Professors: Robinson
Professors: Blake, Ebbers, Evans, Gmelch, Huba, Littrell, Moore, Schuh, Shelley, Van Ast
Professors (Collaborators): Barak, Claar, Gardner, Pierce
Distinguished Professors (Emeritus): Ahmann, Fanslow, Warren
University Professor (Emeritus): Manatt
Professors (Emeritus): Beavers, Boyles, Bryan, Engel, Hopper, Jones, Kizer, Lagomarcino, Lawrence, McCandless, Netusil, Pellegreno
Associate Professors: Hackmann, Hamrick, Licklider, Poston
Associate Professors (Adjunct): Stow, Tesfagiorgis
Associate Professor (Emeritus): Thielen
Assistant Professors: Alsbury, Bartlett, Kilgore, Mullen
Assistant Professors (Adjunct): Andersen, Arthur, Gruenewald, Hill, Jackson, McGuire, Norton, Udin
Clinicians: Scharff, Smith, Walker

Departmental Mission, Vision and Goals Statements
Mission:
The mission of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies is to advance the quality and effectiveness of educational institutions and individuals engaged in education. The department is guided by the missions of Iowa State University and the College of Education and embodies the concepts of the land-grant tradition of teaching, research, and service. The department is dedicated to enhancing the intellectual, cultural, social, and ethical potential of students and faculty for the benefit of Iowa, the nation, and the world. Specifically, the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies:

•Provides graduate degree and career preparation programs, coursework, and other learning opportunities for students and practitioners.
•Conducts and disseminates basic and applied research for the advancement of educational theory and practice.
•Provides professional service for institutions, individuals, and organizations at all levels of education.

Vision:
Research All Educational Leadership and Policy Studies faculty create and disseminate knowledge and promote educational inquiry that enhances educational practices at local, state, national, and international levels.

Teaching All Educational Leadership and Policy Studies faculty engage in teaching that is consonant with the principles of adult learning and effective teaching that help students develop critical thinking and professionally relevant skills, and that provides a foundation for the application of knowledge to practice.

Service All Educational Leadership and Policy Studies faculty, using their professional expertise, work with educators, educational institutions, and other consituent groups to solve problems.

Advising All Educational Leadership and Policy Studies faculty foster students’ professional and personal growth by guiding and inspiring them to formulate and complete relevant programs of study and to conduct high quality research.

Curricula/Program The Educational Leadership and Policy Studies faculty develop and implement futuristic curricula and programs to ensure that students learn to think critically and perform their professional roles in an exemplary fashion.

General Goals:
The general goals of the department, and hence of each of its program areas and affiliated programs, are to:

•Conduct high quality graduate education programs, both on- and off-campus, for students seeking graduate degrees in a major in education and/or seeking professional licensure as school service personnel.

•Establish appropriate conditions, opportunities, and resources with which both faculty and graduate students may engage in scholarly activities.

•Assist the educational enterprise of Iowa in development by utilizing, when appropriate, the talents and expertise of the faculty and graduate student body in such activities as workshops, conferences, and consultation in small groups, both on- and off-campus.

Graduate Study
Degrees. The Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies -- ELPS -- offers work for the degrees master of science, master of education, certificate of advanced studies, and doctor of philosophy with a major in education. ELPS also offers minor work to students majoring in other fields of study. At the master’s level, students may specialize in counselor education; educational administration; higher education; organizational learning and human resource development; and research and evaluation. Interested students should consult the specific program area for master’s degree information related to that program.

Students may complete the Ph.D. with a major in education and a specialization in educational leadership with emphasis in either educational administration or higher education. Specific information about the requirements of the Ph.D. degree is available from the departmental office or on the web (www.educ.iastate.edu/elps/elpsdoc.htm).

The following information refers only to the Ph.D. program:
Prerequisites Prerequisite to major graduate work in educational leadership is completion of an undergraduate degree with coursework appropriate to the planned specialization, and evidence that the student ranks above average in scholastic achievement and promise of professional competence.

Learning Opportunities Doctoral students in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies will complete seminars, laboratory experiences, field experiences, independent research, and a capstone experience course. In addition to the common experiences noted above, students will each select an intellectual content area that will prepare them to work in the setting of their choice.

Careers Graduates of the Doctoral Program are prepared to serve as leaders in various educational settings, including school administration, community colleges, public and private colleges and universities, and public and private agencies.

Outcomes Graduates of the Ph.D. Program, regardless of the emphasis chosen, possess skills and knowledge related to six core domains: leadership, educational research, communication, educational evaluation, educational foundations, and educational technology. By the time of graduation, students will demonstrate the necessary skills and knowledge to:

•Work effectively with individuals and groups.
•Engage in ethical decision-making and management of resources to accomplish goals.
•Engage in scholarly inquiry.
•Express ideas clearly, both orally and in writing.
•Articulate their values, beliefs, and philosophy of life.
•Relate sensitively to individuals from diverse backgrounds.
•Use the principles of program evaluation and assessment intelligently.
•Have a clear understanding of the foundations of education, grounding their work in theory and philosophy.
•Use technology effectively in learning and organizational processes.
•Articulate the concepts, theories, and practices related to the educational content area emphasized in their studies.

Other Related Programs Other graduate programs related to education (including General Graduate Studies) may be more suited to the interests of potential students on the basis of previous education and experiences as well as future plans and needs. Potential students should refer to programs in the Departments of Agricultural Education and Studies, Curriculum and Instruction, Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies, Health and Human Performance, Industrial Technology, and General Graduate Studies, or to graduate level course offerings within the other departments, to determine if these offerings may be more closely matched with their career interests.

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (EL PS)
Barbara L. Licklider, Program Coordinator

Courses for Graduate Students
EL PS 615. Thematic Seminars. Cr. 1. F.S.SS. Prereq: Admission to educational leadership doctoral program.
A. Communication and Team Building
B. Governance, Politics and Policies
C. Law, Equity, Equality
D. Ethics, Justice, and Caring
E. Problem Solving and Planning
F. Critical and Creative Thinking

EL PS 616. Capstone Experience. Cr. 3. F.S. Prereq: 6 credits of 615. This experience is designed to explore a topic addressed in one of the thematic seminars. The product of the capstone experience is a written paper of sufficient quality to be submitted to a scholarly journal for review.