 Professionals in school leadership perform similar duties to those performed by managers, directors, VPs and CEOs in other industries. Principals, superintendents, department directors, researchers and policymakers all work together to shape the path of education for the students they serve. Read on for an overview of each type of school management career focus and decide if you have what it takes to become a school administrator. 
Education Administration Education administrators, such as principals, vice-principals and superintendents set educational standards and establish the policies and procedures to carry them out. Most states require principals to be licensed as school administrators. Education administration degree programs include courses in school management, school law, school finance and budgeting, curriculum development and evaluation, research design and data analysis, community relations and politics in education. Educational supervision degree programs include courses in supervision of instruction and curriculum, human relations, research, curriculum development and advanced pedagogy courses. Most school administrators begin their careers in related occupations and prepare for an education administration job by completing a master's or doctoral degree. For more information and to see if this career path is for you, see our education administration career guide.
Educational Leadership Those in educational leadership positions, such as department directors, chairs and deans, are experienced faculty members whose proven tenure and ability have afforded them with leadership positions within their institution. Some graduate-level work is required of most school leadership positions. Most hold a master's degree in leadership or their area of specialty, and some—especially those who serve at universities—hold doctorate degrees. Educational leadership master's degree programs focus on such issues as school effectiveness and improvement, change and restructuring of educational institutions, comparative international study of education reform, and policy analysis and development at the local, state and national level. Start your school leadership career by proving yourself to be an effective leader in teaching or other administrative positions in your school or district. For more information and to become a school administrator, see our educational leadership career guide.
Educational Research and Policy Many educational policy analysts, instructional coordinators, curriculum specialists, researchers and school administrators have master's or doctoral degrees in educational research and policy. Instructional coordinators evaluate how well a school's curriculum meets students' needs. They research teaching methods and techniques and develop procedures to determine whether program goals are being met. All of these professionals work in a variety of settings and usually enjoy a more professional work environment than their on-campus colleagues. Degree programs in educational research and policy focus on such issues as school effectiveness and improvement, change and restructuring of educational institutions and comparative international study of education reform. The educational doctorate (EdD) is designed for the professional practitioner and the doctorate of philosophy (PhD) for academic research roles. As the United States struggles to stay competitive in the world market, educational researchers and policymakers are busy implementing changes that will benefit future generations. To see if this area of school management is for you, see our educational research and policy career guide. Related Articles: |
