School Administration, M.S.A.

Admission Requirements

All application materials should be submitted by March 1 in order to be considered for fall entry into the program.

Applicants are required to submit the following materials to the Graduate School:

1. An application for graduate admission.
2. Official transcripts of all college work (undergraduate and graduate)
3. Official scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical portions of the Graduate Record Exam or the Miller Analogies Test
4. Three recommendations by individuals in professionally relevant roles
5. A brief (2-3 page typed, double-spaced) letter of application which includes a description of goals and interests in pursing graduate study
6. A brief (2-3 page typed, double-spaced) autobiographical statement which outlines the applicant‘s: (a) relevant professional experiences, (b) how these experiences relate to the desire to become a school administrator, (c) goals as an administrator, and (d) philosophy of education

The admissions process also will include an interview with a committee of Watson School of Education faculty and public school personnel. A satisfactory score on the Miller Analogies Test or the verbal, quantitative, and analytical portions of the Graduate Record Examination and an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 are required for admission. In addition, applicants must hold, or be qualified to hold, North Carolina Class “A” teacher licensure and must have served successfully as a teacher for a minimum of three years at the elementary, middle grades, or secondary level. Final selection will be based upon consideration of test scores, academic record, writing samples, recommendations, and interview performances. Admissions decisions are based upon several factors, and where other indicators of success warrant, individuals who fall below the established criterion in one of the areas may still be considered for admission.

The school administration program of the University of North Carolina Wilmington is authorized by the Principal Fellows Commission to serve students selected to the North Carolina Principal Fellows Program. Open to United States citizens who are residents of North Carolina and meet rigorous academic and experiential requirements, the Principal Fellows program provides two-year scholarship loans in the amount of $20,000 annually to students who enroll in and complete a full-time two-year master‘s program in school administration at one of the selected North Carolina institutions. The scholarship loans will be forgiven if the graduate serves as a fulltime school administrator in North Carolina for four years during the six years following program completion. Selection as a Principal Fellow and admission to the Graduate School of the University of North Carolina Wilmington are two separate procedures, but admission to an approved university program is a criterion for selection as a Fellow. For application materials for the Principal Fellows Program, call (919)962-4575 or write:

Principal Fellows Program
The University of North Carolina General Administration
P.O. Box 2688
Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688

Degree Requirements

Students selected to the Master of School Administration program will complete an interdisciplinary program comprised of 36 - 39 semester hours, including academic study as well as field-based inquiry and practice. The program leading to the Master of School Administration (M.S.A.) provides advanced professional training for individuals holding, or qualified to hold, North Carolina Class “A” teacher licensure in at least one area of education. The program is comprised of conceptual and programmatic studies, practica and internship. Courses may be taken on a full or part-time basis. Full-time students are expected to assist with the instruction of EDNL 200 - Field Studies . The program of study for fulltime enrollment is listed below.

Based upon the view of the professional as a decision-maker and reflective practitioner, the program addresses the needs for conceptual and procedural bases for decision-making and specific alternatives within the student‘s anticipated area of professional practice.