237 Gooch Hall

537 University Street

Martin, TN 38238

Ph:

(731) 881-7128

Fx:

(731) 881-7975

Em:

Deborah J. Gibson

Mission & Vision

The Instructional Leadership Graduate Program carries out the mission and vision of the Educator Preparation Program at the University of Tennessee at Martin through a foundation built on a set of core disciplines collaboratively developed with current district-level & building-level administrators from our primary partner & state-recognized districts, community members, and UTM faculty and staff. All aspects of our program are grounded in the following core principles:

• Connection
• Communication
• Coaching
• Culture
• Vision & Values
• Equity & Integrity
• Institutional Management
• Change Agent
• Results-Oriented
• Student-Focused

Program Highlights:

The UTM Instructional Leadership Graduate Licensure Program empowers and prepares teacher leaders to serve as leaders for equity in school leadership positions requiring a Tennessee Instructional Leadership License.

 

Our candidate’s time is valuable & our program reflects that!

• Complete in 12 months with accelerated courses.
• Online coursework
• All courses (3 hours each) are taught by professional educators with experience as a principal.
• Candidates are immersed in a variety of authentic instructional leadership experiences focused on what successful principals must know and be able to do.

We believe in the power of connection! Relationships matter & UTM faculty & staff work to develop a life-long network of support FOR YOU!

• The UTM Instructional Leadership Graduate Program is a cohort-based model where courses are limited to no more than 15 members who take the same classes at the same time.
• UTM provides face-to-face coaching to provide candidate’s with timely feedback and support.
• For those who successfully complete our program, UTM will provide coaching and support AFTER graduation. UTM coaches continue supporting our novice principals and those who are “principals-in-waiting” (those who do not immediately move to principal upon completion of the program).
• UTM Leadership Coaches who will be working with you during AND after program completion are former principals who have received additional training in national coaching and mentor programs.

Program of Study

EDLD 710 Instructional Leadership - 3 Credit Hours

EDLD 760 School Finance and Educational Law- 3 Credit Hours

EDLD 755 Equitable and Culturally Responsive Practices - 3 Credit Hours

EDLD 745 Measurement & Decision Making - 3 Credit Hours

EDLD 715 Organizational and Business Management - 3 Credit Hours

EDLD 750 Clinical Practice I - 3 Credit Hours

EDLD 775 Leading Educational Change - 3 Credit Hours

EDLD 730 Family and Community Engagement - 3 Credit Hours

EDLD 780 Clinical Practice II - 3 Credit Hours

 

Total Minimum hours required for M.S. Degree - 27

Instructional Leadership Endorsement Option

For additional information on the Instructional Leadership Endorsement Option, click here

DRIVE to THRIVE

Purpose

The UTM Instructional Leadership program believes in the power of connection. We provide face-to-face coaching with onsite visits to provide you with timely feedback and support. For those who successfully complete our program, we will provide coaching and support AFTER graduation. We will continue supporting our novice principals and those who are “principals-in-waiting” (those who do not immediately move to principal upon completion of the program). Our program is a cohort-based model where courses are limited to no more than 15 members who take the same classes at the same time. Cohorts will be required to meet together in one seminar – face-to-face—where we will strengthen our network of support to one another.

 

Our program is designed to immerse candidates in a variety of authentic instructional leadership experiences focused on what successful principals must know and be able to do. All courses (3 hours each) are taught by professional educators with experience as a principal. UTM Leadership Coaches who will be working with you during AND after program completion are former PRINCIPALS who have received additional training in national coaching and mentor programs.

Leadership Experiences

As a candidate seeking licensure as an instructional leader, you must participate in authentic leadership experiences or clinical experiences that include both field experiences and a sustained clinical practice. These experiences provide you the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills attained throughout the principal preparation program in an authentic and practical setting. To ensure you have the abilities to THRIVE as a leader for equity in any school setting, you are required to have leadership experiences with students with diverse learning needs and varied background in at least two (2) settings (for example, middle school and elementary school; high school and elementary school; schools in two different districts) during their clinical practice.

 

Clinical experiences will be completed under the supervision of knowledgeable, expert, onsite clinical mentors who provide candidates with coherent, authentic, and sustained opportunities to synthesize and apply your knowledge and leadership skills and dispositions in ways that approximate the full range of responsibilities required of building-level leaders. Clinical experiences will require a minimum of 10-15 hours per week of authentic leadership activities within a school setting. The Tennessee Instructional Leadership Standards (TILS) and the National Educational Leadership Program (NELP) Standards as the basis for program curriculum and clinical experiences ensuring you can THRIVE.

Developing Leaders with DRIVE

Discipline & Focus

Respect, Resilient, and Reflective

Integrity & Equity

Vision

Engage in Empathy & Connection to Empower Others

 

The goal of our clinical experience and individualized coaching is to Develop Leaders with DRIVE or the self-motivation, grit, and determination to succeed. We develop a team of experienced administrators to coach, mentor, and support your growth as a highly effective leader.

THRIVE – The Instructional Leadership Support Team

The goal of THRIVE, the Instructional Leadership Support Team, is to help candidates THRIVE and not just survive! THRIVE represents your support team composed of the Clinical Mentor, the UTM Leadership Coach, and the UTM Faculty Coordinator. Team members work together to assist candidates to

 

Turn their leadership vision into reality through

Honest & trustworthy interactions.

THRIVE members are

Responsive to the needs of candidates providing

Intentional, targeted coaching & feedback in order to nurture leaders who

Value connection.

The team will work together to provide the tools, materials, resources, and experiences to

Empower the Candidate to become an Effective Leader.

 

THRIVE team members will meet on-site together at least one time during each semester where they will examine evidence of your clinical experiences to provide feedback to support your growth including areas or strength and areas needing to be addressed. The THRIVE team will review and evaluate your Instructional Leadership Personalized Professional Learning Plan (PLP) performance and measurable improvements for the identified areas of growth. THRIVE team members will determine if you have completed the requirements for the clinical experience satisfactorily and will make recommendations for additional work, if necessary.

 

 

 

Admission Requirements

All applicants for Educational Leadership (degree-seeking, non-degree, or endorsement) must also submit the following documents (items 1-9) for review and recommendation from the Educational Leadership (EDLD) Program Admission Committee.

1. GPA requirement
   • Cum GPA—a 2.50 cumulative GPA on all work attempted prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree, or
   • SrYr GPA—a 3.00 GPA on the last 30 semester hours attempted in the baccalaureate degree (all work will be computed for the number of semesters necessary to total the last 30 semester hours), or
   • a 3.00 GPA on the SrYr plus any post-baccalaureate upper-division and/or graduate courses. (Any courses included in the SrYr calculation may be repeated to raise the GPA to 3.00).
2. $40 Application Fee
3. Personal statement of prior experience in leading change. Provide documented evidence to support your claims. Please limit the response to two pages maximum.
4. Current resumé.
5. The Applicant Recommendation Form must be completed and submitted by principal/superintendent and/or former principal/superintendent. The form is available on the Education Graduate Program webpage (http://www.utm.edu/departments/edgrad/forms.php).
6. Copy of current teaching license.
7. Verification of education working experience. Two years of successful education working experience prior to starting the program are required.
8. Signed complete copy of most recent performance appraisal by a state approved evaluation model or similar measure for the past two years.
9. Two letters of recommendation must be from anyone who is familiar with your education working experience. They should address your knowledge and/or understanding of leadership practices that must be performed to be an effective leader.

Admission is dependent upon submission of these documents and a positive review by the Program Admission Committee. All required admission documents must be submitted to the Graduate Studies office.

 

Office of Graduate Studies
227 Administration Building
Martin, TN 38238
graduatestudies@utm.edu

 

Accreditation

All educator preparation programs in the Department of Educational Studies are approved by the Tennessee State Board of Education and accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Graduates from our education programs take positions that include:

• Teacher and administrators of public and private preK-12 schools,
• Administrators and faculty of post-secondary institutions of higher education, including community colleges, four-year institutions and universities,
• Professional school counselors and social workers for public schools, community colleges, universities, and community agencies.

Contact Us

Our office is available to provide more information on the program, admission requirements, student life, and anything else you’re wondering about.

 

We look forward to hearing from you!

Dr. Amanda Batts

Instructional Leadership Faculty Coordinator

instructionalleadership@utm.edu

(731) 881-7224

 

Deborah J. Gibson

Coordinator, Education Graduate Student Services Coordinator

gibson@utm.edu

(731) 881-7128

 

 

Request Information

 

 

Licensure