Program Now Only 30 Credits!
Educational Leadership Program Overview
Our ELCC-recognized online Master of Arts in Educational Leadership is designed for individuals who want to lead as a principal in the K-12 setting. This program prepares students to take on the diverse responsibilities of leadership roles by providing skills and experience in the areas of administrative and instructional leadership, school law and ethics, and organizational theory.
Eligible candidates may be able to complete this program in as little as one year while gaining the specialized skills and knowledge needed to:
- Provide the instructional and organizational leadership necessary to administer and supervise school programs, policies, and activities.
- Ensure high-quality and safe educational experiences for a diverse group of students.
- Develop organizational goals and objectives.
- Build a team of instructors that exceeds the goals of the school.
Click here to read program testimonials from educational leadership alumni.
State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)
State of Texas Students
This program is aligned with the Texas SBEC Principal as Instructional Leader certification competencies. The requirements for Principal as Instructional Leader certification in Texas are provided below:
- Master’s degree from an accredited university
- Valid classroom teaching certificate
- Two years of creditable teaching experience
- Successful completion of an approved principal educator preparation program
- Successful completion of the required exam
Out of State Students
If you are outside of Texas and would like to be certified, check with your state agency for requirements to obtain certification in your state and to determine if this program meets your state’s eligibility requirements. You may also contact Dr. Badgett with any questions about certification in a state outside of Texas.
Meet Our Esteemed Faculty
Click here to view the entire playlist and see what else Dr. Badgett and other College of Education faculty members have to say.
Accreditation and Awards
- Nationally accredited by the prestigious Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
- Nationally recognized by the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC)
- Ranked #4 in "The 10 Best Online Educational Leadership Master's Degree Programs" by Early Childhood Education Degrees
- Ranked #8 "Most Affordable Online Master’s in Education Programs" by Online Masters Degrees
- Ranked #8 "Top Online Master’s Degrees in Educational Leadership" by Online Masters Degrees
Career Options
The University of Texas Permian Basin's Master of Arts in Educational Leadership provides a solid foundation for you to excel in leadership roles, including:
30 credits required.
Admission Requirements
Regular Admission Requirements
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 60 credit hours leading toward a bachelor's degree
- One year of teaching experience
- Essay that answers the following prompt:
- What do you see as the role of an educational leader?
- Official transcripts
Conditional Admission Requirements
If you do not meet the GPA requirements for this program, you may qualify for conditional admission with the following requirements:
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- GPA between 2.5 and 3.0 in the last 60 credit hours leading toward a bachelor's degree
- One year of teaching experience
- Essay that answers the following prompt:
- What do you see as the role of an educational leader?
- Other evidence (at least one of the following):
- Minimum GRE score of 282 (verbal and quantitative combined)
- Statement related to the circumstances surrounding your lower GPA and why you believe you are ready for graduate studies (up to a page in length) and two professional letters of recommendation from school administrators who have supervised your work in the classroom
- If you can only secure one from such a person, the second must be a professional letter from someone who can speak to your capacity as a school leader.
- Official transcripts
Official Transcripts
Official transcripts must come directly from the school in a sealed envelope and can be mailed to:
UT Permian Basin
Graduate Studies Office
4901 E. University Blvd.
Odessa, TX 79762
Official transcripts in electronic format can be sent to gradstudies@utpb.edu.
Transfer Credits
Click here for our program policy on outside credit transfer.
Supporting Documents
All supporting documents related to a graduate program, such as letters of recommendation, essays, statements of interest, resumes, professional work experience, and awards should be sent to the Graduate Studies Office:
UT Permian Basin
Graduate Studies
4901 E. University Blvd.
Odessa, TX 79762-0001
Electronic versions of supporting documents may be emailed to gradstudies@utpb.edu.
Application Fee
The application fee is $40.
Veterans and Active Duty Military: Your application fee is waived for this program. Get details now.
If you have any questions regarding the admission requirements, please email gradstudies@utpb.edu.
Faculty Bios
Associate Professor
Department Chair, Educational Leadership
College of Education
badgett_k@utpb.edu
Dr. Badgett has served as a professional educator for more than 20 years, working with students at all levels from pre-kindergarten through graduate studies in a variety of roles that include teaching at the elementary, middle, and high-school levels, serving as a school counselor, serving in campus and district-level leadership roles, and teaching in multiple institutions of higher education. He has served in various roles since arriving at UT Permian Basin, including instructor, program coordinator, department chair, assistant dean, and in various roles that included district and campus-level leadership responsibilities at the K-12 charter school that is affiliated with UT Permian Basin. Dr. Badgett’s research interests include school effectiveness, school-business partnerships, improving leadership efficiency, and teacher retention.
Click here to read more about Dr. Badgett and his experience with UT Permian Basin's educational leadership program.
Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership
College of Education
hernandez_e@utpb.edu
Dr. Arzu is Garifuna and originally from Belize, Central America. Prior to relocating to Odessa in 2021, Dr. Arzu spent over 30 years serving the Belizean education system as an elementary teacher, secondary school principal, adjunct lecturer, co-facilitator for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and also Quality Assurance Officer at the University of Belize. While in Belize, she was a member of several professional organizations, including the Belize Association of Principals of Secondary Schools (BAPSS), the Association of Principals of Government Secondary Schools (APGSS), and the Consortium for Belize Educational Cooperation (COBEC). Since transitioning to UTPB, Dr. Arzu continues to serve only on COBEC. Her professional interests include issues pertaining to teachers and principal leadership and ensuring that programs are quality assured. Her personal interests include connecting to nature and her spiritual being.
Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership
College of Education
uzat_r@utpb.edu
Dr. Uzat joined UT Permian Basin in January 2022 as a professor of educational leadership. He has worked as a district-level and high school administrator for thirteen years. Before joining UTPB, Dr. Uzat served as the Director of Special Projects at St. Paul's High School in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He has also compiled a 441-229 record over 26 seasons coaching high school basketball. He earned his PhD in educational leadership from The University of Southern Mississippi and his academic areas of specialization include organizational culture and change, crisis management, cost-benefit analysis, and TQM methods in education.
Click here to read more about Dr. Uzat and his experience with UT Permian Basin's educational leadership program.
We’re pleased to offer program admission on a rolling basis.
Rolling admission refers to our process of accepting and evaluating applications as we receive them and moving any applications that miss the deadline to the next semester. However, if you want to enroll in courses for a specific semester, you will need to make note of the application deadlines found below. If you don’t complete your application and submit the required materials by the deadline, your application will be rolled over to the next semester.
