Howard Payne University Launches a Master of Education in Instructional Leadership Degree Entirely Online

BROWNWOOD, TEXAS - Howard Payne University has stepped up to answer the increased demand for online learning in higher education, launching a Master of Education in Instructional Leadership entirely online this fall. Students with busy schedules who want to pursue a master's degree can enjoy the benefits and convenience of online learning from a well-recognized traditional institution with a long heritage of educational excellence.

The Master of Education in Instructional Leadership degree program serves individuals who desire to pursue a career as a certified principal in the state of Texas. Aligned with the state standards for principals, the curriculum provides students with an appropriate mixture of theory and practical application.

Since HPU offers the entire program online, students do not have to meet a residency requirement. In addition, they can take the courses for this 36-hour, non-thesis degree program in eight-week terms. Although the program requires six hours of supervised internship, the internship also satisfies the required action research component. Instructors for this program include current HPU faculty as well as experienced practitioners throughout Texas.

The Master of Education in Instructional Leadership program has set forth several definitive goals. For example, the curriculum of this degree program will maintain the highest quality, aligned with the state of Texas standards for principals, emphasizing instructional leadership, administration, supervision and communication skills; curriculum and instruction management; performance evaluation; and organization and fiscal management. Also, enrolled students will pass the Texas Examination for Educator Certification for principals on their first attempt. In addition, graduates of this program will have received the necessary knowledge and skills to perform successfully as first-year principals. Finally, students will exhibit the highest caliber of moral and ethical character and provide a Christian, “value-added” dimension to the educational community in which they will serve as principals.

Graduates of this program can look forward to entering a job market with an above-average growth rate. A university survey of teachers and administrators in Central Texas and beyond indicated a need for a master's degree program that leads to principal certification. Through Howard Payne University's forward-thinking approach in answering this educational need, future students will get to enjoy all of the benefits that this program has to offer, including the ultimate convenience of a fully online course curriculum.

About Howard Payne University

For 120 years, Howard Payne University has offered quality liberal arts academics with a Christian heritage steeped in tradition. The educational experience at HPU integrates faith, learning and living to achieve academic excellence in both undergraduate and graduate programs. Around the world, graduates of HPU play leading roles in their communities. Recently, HPU has expanded its scope into the realm of online education in response to its students' academic needs. While rich in tradition, HPU continues to grow and expand to meet the demands of today's academic market, ensuring success well into the future. HPU has received accreditation from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the National Association of Schools of Music, the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education and the State Board for Educator Certification.