MA, Emancipatory K12 School Leadership

 

Turn your passion for social justice leadership into a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership with a Concentration in Emancipatory K12 School Leadership! Our online and hybrid Master’s program is designed for emerging K12 school leaders who wish to use emancipatory leadership practices to improve educational opportunities for historically marginalized students. 

Emancipatory K12 school leadership approaches create organizational cultures to reflect the diversity of experience and knowledge within school communities through collaborative approaches to deconstruct power systems, challenge inequitable practices and policies, and cultivate community cultural wealth.

Program Overview

  • Name: Master’s in Emancipatory School Leadership
  • Official program name: MA, Educational Leadership, Concentration in Emancipatory K12 School Leadership
  • Format: 
    • Online-only (Zoom and Canvas)
  • Units: 30 units
  • Start date: July 2025
  • Program length: 3 semesters (summer, fall, spring)
  • Application deadline: April 15, 2025

Initial Eligibility and Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in any major/discipline
  • Two (2) years of successful, full-time experience in public, private, or charter schools
  • Nomination/recommendations from a school leader and a colleague
  • A preadmissions interview is required of all candidates
  • Applicants from countries in which the native language is not English must achieve a minimum English-language proficiency test score as indicated on GAPE’s Graduate Program Test Requirements webpage. 

Curriculum and Roadmaps

 MELS Masters Program pathways

This MA program consists of 30 units of coursework. There are 3 pathways: 

1) Individualized MA = 18 units of Emancipatory School Leadership MA program coursework + 12 units through an individualized course plan

2) MA + PASC = 18 units of Emancipatory School Leadership MA program coursework + 12 units through completion of the preliminary administrative services credential (PASC).

3) MA + Transfer Courses/SJSU Coursework = 18 units of Emancipatory School Leadership MA program coursework + up to 9 units of eligible coursework transferred + SJSU coursework 


Descriptions of the required courses and the program roadmap are available on the SJSU Catalog website . If there are additional questions, please reach out to Dr. Rebeca Burciaga at rebeca.burciaga@sjsu.edu.

Upcoming Info Sessions

Please see below for specific dates and times. To sign up, please fill out this SJSU MA, Emancipatory School Leadership Interest Form.

  • March 25th, 4:30-5:30pm (Virtual)

If you have questions about the program or are interested in hosting an information session at your school site, please contact Dr. Rebeca Burciaga at rebeca.burciaga@sjsu.edu.

Steps to Apply

Applicants whose files are complete will be invited to an interview to finalize the application process.

Step 1 | Notify Our Department

We encourage all prospective students and applicants to contact the Department Educational Leadership at edleadership@sjsu.edu.

Step 2 | Submit PDF Documents

  • Before beginning the application for CSU apply, please be prepared to upload all required documents: 
    • Unofficial Transcripts | Upload a PDF copy from each university/college attended
    • Resume | Upload a PDF or Word version of your most recent resume
    • Three (3) Recommendations | Provide only names and titles on our application form - a school leader and a colleague who are recommending you.
        • A recommendation form from a school leader or teacher leader.
        • A recommendation from one of your faculty members in your Preliminary Administrative Services Credential Program (if applicable) or from a second school leader.
        • A recommendation form from a colleague that speaks to your collaboration with family and school communities.
    • PASC Pathway Memo | If applicable, provide a PDF memo from a Preliminary Administrative Services Credential (PASC) program reflecting completion or near completion of the credential.
    • Verification Memo | Upload a PDF memo from a supervisor verifying a minimum of two years of successful, full-time experience in public, private, or charter schools. 
  •  
    • Individualized Pathway Memo | Provide a memo stating the course pathway you choose (PASC, RLAA, or Individualized Pathway).  Also, indicate if you will submit previous coursework to be evaluated for possible transfer credit. 
    • Written Portion | Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which people deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world (Freire, p.16, 1970). The Lurie College of Education Emancipatory School Leadership Program is grounded in critical research and practices that highlight the emancipatory effects of culturally sustaining and participatory approaches to school leadership. We are excited to learn more about the insights and experiences you would bring to our learning community. Please answer the following questions within 4 pages of a double-spaced document and upload as a PDF.
        • Why are you interested in the Emancipatory School Leadership Program?
        • Describe your most difficult school-related challenge and how you plan to address it.
        • How might a MA degree in Emancipatory School Leadership benefit you/others/schools in the future?
        • Is there anything else you would like to share?

Step 3 | Begin your Cal State Apply application

Visit calstate.edu/apply to create your SJSU application profile and pay the $70 application fee. Be sure to apply for Summer semester.

Please note that official transcripts are required. They may be sent to the office below by mail or electronically*.

Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations
San José State University 
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192-0017

*If the college/university provides official electronic transcripts, the institution can email the transcripts to etranscript@sjsu.edu or graduate@sjsu.edu. Questions pertaining to transcripts, GPA calculations, and application fees should be directed to admissions@sjsu.edu.

Applicants whose files are complete will be invited to an interview to finalize the application process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns, please email the Department of Educational Leadership at edleadership@sjsu.edu.