MA, Emancipatory K12 School Leadership

The SJSU Connie L. Lurie College of Education’s Master's in Educational Leadership, Concentration in Emancipatory K12 School Leadership is designed for emerging K-12 school leaders who wish to engage with emancipatory leadership practices to improve educational opportunities for historically marginalized students. This program will prepare school leaders through deep engagement with research and practice through applied consulting on living case studies.

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

This new Master’s Degree is designed to work in partnership with county LEAP programs to build upon the skills LEAP graduates bring to school settings. The program contains the following features:

  • Official program name: MA, Educational Leadership, Concentration in Emancipatory K12 School Leadership
  • Format: We follow a hybrid model where all program courses are taught synchronously online during the weekdays with 1-2 in-person Saturday classes at SJSU per term. 
  • Units: 30 units
  • Start date: Summer
  • Program length: 14-month program (summer, fall, spring, summer)
  • Application deadline: Applications accepted November 1, 2023 until we reach a full cohort - closing April 1, 2024
  • Cost: Depending upon eligible credit transfer and course taking patterns, the current cost of the program ranges between $12,000-$15,000

Initial Eligibility and Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in any major/discipline
  • Three (3) years of successful, full-time experience in public, private, or charter schools
  • Nomination/recommendation from a school leader
  • 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

This MA program consists of 30 units of coursework. There are 2 pathways: 1) CalAPA/PASC and 2) Individualized. Students who have completed the CalAPA/PASC can transfer 12 units (4 courses) of coursework and will take the remaining 18 units in the Emancipatory School Leadership MA program. The individualized pathway allows students to choose 12 units (4 courses) across the university or possibly transfer in graduate level coursework (up to 9 units) and will take the remaining 18 units in the Emancipatory School Leadership MA Program. Descriptions of the required courses and the program roadmap are available on the SJSU Catalog website.

Upcoming Info Sessions

Information sessions are scheduled for Fall 2023 and Spring 2024. Please see below for specific dates, the time for all is 4:30-5:30pm. To sign up, please use fill out this SJSU MA, Emancipatory K12 School Leadership Interest Form.

  • Wednesday, November 29, 2023
  • Wednesday, December 6, 2023
  • Wednesday, December 13, 2023
  • Wednesday, January 24, 2024
  • Wednesday, January 31, 2024
  • Wednesday, February 7, 2024
  • Wednesday, February 14, 2024
  • Wednesday, February 21, 2024
  • Wednesday, February 28, 2024
  • Wednesday, March 6, 2024
  • Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Steps to Apply

Step 1 | Notify Our Department

Contact Dr. Veneice Guillory Lacy, Emancipatory K12 School Leadership Program Coordinator, at veneice.guillory-lacy@sjsu.edu to make her aware of your interest.

Step 2 | Complete the Cal State Apply application online

  • Cal State Apply application opens on November 1, 2023 
  • Summer 2024 application deadline: November 1, 2023 until we reach a full cohort - closing April 1, 2024
  • Program name: Educational Leadership, Concentration in Emancipatory School Leadership, MA
  • 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
    • Two (2) 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 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 three years of successful, full-time experience in public, private, or charter schools
  •  
    • Individualized Pathway Memo | If applicable, provide a PDF memo stating that you are applying for the individualized pathway and 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?
  • Official transcripts can be sent either by mail or by email. If your university offers official electronic transcripts, you can email them to etranscript@sjsu.edu. Hard copy transcripts can be mailed to:
Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations
San José State University 
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192-0017
 

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 Dr. Veneice Guillory Lacy, Emancipatory K12 School Leadership Program Coordinator, at veneice.guillory-lacy@sjsu.edu.

Alumni Spotify Playlist

We asked students from our current MA cohort to share songs that help them resist and/or recover and added them to a playlist on our SJSU Lurie College of Education Spotify account. Give them a listen below.