Department of Leadership, Foundations, and Policy

The Department of Leadership, Foundations, and Policy offers programs in higher education, foundations and policy school administration, school supervision, educational psychology, education of the gifted, educational research, and instructional technology. These degree programs seek to prepare professional educators who rank with the best in the nation.

The school administration, school supervision, educational policy studies, and higher education programs are designed for students who are preparing themselves for leadership roles in the nation’s schools, colleges, universities, and governmental or research agencies.

Another set of programs are grouped under the foundations rubric. Included here are programs in educational psychology, psychology and education of the gifted, educational research, educational evaluation, instructional technology, and the social foundations of education. These programs have a dual function: they prepare master’s and doctoral candidates in their respective areas of specialization, and they provide courses that serve to enrich the research competencies, technical skills, and knowledge base of students in other programs within the Curry School.

Programs in the Department of Leadership, Foundations, and Policy may lead to the Master of Education (M.Ed.), Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees. The Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree is also offered in selected programs.

These programs are designed for students interested in research and instruction relating to educational programs, organizations, and processes. The programs in the department emphasize academic and practical experience, with most students spending extensive time working on research and instructional projects in the field. Since the ratio of full-time graduate students to faculty in the department is about three to one, students have close contact with faculty and ready access to assistance and guidance. Each program has its own emphasis, but all share a common commitment to the analysis of educational theory and practice from a systematic, broad-based perspective.

Many opportunities are available for students to gain experience in a variety of research and instructional activities. Within the University, opportunities are available in the Center for the Study of Higher Education, The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, the Summer Enrichment Program for Gifted Students, the Office of Medical Education, and the Evaluation Research Center. Beyond the University, students work on a wide range of projects in school systems, business and industry, government agencies, and non-profit research and development organizations.

General Information The Department of Leadership, Foundations, and Policy contains several centers and agencies that enhance career development opportunities for students. The Center for the Study of Higher Education sponsors conferences, seminars, short institutes, workshops, publications, and internships, in addition to program offerings for graduate students. The Virginia Center for Educational Policy Studies conducts policy studies for, and provides assistance to, agencies and policy makers concerned with education in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation. Other departments and agencies can be found in the Facilities and Services portion of this chapter.

Administration and Supervision of PreK-12 Schools At the master’s degree level, students may choose programs leading to Virginia endorsement in school administration and supervision, or programs focusing on research in educational leadership and policy studies.

Those seeking full administrative endorsement are expected to complete an internship of a minimum of 90 school days (at least half-time) as well as course work in general leadership studies, communication skills, school management, and an area of specialization (for example, instructional leadership). If a student does not complete an internship of a minimum of 90 school days, he or she may receive the M.Ed. with partial endorsement and arrange to meet the internship requirement by passing the Leadership Assessment examination, or during his or her first year of employment as an administrator. Full Virginia endorsement can be obtained upon successful completion of an internship during the first year of employment. A seminar meeting on Grounds may be required to supplement the internship. Students seeking endorsement in supervision have no internship requirement, but are expected to meet experiential needs through practica. The minimum number of credits for a master’s degree leading to full administrative endorsement is 36. Students not interested in earning endorsement must complete a minimum of 10 courses or 30 credits of graduate study. In addition to courses in administration and supervision, students are encouraged to select courses from social foundations of education, psychological foundations of education, curriculum and instruction, and research.

Applicants for advanced graduate study (post-master’s) in administration and supervision programs should complete two years of administrative and/or supervisory experience before the degree is awarded. Because many states require teaching experience as part of the endorsement requirement, the student is urged to check state requirements before seeking certification. Students with at least two years of teaching experience will be given strong preference over those without teaching experience for admission to the principal preparation and supervision programs.

Education specialist degree programs are designed to provide a post-master’s degree level of preparation for school leadership. Emphasis is placed on developing specialized skills and in-depth familiarity with a particular professional role in educational leadership. Generally, the pattern of course work for each student is planned to supplement and complement work already completed at the master’s degree level. Internships and practica, depending upon the need of the individual student, may be included in the program. The Ed.S. is a planned 30-credit (minimum) post-master’s program, 24 credits of which must be taken on Grounds, and 18 credits of which must be taken after admission to the program. The program can be completed in one year of full-time study. Virginia endorsement, either full or partial, in school administration and/or supervision may be earned as part of an education specialist program.

Programs leading to the degrees of Doctor of Education and Doctor of Philosophy are designed to provide the highest level of preparation for professional and scholarly leadership. The typical Ed.D. and Ph.D. programs consist of a minimum 78 credits of course work, including work completed for the master’s degree. A minimum residence of 24 credits taught by Curry resident faculty is required for the Ed.D. degree, and a minimum of two years of full-time study is expected for the Ph.D., although full-time enrollment until completion of all requirements is encouraged. (See Residence Requirements in the Doctoral Degrees section of this chapter.)

Areas of Specialization in Administration and Supervision

• Elementary Administration (School Principalship)
• Middle School Administration (School Principalship)
• Secondary Administration (School Principalship)
• Central Office Administration and the Superintendency
• Supervision (General, Elementary, and/or Secondary level).

In addition to these specializations, supporting areas in education finance and educational policy studies are available for interested students.

Educational Psychology (including Gifted Education) The purpose of the Educational Psychology Program is to prepare students to apply psychological and educational principles, empirical methods, and research findings to practical problems in a variety of professional settings. Majors may concentrate in a content area within educational psychology that is flexibly tailored to their unique professional objectives, or follow a prescribed curriculum in gifted education. Those who choose individualized programs begin with an academic core that includes human development, learning, and psychometric assessment before narrowing their focus. Those who select the gifted specialty focus on the characteristics and needs of gifted children, methods of teaching the gifted, the development and evaluation of gifted programs, and/or research conducted in gifted education.

Graduates with individualized programs are typically employed as educational research, evaluation, or teaching specialists in universities, medical colleges, federal agencies, school systems, state departments of education, or private corporations. Those with Masters degrees are qualified to design developmentally appropriate curricula, validate tests, assess educational programs, evaluate educational products, and participate in educational or psychological research investigations. Doctoral graduates are qualified to become university professors and assume leadership roles as educational psychologists in federal or state agencies, medical schools, or private corporations.

Graduates who specialize in education of the gifted are employable as gifted education specialists in public or private schools, private foundations, state or federal agencies, and colleges or universities. Degrees in educational psychology with a specialty in education of the gifted are offered at both the master’s and doctoral levels. The Master of Education degree (M.Ed.) provides a core of courses that gives students general competence in the areas of assessment, development, and learning, and special expertise in the development of curriculum and instructional strategies for working with gifted students. The Ph.D. and Ed.D. are designed to provide in-depth study of gifted children and programs for gifted children. The doctoral degrees prepare graduates for positions in universities or public education.

Research, Statistics, and Evaluation The purpose of the program in educational research, statistics, and evaluation is to prepare students to plan and conduct empirical research and evaluation in order to add to the knowledge about educational practice and policy. The program prepares students to apply the quantitative and qualitative approaches in seeking solutions to educational problems by equipping them to state important educational questions, bring existing knowledge to bear on such questions, create efficient designs for collecting data that are relevant to such questions, use appropriate procedures for analyzing the data, and communicate the findings effectively.

The Educational Research, Statistics, and Evaluation Program consists of a sequence of courses in quantitative and qualitative methods ranging from elementary statistical concepts to advanced multivariate techniques, qualitative research design and methods, and evaluation. In addition, advanced seminars allow intense exploration of other topics. Students may choose to specialize in one of three areas: statistical research methods, qualitative research methods, or program evaluation. Students are also involved in ongoing research projects directed by program faculty.

Graduates at the master’s level are employed by school systems, state education departments, schools of education, nursing, medicine, etc., and other public and private organizations engaged in educational research or evaluation. Doctoral-level graduates are qualified for a wide variety of leadership positions. Some have become professors in universities, while others have found leadership positions in state and national educational agencies and organizations, in profit and non-profit private educational firms, and in industry.

Social Foundations The graduate degree offerings in Social Foundations provide students with the conceptual tools essential for a full understanding of educational processes and policies. The program prepares future educational practitioners and policy-makers to perform their roles and responsibilities , as well as to confront issues that reach beyond those roles, by exploring the complex interrelationships between school and society, education and culture, policy and context. The multi-disciplinary approach of the program affords insight into the origins, aims and consequences, intended or unintended, of any given educational activity or of education taken as a whole.

The Social Foundations Program is an inquiry-oriented area of study. It provides graduate students with opportunities to engage in educational research and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct, interpret and apply research and evaluation studies in education and educational policy. The interdisciplinary nature of the program encourages students to engage in course work and seminars throughout the University of Virginia in disciplines such as government, sociology, law, economics, finance, philosophy, history, and urban planning. Through the study of the historical, philosophical, sociological, anthropological and international comparative dimensions of educational policy, students are encouraged to be reflective about current educational practices and institutional arrangements, giving them added breadth to bring to roles in education and in government.

Graduate education in Social Foundations prepares individuals for positions in universities and colleges, public and private school systems, educational research institutions, and for other professional positions in education. Opportunities also exist for graduates to find employment in federal or state government, as well as with international agencies.

Higher Education The Center for the Study of Higher Education is an instructional, research, and service unit within the Department of Leadership, Foundations, and Policy. The instructional program provides college, university, and adult educational leaders opportunities to explore established and emerging practices in postsecondary education, to analyze current issues and problems, and to think in a critical fashion about institutional priorities and commitments.

Instructional programs offered by the center lead to the degrees of Education Specialist, Doctor of Education, and Doctor of Philosophy. Postdoctoral study and research opportunities are provided through the center’s professional development program. Students seeking a graduate degree in higher education must hold a master’s degree in a related field, and full time experience is highly desirable.

The Education Specialist degree provides a post-master’s level of preparation for higher education administrators. The Ed.S. Program involves 30 credits of course work that can be completed in either one year of full-time study, or part-time with a minimum of one semester or two summer sessions devoted to residence study. Emphasis in the program is placed on developing specialized skills and understandings with a particular role in higher education administration and management.

Candidates for the Ed.D. and Ph.D. degrees are encouraged to complete all of their doctoral study in full-time residence. The minimum residency requirement is 24 credits taken from University resident faculty, excluding credits for practica, internship, independent study, and dissertation. Minimum residency for the Ph.D. is two academic years of full-time study. Doctoral programs in higher education normally consist of a minimum of at least 78 credits, including work completed for the master’s degree.

Internships, as part of the doctoral programs, provide the prospective faculty member, administrator, or agency staff member with an opportunity to experience theory in practice in the actual institutional context.

Areas of Specialization in Higher Education

• Adult Education
• Community College Instruction and/or Administration
• Higher Education
• General Administration
• Policy Studies
• Student Affairs Administration

Instructional Technology The graduate Instructional Technology (IT) Program directly addresses the rapidly accelerating changes in the field by providing exposure to a wide range of emerging technologies, while ensuring the basic competencies required of all practitioners. Core course requirements for graduate students in IT provide a broad but firm background in the areas of instructional design, computer-based learning, media production, learning theory, educational evaluation, and tests and measurement. Preparation is offered in the master’s (M.Ed.), education specialist (Ed.S.), and doctoral (Ed.D. and Ph.D.) levels. Applications may be received at any time, but those received by March 1 are given preference for financial aid.

Depending on their career goals, students may elect to specialize in either instructional media production or interactive technologies, and may participate in an internship in instructional technology. The specialization in instructional media production offers professional preparation for directing instructional resource center operations, designing and producing instructional media (such as graphic arts, photography, and video), and for being faculty members in higher education in these specializations.

The specialization in interactive technologies offers experience in the design and production of interactive instructional materials; instructional components are selected from digital images, sound, text, and video. Advanced course work offers an opportunity for the development of interactive products of increasing complexity, and for the conduct of usability tests on user interface design. Doctoral students in this area pursue research projects involving the effective design of interactive media.

Internship opportunities in schools, corporations, and government agencies throughout the mid-Atlantic region give the IT student valuable skills and experience in a variety of work settings. Graduates of the IT Program go on to pursue careers as instructional technologists in education, business and industry, the government, and non-profit organizations.

Individuals desiring entry into the Ed.D. or Ph.D. programs in instructional technology must submit a scholarly writing sample of at least 12, and no more than 20, pages. For details, contact the Chair of Admissions, Instructional Technology Program, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, 405 Emmet Street, Charlottesville, VA 22903-2945.

Computers in Education In the Curry School, computer applications to instructional, clinical, and management problems are considered an important part of many programs. Thus, a wide variety of courses and facilities is available to students interested in this area.

Although the Curry School offers no major in computer applications, special course sequences designed to meet individual needs have been provided to students in virtually all of the major areas that the school does offer. Courses in the area of computer applications are offered mainly by the Department of Leadership, Foundations, and Policy, or under various departmental titles when the content is specific to a professional discipline.

Course Descriptions

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EDLF 501 - (3) (Y)
Learning and Development
Prerequisite: Admission to Teacher Education Program.
Surveys the principles of human growth, development, and learning that are central to the practice of teaching. Provides opportunities for professional application.

EDLF 505 - (3) (S)
Intermediate Teaching with Technology
Prerequisite: Admission to Teacher Education Program.
This course is a more rigorous, graduate version of the introductory course taught concurrently with the sections of EDLF 345. Students in the teacher education program who have advanced expertise with instructional technologies can apply to enroll in EDLF 505 in place of EDLF 345.

EDLF 545 - (3) (Y)
Applied Teaching with Technology
Prerequisite: EDLF 345/505 or permission of instructor.
A semester-long internship with a teacher in a K-12 classroom in conjunction with accompanying coursework in EDLF 545. Provides an applied experience in developing a technology project in a classroom setting and addressing curricular standards through effective integration of educational technologies.

EDLF 546 - (3) (Y)
Software Applications in Education
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Provides experience in using major generic utility software: data base management, data graphing tools, and graphic production. Students apply a wide variety of software to instructional and administrative problems.

EDLF 555 - (3) (Y)
Multicultural Education
Prepares students to deal with the increasingly multicultural educational milieu. Emphasizes the process of understanding one’s own bias and prejudices and how they effect the school and classroom learning environment. Included are readings, class discussions, field projects, journal writing, and other methods of directed self explorations.

EDLF 561 - (3) (Y)
Production of Instructional Materials
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Provides teachers and instructors with the skills and competencies needed to design and produce appropriate instructional media. Topics include media production planning; selecting appropriate media formats; illustrating concepts, processes, and techniques; lettering for captions and text; mounting and preserving materials; audio design; supporting print materials; and media format translation.

EDLF 562 - (3) (Y)
Educational Video Production
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Introductory experience in producing educational video programs. Emphasizes design and production of video materials in education and industry. Participants operate as production crews in studio simulations and as producers-directors of field projects. Competencies of program design, production, and utilization are emphasized.

EDLF 563 - (3-6) (SI)
Advanced Video Technology
Prerequisite: EDLF 562 or equivalent, video design/production experience.
Provides field experience in the design, production, and post-production phases of video programs. The participants function as production team members. Emphasizes producing programs that meet the research, instructional, and information dissemination needs of the Curry School of Education.

EDLF 564 - (3) (Y)
Instructional Photography
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Explores photography as a research technique and classroom activity. Emphasizes the basic competencies required to visualize images and execute the steps of exposing, processing, and printing them. Topics include basic darkroom equipment, chemistry, and processes; camera operation; film exposure and filtration; image control with the view camera; studio lighting; copy techniques; audio narration; and synchronization. Students need access to an adjustable camera and must provide their own film, paper, and other supplies.

EDLF 565 - (3-6) (Y)
Advanced Photography
Prerequisite: EDLF 564 or equivalent experience.
Initial lectures and demonstrations cover a selected range of skills that are requisite to the serious use of the medium. This is followed by presentations and discussions on the application of photography to specific areas, such as instruction (visual media design and production), research (principles of visual anthropology and other field work applications), and aesthetics (photography as human expression).

EDLF 586 - (3) (Y)
Museums and Education
Introduction to the history and development of museums and their educational work in America. Themes include an overview of museum history; exemplary museum interpretation and educational programs; instructional designs for teaching with objects and collections; and strategies for working with school groups and other audiences.

EDLF 589 - (1-6) (S)
Selected Topics
These are designed as pilot courses to meet new program area degree requirements, and changing needs in the field. Used also to offer experimental courses, and courses under development, these are announced and offered on a semester-to-semester basis. May be graded or S/U, depending on the instructor, and may be repeated.

EDLF 590 - (1-3) (IR)
Workshop
Special topics offered as needed. Generally an experimental or shortened course format.

EDLF 591 - (1-6) (IR)
Internship/Practicum
A special assignment, agreed to by an advisor, that provides a unique experience in an educational setting consistent with the student’s professional objectives and program focus. A written description of the experience must be agreed upon by the advisor and supervisor and filed in the Office of Student Affairs.

EDLF 593 - (1-6) (IR)
Independent Study
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

EDLF 700 - (3) (Y)
Introduction to Instructional Design
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Integrates systematic approach to instructional design (ID) with current trends in learning theory, drawing from a number of ID theories and models. This knowledge is applied in team-based ID projects, through performing needs assessments; specifying instructional goals, objectives, and criterion-referenced testing; designing instructional activities; developing instructional materials; and executing formative evaluation of the instructional product. Skills learned are applicable in a variety of environments.

EDLF 700L - (1) (Y)
Prerequisite: Instructor permission; corequisite: EDLF 700.
Lab accompanies Introduction to Instructional Design Course.

EDLF 701 - (3) (Y)
Computer Courseware Tools
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Analysis of software tools that can be used in support of instruction, including graphics tools, digitized audio, synthesized speech, and digitized video images. Hypermedia authoring systems are reviewed. Course projects include development of stand alone or web-based presentations that incorporate digitized video, audio, and original graphics created by the developer.

EDLF 702 - (3) (Y)
Computer Courseware Design
Prerequisite: EDLF 701 and instructor permission.
Continues the review of hypermedia authoring techniques. Courseware development tools presented in EDLF 701 are used to design and implement a complete unit of interactive instruction. Methods underlying design and evaluation of effective interactive software are addressed.

EDLF 703 - (3) (Y)
Advanced Interactive Technologies I
Prerequisite: EDLF 562, 700, 702, and instructor permission.
Building on instructional design, video production, and computer-based development skills, this course explores emerging interactive technologies through periodic competencies and a major development or usability testing project. Existing interactive products are examined and design techniques discussed.

EDLF 704 - (3) (Y)
Seminar in Instructional Technology
There are four background segments of this course: history, current issues, specializations and competencies, and international perspectives. These four units have been designed to provide all IT majors with the requisite professional understanding of their discipline’s heritage. Also included are units that guide the participants through the application of specific media to the instruction process. These include research on media, selection, utilization and evaluation, and the relevant characteristics of the media.

EDLF 705 - (3) (Y)
Institutional Frameworks of Education Policy
We all have those epiphanies when we look at the people making public policy and say, "Why don’t they do this?" This course is about why that brilliant idea so often doesn’t get on the agenda, doesn’t get done, gets done but doesn’t work, or gets done but doesn’t work as intended. This course examines the institutional constraints and incentives that shape public policy, with particular attention to the forces that shape education policy.

EDLF 706 - (3) (Y)
Theoretical Perspectives on Education Policy
This course will examine the underpinnings of educational policy from theoretical perspectives rooted in the social science disciplines. This is an intensive graduate-level seminar that is intended both for disciplinary students and for students pursuing specialized work in education. Our goal in the course is to examine, from a variety of normative and disciplinary perspectives, the core issues that underlie contemporary debates over public policy—and especially those underlying debate over education policy.

EDLF 707 - (3) (SS)
Digital Multimedia Development
This course is designed for the novice-level student who is interested in developing and publishing computer-based multimedia. This intensive, project-based class covers tools for working with digital images, audio, animation and video. Students will be required to demonstrate competency with each individual tool, and will also create a final project for the class which incorporates several tools.

EDLF 708 - (3) (Y)
Education Policy: Professional Seminar
The purpose of this seminar is to assist students to develop an understanding of policy and policy studies through common, shared readings of important texts, acquaintance with other important texts in policy studies and through individual student readings and reports. The goals of the seminar will be accomplished through participation in discussions with the professor, guest lecturers and student guests and through the preparation of a Policy Brief.

EDLF 710 - (3) (S)
Contemporary Educational Issues
Prerequisite: Admission to the Master of Teaching Program.
Identifies the defining issues in the profession of teaching. Lectures, panel discussions, and case studies are used to present a variety of contemporary issues. Small group instruction is used to maximize the participation of students.

EDLF 711 - (1) (Y)
Introduction to Information Technology
Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor.
Introduces graduate students to information literacy skills focusing on selecting, accessing, organizing, retrieving, evaluating, preserving, interpreting, and archiving information for scholarly research whether it is in print or electronic format. The class will include discussion about issues surrounding technology and scholarship. Another component is hands-on training with library databases, search engines, and other Internet tools. A culminating project involving research and delivery of a presentation on a topic related to literacy is also included.

EDLF 715 - (3) (S)
Educational Psychology
Overview of the contributions of psychology to the teaching-learning process. Topics include learning theory, individual differences, motivation, human development and personality, teaching methodology, and measurement and evaluation.

EDLF 716 - (3) (Y)
Human Development
Analysis of the principles of development covering the entire life span. Examines the development of the child through education, the unfolding of human abilities in terms of both personal adjustment and achievement beyond the period of youth, and the work life of the individual. The development of principal psychological qualities such as motivation, emotion, and personality, are, in like manner, considered with respect to the life span. Designed broadly to accommodate various professional specialists within education and other areas of human welfare.

EDLF 717 - (3) (Y)
Concepts of Learning
Addresses both theoretical and practical issues relating to human adaptation. Emphasizes underlying motivational forces as translated in behavioristic and humanistic terms. Content coverage reflects an integrative rather than a descriptive approach.

EDLF 718 - (2) (S)
Tests and Measurements
Introductory course concentrating on the development of the ability to evaluate and interpret assessment tools. Topics include reliability and validity; social and ethical considerations of testing; summarizing and interpreting measurements; and the use of standardized tests, rating scales, and observational scales. Following completion, students must enroll in at least one course that focuses on a specific area of tests and measurements. This may include using tests in counseling, classroom assessment, tests and measurements in physical education, techniques of instrument development, or psychoeducational assessment of exceptional children. To receive credit for EDLF 718, a specific area course must be satisfactorily completed. EDLF 718 or equivalent competency demonstrated by examination is prerequisite to the specific area courses.

EDLF 719 - (1) (S)
Classroom Assessment
Prerequisite: EDLF 718 or the equivalent.
Focuses on the development of skills in constructing, evaluating, and interpreting the results of teacher-made educational assessment. Includes the principles of constructing and evaluating paper-and-pencil tests (objective and essay), rating scales, observational scales, and other non-paper-and-pencil techniques.

EDLF 720 - (3) (Y)
Child Development
A Masters level course in which prominent theories of child and adolescent development are introduced, supporting research considered, and teaching applications explored. A variety of viewpoints will be surveyed, but emphasis will be placed on the notion that children actively construct their own understanding of reality through participation in a social context.

EDLF 721 - (3) (SS)
Adolescent Development
Intermediate-level course designed to explore modern concepts of adolescence. Examines the interrelationships of physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development, as well as the treatments of specific adolescent problems.

EDLF 722 - (3) (Y)
Introduction to the Gifted
Examines characteristics and needs of the gifted; identification; programming options; special populations; practices in curriculum differentiation; creativity; and special issues in working with the gifted.

EDLF 723 - (3) (Y)
Curriculum for the Gifted and Talented
Reviews current theory and practice in planning and executing curriculum and instruction for the gifted and talented. Stresses design of instruction as a response to the specific cognitive and affective needs of gifted learners and in-depth investigation of curricular differentiation by content, process, product, effect, and learning environment. Provides opportunity for both assessment and development of curriculum for the gifted.

EDLF 724 - (3) (Y)
Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Students
Designed for teachers, administrators, parents, and others who work with high ability learners. Investigates similarities and differences between the development of gifted learners and other students, exploring the implications of these comparisons and focusing on strategies to assist gifted learners in school and home environments.

EDLF 725 - (3) (Y)
Models and Strategies for Teaching the Gifted
Examines programming and curricular models for teaching gifted and talented learners, as well as a variety of instructional strategies commonly used with gifted and talented learners. Develops modes of assessing the effectiveness of models and strategies for use with gifted and talented learners.

EDLF 727 - (3) (S)
Adult Development
Introductory-level course focusing on key issues in successful adult adaptation. Explores cognition, personality, interpersonal relationships, work adjustment, physical and psychological health, and biological and psychological aging.

EDLF 728 - (3) (Y)
Creativity and Problem Solving
Explores theories of creativity through study of creative people, the creative process, and creative products. Focuses on assessment of creativity, research on creativity and its applications to education, environments conducive to the development of creativity, and heuristics designed to encourage creativity.

EDLF 729 - (1-3) (S)
Seminar in Educational Psychology
Advanced study of topics in educational psychology.

EDLF 730 - (3) (S)
Introduction to Educational Research
An orientation to methods and procedures utilized in educational research, emphasizing basic principles for conducting, interpreting, and criticizing published articles representative of educational problems and issues.

EDLF 731 - (3) (S)
Educational Statistics: Stat I
Analysis of descriptive to inferential techniques. Specific procedures include the logic of hypotheses testing, t tests, chi square, correlation, and simple linear regression.

EDLF 732 - (1-3) (S)
Educational Statistics Laboratory
Designed to familiarize students with computer use in educational studies by using such ready-made programs as SPSS. Students learn to conduct computer-based data analysis, run weekly programs, and interpret the output in written reports. Topics include descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, analysis of variance, and factor analysis.

EDLF 733 - (3) (S)
Single-Subject Research
Detailed examination of the design and interpretation of single-subject research. Foci for the course include rationale for single-subject research; methods for planning, implementing, and evaluating studies; and issues in the use of this methodology.

EDLF 734 - (3) (Y)
Information Management
Analysis of the use of integrated software: word processing, spreadsheet, database management, graphics and telecommunications. Educational applications focus on program planning, monitoring student progress, fiscal analysis, budgeting, and inventory control. Emphasizes standard and customized reporting.

EDLF 735 - (1-3) (S)
Seminar in Educational Research
Advanced study of topics in educational research.

EDLF 740 - (3) (IR)
Seminar: Educational Studies
Topical seminar. Focus changes from offering to offering.

EDLF 750 - (3) (Y)
Program Evaluation
An overview of current program evaluation approaches, emphasizing the terminology of educational evaluation and the wide variety of theoretical approaches to program evaluation. Consideration is also given to the application of evaluation approaches to non-educational settings.

EDLF 752 - (3) (Y)
Techniques of Instrument Constructions
This course provides students with practical experience in the design of evaluation instruments serving a wide variety of purposes, audiences, and roles. Topics include construction of observation forms, interview schedules, and questionnaires. Specific methods include rating scales, checklists, ranking methods, paired comparison, semantic differential, Q sorts, content analysis, and goal attainment scaling. Each method is dealt with in terms of item writing, data analysis, reliability, and validity.

EDLF 753 - (3) (S)
Qualitative Analysis
Introduction to the central concepts of qualitative methods in research and evaluation. Focuses on the appropriateness of qualitative information and its analysis in various inquiry research and evaluation contexts. Although primary emphasis is on the development of skills required to conduct qualitative inquiry, the philosophy and background of the methodology are discussed.

EDLF 754 - (3) (IR)
Seminar in Program Evaluation
A topical seminar. Topics change from offering to offering.

EDLF 760 - (3) (S)
Social Foundations of Education
Introduction to the scope and nature of education in American society as reflected in the historical, sociological, and philosophical forces affecting the school and other social institutions. Primary emphasis is on contemporary educational problems.

EDLF 761 - (3) (Y)
History of American Education
The development of education in the United States since colonial times, emphasizing the social-historical forces and ideological concepts that determined the direction and nature of education in the United States to the present.

EDLF 762 - (3) (Y)
Philosophy of Education
Inquiry into the applicability to present problems of selected philosophical themes and approaches. Issues include conceptions of pupils, theories of learning and teaching, educational equity and justice, indoctrination, and the adequacy of educational research itself.

EDLF 763 - (3) (Y)
Sociology of Education
Studies the sociological theory and research that applies to a systematic analysis of education as its functions in modern society. Selected social and educational problems are discussed to interpret the sociological nature of the educational process and the role of the school as a complex social organization. Research of educational outcomes and consequences is considered. The effects of school on social stratification are also considered.

EDLF 764 - (3) (Y)
Anthropology of Education
Analysis of education and development in primitive and modern societies interpreted from an anthropological perspective. Examines international studies from the Eastern and Western worlds to assess the nature and process of education and cultural change.

EDLF 765 - (3-6) (Y)
Comparative Education
Analysis of the relationship between education and society through a study of social, political, and economic determinants of education in selected foreign countries and the United States. The role of education in political socialization, national development, and foreign policy formation is examined.

EDLF 766 - (3-6) (IR)
Asian Education
Studies the nature and scope of educational planning in selected Asian countries. Explores the planning process in terms of education and nation-building, economic investment in education, educational policy formation, extension and diversification of educational opportunities, and the education of the modern elite.

EDLF 767 - (3) (IR)
Aesthetics and Education
An interdisciplinary endeavor that considers aesthetics as more than a specialized philosophical study of fine arts, and education as wider than the school or college. Study includes historical and theoretical understandings, cultural and public dimensions of aesthetics and education, psychological considerations, and the discipline of various art forms.

EDLF 768 - (3) (IR)
Futurism and Education
An interdisciplinary approach focusing on the theoretical contests of the future; the science and practice of futurism; the human condition; trends and projections of the future; ethical considerations; teaching strategies; and educational policy for the future.

EDLF 769 - (3) (Y)
Seminar

EDLF 770 - (1-3) (Y)
Seminar: Social Foundations of Education

EDLF 772 - (3) (IR)
Women and Education
Examines the role of women in education from historical, sociological, philosophical, and psychological perspectives. Focuses on issues related to girls and women in current educational settings.

EDLF 775 - (1-3) (SI)
Problems in Administering School Systems
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
A study of special problems involving school administration, school district management, and central office management.

EDLF 776 - (3) (Y)
Public School Administration
Introduction to school administration, including the organization and structure of the school system; legal basis for school administration; authority, responsibility, and control of different levels of government for education; the administration and supervision of the instructional program; and the application of theories of leadership and organization to enduring problems of schooling.

EDLF 777 - (1-3) (Y)
Human Resource Management in Schools
In this course, the management of human resources in public schools and school divisions is examined with particular attention to reflective practice, ethical considerations, interpersonal skills, and the building and maintenance of relationships. Theory and practice relative to the staffing of schools for effective realization of educational goals and objectives will be explored.

EDLF 778 - (3) (Y)
School and Community Relations
Studies of the philosophy, principles, techniques, agencies, and practices involved in a desirable school and community relations program. Special attention is given to the role of the school administrators in coordinating system-wide and building-level communication networks.

EDLF 779 - (3) (SS)
Elementary School Principalship
Emphasizes educational leadership, working with individual school and community power structures, and the principal’s responsibility for curriculum development, public relations, personnel development, restructuring, scheduling, and managing programs with an emphasis on at-risk students.

EDLF 780 - (3) (SS)
Secondary School Principalship
Introduction to the structure and culture of secondary schools, the current and projected responsibilities of secondary administrators, and the literature on secondary school reform. Special emphasis is given to teacher evaluation, student discipline, and policy development at the secondary level.

EDLF 781 - (3) (SS)
Middle School Principalship
Introduction to the structure and culture of middle schools, the current and projected responsibilities of middle school administrators, and the literature of middle school reform. Special emphasis is given to teacher evaluation, student discipline, and policy development at the middle school level.

EDLF 782 - (3) (SS)
Evaluation and Development of Educational Staff
Evaluation and development of educational personnel is a major responsibility of school administration. Provides students with a conceptual framework for staff development and evaluation, and facilitates and enhances skill in data collection, analysis of teacher performance, and plans of assistance development. Includes legal and policy issues related to recruitment, selection, and staff development.

EDLF 783 - (3) (Y)
School Finance
Analysis of the problems and principles involved in finance in an individual school with special emphasis on budgeting procedures and accounting systems.

EDLF 784 - (3) (Y)
Organizational Communications
Designed for individuals interested in the theory and practice of communications in educational organizations, this course involves a variety of practica. Students study rhetoric, in preparation for delivering a persuasive speech, and research on conflict resolution and effective interpersonal communications. Communications related to instructional diagnosis and leadership are investigated.

EDLF 786 - (3) (Y)
Instructional Decision-Making in Schools
Deals with selected issues related to school-level instructional decision-making. Includes information and strategies related to monitoring and assessing instruction, formulating policies on grading practices, utilizing test data for purposes of instructional decision-making, and implementing special education law and programs.

EDLF 787 - (3) (Y)
Critical Issues of the Superintendency: Technology Strand
Study of philosophy, principles, techniques, agencies, and practices involved in the implementation of equitable and efficient learning technologies in the school setting. Consideration of the issues and problems associated with programs and procedures requiring a paradigm shift. Major issues involving technology planning and evaluation; establishment of fair use practice; funding issues including capital outlay, support issues and maintenance both hardware and software; and applying learning technologies directly in the curriculum. Components of the course will involve online learning and professional development using the BlackBoard learning system.

EDLF 788 - (3) (SS)
Introduction to Critical Issues of the Superintendency
This is the introductory course for the Ed.D. in the superintendency offered at the University of Virginia. The class will introduce students to the opportunities and challenges encountered by today’s superintendents. A superintendent must be knowledgeable of curricular and instructional issues. The superintendent must also be an astute politician, but the focus of his or her efforts in the public arena should be on forming coalitions and garnering resources to accomplish district goals and objectives. In addition, the superintendent should be an ethical and considerate problem-solver, who has the interest of the children uppermost in his or her mind. These and other issues will be discussed.

EDLF 789 - (1-3) (Y)
Topical Seminar
Seminar on current topics or issues.

EDLF 790 - (3) (Y)
School Governance Issues of the Superintendency
This is the second of a set of core courses that have been developed for the Ed.D. in the superintendency offered at the University of Virginia. This course is designed to help students explore the intersection between theory and practice. Current superintendents, as clinical instructors, will be responsible for sharing with the students the daily realities of dealing with each of the critical issues within their own particular contexts. Superintendents will represent a variety of school divisions located in different parts of the Commonwealth serving a range of populations.

EDLF 791 - (3) (SS)
Annual Policy Institute
The Annual Policy Institute serves as a forum to address the Leadership and Policy issues currently as it affects our nation’s schools. National, state, and regional speakers set the stage for discussions on critical shortages of teachers and administrators, leadership in technology, politics and policy development, and federal mandates. This course is a combination web based course and conference attendance.

EDLF 792 - (3) (SS)
Superintendent’s Seminar
This course is designed for practicing division superintendents in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The focus on the course is to develop an understanding of the complex role of the superintendent in leading and managing a school division. The course will focus on policy issues, superintendent and school board relationship, school design, finance, law, and politics of education.

EDLF 793 - (1-6) (S-SS)
Independent Study: Leadership and Policy Studies
Under close guidance of an individual faculty member, students work on areas of particular interest that cannot be met in regularly scheduled courses. Enrollment in this course is limited to three credits in a master’s degree program.

EDLF 800 - (3) (Y)
Seminar in Instructional Computing
Advanced study of special topics and issues in the use of computers in education with an emphasis on recent developments in the field.

EDLF 801 - (3) (Y)
Advanced Instructional Design
Prerequisite: EDLF 700; corequisite: ELDF 801L.
Assists students in becoming instructional design (ID) professionals by refining designer skills, building knowledge about the practice of ID, and encouraging the development of platform presentation skills. Self-directed teams analyze an instructional need for an outside client, design and develop instruction to meet that need, and then evaluate and revise the instruction. Students also research and deliver presentations on current topics within instructional technology.

EDLF 801L - (1) (Y)
Advanced Instructional Design Lab
Prerequisite: EDLF 700; corequisite: ELDF 801.
Lab accompanies advanced Instructional design course.

EDLF 802 - (3) (Y)
Advanced Interactive Technologies II
Prerequisite: EDLF 703 or instructor permission.
Students expand their interactive design and development skills by working together in project teams to develop interactive products of increased sophistication. Projects may be for an outside client or may serve as a base for research on interactive technologies.

EDLF 803 - (3) (Y)
Advanced Seminar in Instructional Technology
Prerequisite: EDLF 730, 753, 830, and instructor permission.
As a prelude to dissertation research, each student conducts a pilot quantitative research study on instructional technology. Prior to enrollment, students must submit a research proposal to the instructor for approval. Students assemble research materials, arrange study participants, conduct the study, analyze the data, and write the research report. Students also critique, and assist in, the research of their colleagues.

EDLF 815 - (3) (Y)
Advanced Tests and Measurements
Prerequisite: EDLF 718 and 719.
A comprehensive analysis of traditional, latent-trait, criterion-referenced, and psychophysiological tests. This course builds upon EDLF 718 and 719, and is assigned for students who need to further their study of measurement theory and practice.

EDLF 816 - (3) (Y)
Advanced Child Development
A doctoral seminar in which prominent theories and key empirical studies in Child Development are introduced, discussed, and critically evaluated. Emphasis is placed on the study of developmental processes rather than static changes or normative milestones. The course is built around selected empirical, methodological, and theoretical readings. Development of cognition, temperament, and moral autonomy are emphasized.

EDLF 817 - (3) (Y)
Advanced Seminar in Creativity
Encourages advanced individual and group study in the theory of creativity and its applications to classroom practice. Includes the history and philosophy of creativity; brain research; environmental effects; intelligence; motivation; the assessment of, and empirical research on, creativity; and applications of creativity research to education and other settings.

EDLF 818 - (3) (IR)
Advanced Seminar in Curriculum for the Gifted
Designed for those participants with a strong background in the study of curriculum development for gifted learners. Provides an opportunity for advanced study research and application of principles and issues central to appropriate instruction of gifted learners. Students examine current thinking about teaching and learning, current contexts of education, and applications and impacts of those elements on instructing gifted learners.

EDLF 819 - (3) (IR)
Advanced Seminar Research on the Gifted
Explores specific research issues (definition of population, instrument ceilings, control group issues) using current empirical studies. Students are required to develop a proposal for a research study or to work on an on-going research project in the field of gifted education. Considers both quantitative and qualitative approaches.

EDLF 820 - (3) (IR)
Advanced Seminar Issues in Gifted Education
Focuses on fundamental beliefs about gifted students, programs for gifted students, and general education and its relationship to the gifted. Examines philosophical and theoretical arguments and empirical studies relating to unresolved issues in gifted education.

EDLF 821 - (3) (IR)
Advanced Seminar on Underserved Gifted Students
Focuses on groups of gifted students who have been underserved or who have unique characteristics and needs. Addresses identification, programming and curriculum development, and instruction. Groups studied include cultural and ethnic minorities, economically disadvantaged, handicapped, underachievers, and women.

EDLF 822 - (3) (Y)
Advanced Seminar in Educational Psychology

EDLF 826 - (3) (Y)
Social Development in Context
A graduate seminar addressing children’s development in relation to their social environments, with concentration on the ways that environments pose or ameliorate psychological, emotional, and societal risk. Contemporary research on children’s relationships and experiences in educational and societal contexts and consideration of the ways environments influence the lives of children identified as at risk will be explored though the topics of individual differences, peer affiliations, relationships with caregivers and teachers, interactions between families and schools, school transitions, and experiences with neighborhood and community. Students will understand, critique, and question empirical research; become adept at analyzing the relations among research, practice, and policy; and become capable of translating research into guidelines useful to teachers, administrators, and other practitioners.

EDLF 830 - (3) (S)
Experimental Design: Stat II
Prerequisite: EDLF 731.
The major goal of this course is to extend analytic abilities to the design and analysis of more complex experiments. Students accomplish this objective through construction of a research proposal.

EDLF 831 - (3) (S)
Correlation and Regression Analysis: Stat III
Prerequisite: EDLF 731 and 830, or instructor permission.
Considers basic correlation and regression analysis, including regression theory, dummy coding, and basic multivariate techniques.

EDLF 832 - (3) (IR)
Non-Parametric Statistics
Prerequisite: EDLF 731.
Considers a wide-range of non-parametric statistical techniques and covers typical procedures, such as one sample, two sample, k-sample, and correlation.

EDLF 833 - (3) (IR)
Bayesian Statistics
Prerequisite: EDLF 731 and 830, or instructor permission.
Analysis of basic theory, rationale, and application of Bayesian statistics and techniques. Topics include Bayes’ theorem, conditional probabilities, posterior densities, and Bayesian inference for the binomial and normal models. Emphasizes case studies and computer-assisted data analysis.

EDLF 834 - (3) (IR)
Measurement Theory I
Prerequisite: EDLF 731, 830, 831, or instructor permission.
Focuses on theory and techniques of measurement models. Models based on one-parameter (Rasch model), two-parameter, and three parameter item characteristic curves are analyzed, and current research is evaluated.

EDLF 835 - (3) (IR)
Multivariate Statistics
Prerequisite: EDLF 830 and 831, or instructor permission.
Presents the theory and rationale of selected multivariate statistical techniques. Topics include multivariate analysis of variance canonical correlation and discriminant analysis. Emphasizes computer-assisted analysis and the application of appropriate statistical methods to research data.

EDLF 836 - (3) (IR)
Seminar in Advanced Statistics
Prerequisite: Advanced research majors; mathematics background recommended.
Brings about a synthesis and mastery of research and analytic techniques previously introduced in the research course sequence and utilizes current literature in psychometrical, biometrical, and statistical journals.

EDLF 837 - (3) (IR)
Advanced Seminar in Educational Research and Measurement
Prerequisite: Completion of measurement theory courses.
Addresses current measurement issues as presented in measurement journals, national or regional conferences, or legislative policy. Objectives are to bring about a synthesis and mastery of measurement theory previously presented and to understand and critique the most recent measurement developments.

EDLF 840 - (3) (Y)
Program Evaluation Design
Explores problems of designing, conducting, and reporting evaluation research studies. Time is spent examining philosophies of science that underlie evaluation studies; conceptualizing a total evaluation study; planning for the use of time and resources in conducting an evaluation study; assembling the evidence for or against a particular proposition; analyzing costs; and learning how to avoid common pitfalls in working with clients and program participants to design and conduct an evaluation study.

EDLF 841 - (3) (IR)
Advanced Seminar In Program Evaluation
A topical seminar that focuses on advanced topics in program evaluation. Topics change from offering to offering.

EDLF 843 - (3) (Y)
Evaluation of Teaching
Evaluating teaching in worthwhile ways involves understanding the needs and abilities of teachers, tasks teachers must accomplish, the environmental effects on teachers, and behaviors demonstrated in teaching. This course examines the independent and interactive effects of these four factors. Emphasizes formative evaluation (i.e., helping teachers improve via in-class observation and feedback) and the translation of research results into practice. Requirements include various combinations of project work, writing, and tests.

EDLF 844 - (3) (S)
Advanced Qualitative Analysis
Advanced course in methods and practices of qualitative research. Students determine their own philosophy of inquiry and become increasingly proficient in the application of qualitative methods. Assumes an introductory course in qualitative methods. Focuses on research design and proposal development, data collection and analysis techniques, and presentation of findings. The course is field-based and guides students through the complete qualitative research cycle.

EDLF 845 - (3) (S)
Qualitative Data Analysis with Computers
An advanced course in qualitative research methods that emphasizes applied and computing aspects of qualitative data analysis. Focuses primarily on various types of qualitative analysis software and presumes that the student has at least a general knowledge about qualitative research methods and techniques (especially research design and data collection). Prior knowledge about microcomputers is helpful. Class activities include lectures, demonstrations, exercises, and discussion of readings. Students are required to complete a pilot research project demonstrating their ability to apply computer assisted qualitative research methods.

EDLF 846 - (3) (IR)
Advanced Aesthetics and Education
Advanced seminar on aesthetics and education, focusing on the evolution of aesthetic ideas, their relationship to education, aesthetic experiences and the human mind, the use of aesthetics in the public domain, and aesthetics and educational strategies for improving the quality of experiences in American education.

EDLF 847 - (3) (IR)
Folklore and Education
Introduction to the field of folklore and folklife studies. This field provides a powerful framework for understanding educational patterns, problems, and issues in traditional and modern societies. The course blends the substance and methodology of the discipline with the pragmatic needs of the educator in the school.

EDLF 848 - (3-6) (IR)
Advanced Seminar in Foundations of Education
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

EDLF 849 - (1-6) (Y)
Advanced Seminar in Educational Studies

EDLF 850 - (3) (Y)
History of Higher Education
Study of the growth of colleges and universities and the major philosophical and sociological forces that have shaped their development. Emphasizes the historical development of American higher education.

EDLF 851 - (1-3) (IR)
Curry Forum on Educational Issues
School-wide interdisciplinary course on the key issues in education. Faculty from the Curry School and nationally recognized scholars introduce selected issues and topics. Small discussion groups explore these subjects in greater detail. Sponsored by all four departments and open to all master’s and doctoral students.

EDLF 852 - (3) (Y)
College Student Development
Promotes an understanding of contemporary, traditional-aged college students from sociological, psychological, and historical perspectives. Topics include the social and cultural context of entering college students, student development theory, student outcomes assessment, student attrition, and dynamics of student change.

EDLF 853 - (3) (Y)
Curriculum in Higher Education
Study of curricular patterns and processes in post-secondary educational institutions. Includes social, historical, and philosophical perspectives on current curricular trends and processes of change among various institutional types.

EDLF 854 - (3) (Y)
Governance and Management of Colleges and Universities
Study of the organizational structure, governance, and administrative patterns in institutions of higher education in America. Focuses on managerial behavior and decision-making in academia.

EDLF 855 - (3) (Y)
Student Affairs in Colleges and Universities
Survey of current theory and practice in student affairs programming, organizations, and administration in institutions of higher education. Emphasizes philosophy, services provided, and trends and issues within the profession, including research and literature analysis.

EDLF 856 - (3) (Y)
Ethical Considerations for Student Affairs Administrators
Prerequisite: EDLF 855 or instructor permission.
Analyzes the principles of the organization and administration of student affairs programs in institutions of higher education. Attention is given to relating theory to practice and the evaluation of programs. Includes case studies of contemporary issues.

EDLF 857 - (3) (Y)
Economics and Finance of Higher Education
Study of contemporary policies and practices in the finance of American higher education. The interpretation and uses of financial data in the administration of institutions; sources and methods of securing funds; budget processes; and policies and issues regarding the finance of higher education are some of the topics considered.

EDLF 858 - (3) (Y)
Management Planning in Higher Education
Study of information gathering and analysis in institutions of higher education for decision-making activities concerning short-term and long-range planning.

EDLF 859 - (3) (Y)
Legal Aspects of College Administration
Confronts the legal implications of problems and issues with personnel in higher education. This topical seminar is designed to provide the educator with an understanding of the legal aspects of policy development in higher education.

EDLF 860 - (3) (O)
The Adult Learner
Study of adults as learners, the implications of their characteristics for adult learning, and the practice of adult education. Attention is given to current issues facing adult education.

EDLF 861 - (3) (E)
The Community College
Studies the institutional character of the community college, including a review of history, purposes, clientele, organization, finance, programs, societal functions, and current issues.

EDLF 863 - (3) (IR)
Contemporary Issues in American Higher Education
Surveys selected major problems or issues facing contemporary American higher education.

EDLF 864 - (3) (Y)
The American Professoriate
Provides an understanding of the role and circumstances of American faculty members and the issues and policy forces that impact the professoriate. Explores various aspects of the professoriate, and institutional policies and external factors that shape the viability and vitality of the profession.

EDLF 865 - (3) (Y)
Educational Policy Formulation and Implementation I
Analyzes current theories of political allocation and processes of public policy formulation in relation to selected current issues in education. Students acquire knowledge and skills required to interpret and conduct research studies related to educational policy.

EDLF 866 - (3) (SS)
Policy in Curriculum and Instruction
Analyzes policies developed and implemented at the local school division level.

EDLF 867 - (3) (Y)
Politics of Education
Serves as a foundation course in the politics of education, tracing the means by which American schools can be viewed as political. Considers local, state, and federal conversion processes; investigates the origins, foundations, and demand inputs of, as well as the access channels to, school decision- and policy-making. Controversial political theories, cross-cultural research and analysis, and dominant conceptual frameworks will inform and guide discussions.

EDLF 868 - (3) (Y)
Economics and Education Policy
Designed for those without training in economics who want a better understanding of how economic concepts and methods are used in analyzing education policy issues. Examines market concepts and forms of government involvement in the market and uses economic research in education. Students develop the skills of economic analysis by applying them to current issues in public education.

EDLF 869 - (3) (Y)
Educational Policy Formulation and Implementation II
Provides in-depth analysis of processes of policy development at federal, state, and local levels; processes of policy implementation; and critical issues in the analysis of implementation strategies and policy effects.

EDLF 870 - (3) (Y)
Seminar: Contemporary Educational Policy Studies
Topical seminar in educational policy studies.

EDLF 871 - (3) (Y)
Moral and Ethical Dimensions of Leadership
Explores the moral and ethical dimensions of leadership within the context of education. Assumes that educational administration is fundamentally an ethical undertaking, or, as Christopher Hodgkinson claims, "philosophy in action." Readings, activities, and discussions are all designed to assist practicing and aspiring administrators, as well as other educators, in the explication and resolution of ethical dilemmas. Considers different moral positions and encourages students to examine both personal values and professional ethics.

EDLF 872 - (3) (IR)
School Design
Focuses on factors that influence the design and operation of educational facilities. Topics include learning environments, facility planning, change and versatility, technology, energy issues, and finance.

EDLF 873 - (3) (Y-SS)
Education Finance, Policy and Practice
Introduces the problems and principles involved in financing public schools, including the economics of education; the characteristics of selected taxes for school purposes; the role of federal, state, and local governments in financing education; finance litigation; and the concepts of equality of educational opportunity, liberty, and efficiency as a basis for resource allocation policies in education.

EDLF 874 - (3) (Y)
Public School Superintendency
For students who have superintendency as a career goal. Focuses on the complexity of the superintendent’s role in leading and managing a school division.

EDLF 875 - (3) (Y)
School Law
Analyzes school laws and regulations, regulations of state boards of education, and court decisions; legal status of the teacher and the pupil; legal and illegal use of school funds and property; legal responsibility of school officials with respect to contracts and purchases; and the liability of school officials. Considers all topics with reference to the state of Virginia.

EDLF 876 - (3) (Y)
Problems in School Business Administration
Prerequisite: Admission to the Curry School and instructor permission.
Focuses on selected problems in school business administration and the administrative uses of computers, including accounting and finance; data processing; school indebtedness; insurance management; maintenance and operations; personnel administration; purchasing and supply management; food service management; schoolhouse planning and construction; school store management; management techniques and development; systems analysis; written and oral communication; and transportation. May be repeated for credit.

EDLF 877 - (3) (Y)
Applications of Organizational and Administrative Theory in Education
Prerequisite: Educational leadership and policy major or instructor permission.
Examines organizational and administrative theory and its uses in the management and functioning of school systems. Attention is given to the requisites for adequate theory and to methodological considerations in the study of organizations and administrative processes.

EDLF 878 - (3) (Y)
Implementing Instructional and Organizational Change
Examines the relationships between instructional change and the intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, political, and professional contexts of teaching. Topics include the nature of instructional change, case studies of successful and unsuccessful change, planning for instructional improvement, and implementing and evaluating instructional change.

EDLF 879 - (3) (O)
Grant and Proposal Development
Focuses on the principal investigator role and the process of obtaining financial support from external sources to support desired projects and activities. Emphasizes phases of developing ideas; identifying sources of funds; researching funding sources; writing, submitting, and reviewing proposals; administering grants.

EDLF 880 - (3) (E)
Leadership Assessment and Development
Analysis of the research related to leadership effectiveness with an emphasis on the individual as a leader and the role of educational leaders in the management of human resources. Participants use leadership assessment procedures and programmed simulation to provide indicators of individual leadership style and effectiveness.

EDLF 881 - (3) (Y)
Introduction to Supervision of Instruction
Analyzes basic concepts involved in modern educational supervision. Serves the requirements of administrative positions or curriculum specialists.

EDLF 882 - (3) (Y)
Advanced Theory and Practice of Educational Supervision
Prerequisite: EDLF 881.
Provides an understanding of, and some practice in, selected aspects of educational supervision, such as group process, leadership theory and techniques, human relations, evaluation of teaching and supervision, and in-service teacher education.

EDLF 883 - (1-3) (IR)
Elementary Administration Seminar
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Advanced study of current major problems. May be repeated for credit.

EDLF 884 - (1-3) (IR)
Secondary School Administration Seminar
Advanced study of current major problems.

EDLF 885 - (1-3) (IR)
Special Seminar: Elementary Administration
A multidisciplinary approach to the advanced study of current major problems.

EDLF 887 - (1-3) (IR)
Seminar-Secondary Administration
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
A multidisciplinary approach to the advanced study of current major problems.

EDLF 888 - (1-3) (IR)
Middle School Administration Seminar
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Advanced study of current major problems.

EDLF 889 - (1-6) (IR)
Topical Seminar: Leadership
May be repeated for credit.

EDLF 890 - (1-6) (IR)
Supervised Research
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

EDLF 893 - (1-12) (S)
Independent Study
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Under close faculty guidance, students work on an area of interest not covered by the curriculum. A plan of study must be signed by the faculty sponsor and filed in the student’s permanent file in the Office of Student Affairs.

EDLF 894 - (1-12) (S)
Internship

EDLF 895 - (1-12) (S)
Practicum

EDLF 896 - (3-6) (Y)
Practicum in Educational Administration
A semester- or year-long project supervised by a resident faculty member.

EDLF 897 - (1-6) (SI)
Master’s Thesis
A thesis project conducted under the guidance of the master’s advisor or others approved by the departmental chair. A formal plan must be filed in the Office of Student Affairs and the final project approved by at least two Curry faculty members.

EDLF 900 - (3) (Y)
Advanced Seminar: Administration and Supervision
Required for all doctoral degree candidates; deals with dissertation proposal development for students in educational administration.

EDLF 980 - (3) (IR)
Higher Education Seminar: Current Literature
May be repeated for credit.

EDLF 981 - (3) (Y)
Research Seminar in Higher Education
Seminar for advanced doctoral students. Discusses current research topics and strategies, and develops dissertation topics.

EDLF 993 - (1-6) (SI)
Independent Study
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Under close faculty guidance, students work on an area of interest not covered by the curriculum. A plan of study must be signed by the faculty sponsor and filed in the student’s permanent file in the Office of Student Affairs.

EDLF 995 - (1-6) (SI)
Supervised Research
Prerequisite: Advisor permission.
Students work with faculty or other students in designing and executing research projects. The nature and scope of the projects are advanced beyond the master’s level, and a plan of research must be signed and filed in the student’s permanent file.

EDLF 996 - (1-12) (SI)
Independent Research
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Students work independently under the supervision of a Curry faculty member. A plan of research must be signed by the faculty member and filed in the student’s permanent file in the Office of Student Affairs.

EDLF 997 - (3-6) (Y)
Internship: Ed.D. or Ph.D.

EDLF 999 - (1-12) (S)
Doctoral Dissertation