Frequently Asked Questions

• General Questions
• MA, Emancipatory K12 School Leadership (MELS) Specific
• MA, Higher Education Leadership (HELM) Specific
• Higher Education Teaching Certificate (HETC) Specific

General Questions

• Information regarding application deadline and cost of tuition. Is there somewhere I can locate this information?

  • MA, Higher Education Leadership Program 

    MA, K-12 Emancipatory School Leadership Program

    - Application deadline is April 1st 
    - Tuition cost for regular session (master’s programs) can be found here: Fall Registration Fees and Spring Registration Fees

• Is this program geared mostly toward people currently working in the school system?

  • HELM: While most students go on to work in colleges & universities, this degree is not exclusive to work in higher education. Graduates can also go on to work in private industry. Other students have branched out and worked for educational nonprofits or nonprofits in general. 
    MELS: Yes, this program is geared toward people working in the PK- 12 schooling system.

• What careers and positions do the department's programs prepare students for?

  • HELM: Most students do go on to work in colleges & universities, many in student affairs. Graduates can work in a number of offices, such as student affairs, housing, and other areas. Many issues being tackled in addressing leadership in this critical way could also apply to industry. Graduates can also work for educational nonprofits or nonprofits in general. This is the type of degree that can be massaged into individual interests. For example, a student interested in special ed could work for a school district or nonprofit.
    MELS: Most students in this program are current teachers and/or administrators in PK-12 schools. Graduates gain social justice leadership perspectives and go on to leadership positions within their school districtcs. 

• Which program allows me to get an admin credential?

  • We don't offer admin credential programs. 

    Refer to the Credentials Office for more information.

• Do you offer a phd program?

  • Unfortunately, San Jose State University does not offer any Ph.D. programs. We do offer a 3-year Doctoral Program in Ed.D.

• When does the Cal State Apply application open?

  • November 1st

• Are your courses in-person or online?

  • Currently, our programs are set up as hybrid, with each course meeting a handful of times throughout the semester with an additional Canvas online component. For 2024-2025, we will mostly offer online options. (see #10)

• Are there any grants or scholarships available?

  • A select number of $500 scholarships are available for early applicants who gain admission by January 30, 2024 (for HELM) or March 1, 2024 (MELS) and enroll by May 31, 2024!

• Are there any recommendations for those students who fall below the 3.0 minimum GPA requirements?

  • If you experienced any challenges or hardships with maintaining a 3.0 GPA, we encourage you to apply anyway and to reach out to our office to let us know. 

    If you have taken any post-baccalaureate coursework, including community college courses, it is always helpful to note those as well.

• Do you offer an online master’s program?

  • Yes, both the MELS and HELM programs will offer online programs next year. The HELM master’s program will be exclusively online and MELS will have two cohorts, one of which will be online. 

Master’s in Emancipatory School Leadership (MELS) Specific

• Is a credential required? Encouraged?

  • A credential is not required to enroll in this program

• SCCOE partnership - does it only include LEAP?

  • All California Administrative Credentials can be used as 12 units towards this MA

• Can credits from the Bilingual teacher master’s program be transferred?

  • Credits can only be used if they have not been already applied for a degree

• Is the program only oriented towards leaders in the K-12 community? 

  • Currently our program is based on a K-12 community. 

• Could you speak to the PASC / CalAPA?

  • Students who have completed the PASC/CalAPA will be able to transfer 12 units of coursework and will take the remaining 18 units.

    Students who have not completed the PASC/CalAPA will take graduate-level courses as a specialization in an area of interest that is related to educational leadership (e.g. Literacy - Instructional Leadership). These courses will be pre-approved by the department.

MA, Higher Education Leadership (HELM) Specific

• When are the deadlines to apply for this coming year?

  • The application window for the incoming 2024-25 cohort opens November 1, 2023 and closes April 1, 2024 for Summer '24 admissions.

• Is the lived experience portion like an internship/externship or is it a class?

  • The 217a and 217b are Living Case Study courses. These are companion courses and not an internship program.

• Is there a practicum/internship portion?

  • As noted above, the 217a and 217b courses are meant to offer an applied practicum experience but are courses and not internships.

• What does the schedule look like?

  • Courses are generally offered during the weekdays between the hours of 4-8pm. There are also Saturday classes offered between 9am-2pm. As aforementioned, the courses are generally offered via a combination of in person and remote classes.

• When do classes begin in the semester? Are there gaps of time in between the start and finish of classes or are they all consecutive?

  • The HELM Program is an intensive one year program which begins in the summer and ends the following summer. Please visit the HELM website for more information.

• Do I need to have a bachelor's degree to enroll in the HELM program?

  • Yes, you should have earned bachelor’s degree or be in the process of completing your bachelor’s degree to enroll in the HELM program.

• How many units are required to complete the HELM program? Are all courses in the HELM program graduate level? 

  • There are 30 units required to complete the HELM program; this equals to 10 classes at 3 units per class. All courses are graduate level courses.

• Can I transfer units into the HELM program? 

  • Yes, there is a possibility of transferring up to 9 units into the HELM program. However, all requests to transfer units must be approved by the Educational Leadership Department chair and the HELM program coordinator. 

• Do I need letters of recommendation to apply to the HELM program?

  • Yes, letters of recommendation are required. It is highly recommended that at least one of these letters should come from someone who can speak to your academic background such as a former instructor, advisor, or T.A.. In the absence of an academic recommender, applicants are encouraged to reach out to supervisors, mentors, or others who can speak to your preparation and fit into the HELM program.

• Do I need an official transcript?

  • Yes, you need official transcripts showing you have an earned bachelor’s degree or you in the process of completing your bachelor’s degree. Applicants must have their earned B.A. by the time that the HELM program starts in early summer.

• Is the HELM program open to international students?

  • No

• When and how are classes held? What does the schedule look like?

  • The HELM program is a hybrid program, classes are offered both on-line and in person. As graduate courses, most classes are offered Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between the 4pm to 9:30pm time block. However, there are some courses that may require limited weekend/Saturday gatherings.

• How large of a cohort does the HELM program enroll? 

  • Enrollments are contingent on the application pool, we aim to enroll a cohort composed of between 15 to 20 students.

• Is the program full-time? Or, can students enroll on a part-time basis? 

  • Yes, the HELM program is a full-time program. Students are expected to take two courses each during their incoming summer and during their graduating summer. In between, for the fall and spring semesters, students are expected to take three classes. Students may opt to take two classes in the fall and spring, however, this will extend their degree completion by a year and will likely increase their overall program cost.

Higher Education Teaching Certificate (HETC) Specific

• Who should enroll in the higher education teaching certificate?

  • This program was developed for faculty teaching at higher education institutions and graduate students who are considering a teaching career at a higher education setting.

• Do I need a master's degree to enroll in this program? 

  • You should have a master’s degree or be enrolled in postgraduate program to enroll in this certificate.

• Can this certificate be used for professional development? 

  • Yes. This certificate can count as professional development at community colleges.

• Are the courses in the certificate graduate level?

  • Yes, the three required courses are graduate level.

• Are the courses letter grade only?

  • Yes, these courses are letter grade only. No Pass/Fail option.

• Do I need letters of recommendation?

  • No, you do not need letters of recommendation to apply or be admitted to the certificate program.

• Do I need an official transcript?

  • Do I need an official transcript?

• Can I repeat any of these courses? 

  • Yes, you can repeat the courses if you consider it necessary.

• If I'm an international student student, do I need to take the TOEFL?

  • Please see the test requirements for admission in the following page: https://www.sjsu.edu/admissions/graduate/admission-requirements/test-requirements/

• Are these courses transferable to any SJSU degree?

  • Currently, only EDLD 212 is transferable to the MA Higher Education Leadership program offered by the Department of Educational Leadership in the Lurie College of Education.

• Are the classes online or on campus?

  • Two of the courses (EDLD 212 and EDLD 250) are offered online. The third course (EDLD 251) is offered in hybrid format, with lectures/seminars online and teaching practicum in person.

• Is the teaching practicum a requirement?

  • Yes, the teaching practicum is a key component of the EDLD 251 class and is required in order to obtain the certificate.

• Where can I do my teaching practicum? 

  • The Department of Education Leadership has established MOUs with local community colleges, so students can complete their teaching practicum. The department will provide a list of participating sites and students will contact the participating college.

• Can I choose my own teaching practicum site? 

  • Yes, students can select their own practicum site from the list of local community college partners and work with the department and practicum faculty member to ensure practicum learning outcomes and requirements are achieved. 

• What's the cost per unit?

  • The cost per unit is $350. The total tuition cost for the certificate is $3150.00