Education administration is a rewarding career that allows individuals to make a difference by leading students, faculty, staff, parents and even community members toward collective, educational goals. Education administrators work on all different levels of education including pre-elementary, elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels. Furthermore, there are several different jobs that one can pursue within education administration, including school principal, vice or assistant principal, superintendent, director of admissions, and college or university presidents.

If you are wondering how to become an education administrator in Connecticut, you are in the right place. While everyone’s path to become an education administrator may look a little different, there are some key steps to the journey that cannot be overlooked. Below, we detail the general requirements for those who want to know how to become an education administrator at any level.

1. Earn the relevant and proper education.

First and foremost, you will need to earn the proper education. This involves earning a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, then pursuing a master’s degree with leadership and administration-focused coursework. Generally speaking, a master’s degree is the standard requirement for education administrators at the various levels – it is expected by employers, and also required by the state.

When considering a master’s degree, look for a program that offers you comprehensive coursework in leadership, administration, communication, conflict response, business policy, and organization. While you may have a bachelor’s degree in education, your master’s degree does not need to be education-focused. Many graduates of Goodwin College’s Master’s in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) program, for example, go on to become leaders in education.

The MSOL curriculum is designed to provide future education administrators with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the world of academia. Among many topics, Goodwin’s MSOL courses cover the foundations of leadership, talent and performance management, and leading organizational change – all of which are extremely important to understand as a school or college administrator. Students also leave well-equipped with:

• The skillsets and insights needed in develop effective leadership strategies
• The most up-to-date data collection methods and research tools, to increase workplace productivity
• Successful talent acquisition and performance management techniques, to build an effective educational leadership team

2. Obtain the right work experience.

An education administrator is by no means an entry-level job. There is great responsibility that comes with this career, as many education administrators are highly involved with managing the business behind, and making decisions within, an educational institution. Higher education administrators especially may also be involved with important tasks such as human resource (HR) management and budget planning for a university.

An advanced position like this calls for advanced experience. Most postsecondary employers, for example, prefer to hire candidates with several years of experience in a college or university administrative environment.

3. Learning the correct skills to succeed in the job.

What else do you need to know to become an education administrator?  While education and experience are imperative for this career path, employers need to know that you will have the skills and knowledge to perform once placed in a specific position. Employers tend to look for candidates with sufficient computer skills, problem-solving skills, and organizational skills. Furthermore, no matter what specific job within education administration that you pursue, there is one skill that is necessary throughout all of education administration: Leadership. A Master’s in Organizational Leadership can help develop and enhance this extremely important skillset.

4. Earning Certification.

Depending on your career of choice, the state may require that you earn professional certification or endorsement as an administrator – just like any teacher needs to be licensed by the state. There are certain requirements you must fulfill to earn certification. A school business administrator in Connecticut, for example, students must complete a master’s degree (or 30 credit hours of graduate education) to advance a certificate to the professional level.

While there are several different titles and environments that one can assume as an education administrator – higher education administrator, school business administrator, department chair – the steps to becoming an education administrator are generally consistent. As mentioned above, these all orbit around higher-education, work experience, and an evolved, leadership-focused skillset.

If an education administration career is your goal, contact Goodwin College today to learn more about how the MSOL program can help prepare you to become an education administrator in Connecticut.