Master of Educational Leadership
 Program Structure |
Academic Progress |
| Student Enrolment and Entry Requirement |
Professionalism |
| Credit |
Program |
History and Purpose
In the early years of High Schools, expatriates mostly held leadership in Church High Schools. However, as years passed and the number of expatriate leaders diminished, the church saw the need to develop potential Papua New Guinean head teachers to take over leadership roles in the Church High Schools, and to give them appropriate training at the Masters level.
The Australian Catholic University (ACU) already had an established program, which was designed to provide leadership training for head teachers of the Australian Catholic schools system. Because of the association of various lecturers in that program with Papua New Guinea, investigation was made into the possibility of introducing a similar course in PNG. It was seen that the ACU program could be readily adapted to Papua New Guinea needs, and the program was introduced in semester 2, 2001.
Since the course is the first of its kind in the country, the supply of resource personnel is limited. DWU has sought assistant from ACU lecturers to conduct the course essentially in a volunteer capacity. However, part of the arrangement is that understudies for the “leadership” and “educational” aspects of the program are limited from amongst academics available in Papua New Guinea. There will be less reliance on overseas lecturers in future, and personnel in Papua New Guinea will build up their capacity to deliver the course according to Papua New Guinea needs.
Program Structure
The postgraduate program in Educational Leadership consists of eight units. Students are expected to complete one unit per semester over a period of 4 years.
The program is:
- Delivered in mixed mode, through a combination of short and focused residential sessions of two weeks in each semester, and by distance education, which allows for paced readings and assignments integrated into the work of teachers: and
- Modular: the course is in modules, which add up sequentially to PG Certificate, PG Diploma and Masters awards. This allows students and sponsors to choose the length and amount of commitment that best suits their needs and resources. Through these variations the program will address a wide set of students. Many senior educators will be able to enroll in the course, at significantly reduced cost, and with minimum of disruption of the students' normal teaching and administrative commitments.
Student Enrolment and Entry Requirement
Candidates will be professional educators who will be seeking to upgrade their qualifications in Educational Leadership and to respond to special requirements of their educational system, for promotion and career opportunities.
The first cohort of 25 students enrolled in the program in semester 2 of 2001. It is anticipated that the next cohort of 25 will begin their studies in June 2002 and every second year thereafter.
Applicants will normally be required to have completed a Bachelor's degree from a recognized tertiary institution
OR Special Entry
Applicants whose educational qualifications do not satisfy the requirements for admission to the course, but who have a sound basis for application supported by documentation, may be granted admission if they satisfy special admission criteria, determined by the Academic Board of Divine Word University.
Credit
Credit may be given under the following circumstances:
- For units taught and assessed at Master's level
- For all Postgraduate Certificate and Post Graduate diploma units taught and assessed at Master's level
- For clearly designated units in Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diplomas which were taught and assessed at Master's level
- For other authorised professional development programs and accredited units offered and assessed at an equivalent level by employing bodies or other approved agencies.
Academic Progress
Each unit will include a short residential program, assignment(s) and readings to be completed over 1 semester.
The residential program will be taught in a 10- day cycle. The first 4 days will involve 24 hours of face to face instruction. For independent work over the following semester, students will be given books of appropriate readings for the completion of a major assignment. Assignment work for each unit will depend on the unit lecturer; however, it will range from 4,500 to 5000 words. Each unit will have meta-cognitive processes embedded within it to assist students to acquire deeper learning approaches and sophisticated assignment writing strategies and skills.
Professionalism
Today's globalisation has made institutions so complex and diverse that an administrator must be a leader to manage successfully such establishments. Papua New Guineans working in modern institutions demand a greater quality of work and life that requires administrators to be good leaders, to operate with a sense of community where a manager is a leader caring for everyone in the institution. This type of administrative leadership is closer to PNG culture. The Christian churches represented in PNG have continued their concern for moral leadership.
The Masters of Educational Leadership will prepare leaders to challenge themselves and an institution so both can grow. Everyone who works as a manager, teacher or who is responsible for teaching others will benefit from this program.
Postgraduate Program in Education Leadership
EDLE601 - Papua New Guinea Leadership
EDLE602 - Educational Leadership
EDLE603 - Administrative Leadership
EDLE604 - Spiritual Leadership
EDLE607 - Curriculum Leadership
EDLE608 - Research Project A
EDLE609 - Research Project B
EDLE611 - Leading Educational Change
