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Master of Education in
Educational Business Administration

This degree was designed for those who want to develop business and leadership skills in an educational setting. Framed by the standards from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), the program prepares strategic leaders for senior administrative positions in a variety of settings including public, charter, and private schools, community colleges, and other educational institutions or learning organizations.

Total cost at ACE

$9,250

(tuition + fees)

Compare with other institutions*:

$17,325

Walden University

$25,092

Concordia University

$11,560

Western Governors University

*Based on information provided on each institution's website as of August 2018

Applications due February 15 for February 18, 2019 Term

View Tuition Details

Key Features

  • Relevant Coursework: All classes were designed with the future senior educational administrator in mind and will teach you how to use data to make strategic and operational decisions for an educational organization.
  • Customizable: Specialize your degree with the Focus of Study that best fits your interests and career goals.
  • Flexible: Study on your schedule. Our online format allows you to plan your coursework around your life.
  • Well-Rounded Approach: Educational leaders need to be well-versed in diverse areas of leadership and administrative skills. This program meets this need by including classes in finance, human resources, data analytics, risk management, and leadership.

For more information about this program, view the College Catalog. You can also ask questions anytime via chat.

Focus of Study

Nine of your semester credits will be spent specializing in a focus area of your choice.
View the College Catalog for full descriptions.

Educational Entrepreneurship

Human Resources

Information Systems

School Business Official

See Student Experience

See Student Experience

View Academic Calendar

View Academic Calendar

Understand Admission Requirements

Understand Admission Requirements

Explore Payment Options

Explore Payment Options

Department Chair

Crystal Neumann, D.B.A.
Administrative Faculty and Chair,
Department of Leadership and Administration

Dr. Crystal Neumann previously worked in marketing and market research before she transitioned to higher education to work with and motivate adult learners. She has taught marketing and public relations in Germany and has worked as an administrator and instructor within higher education. Her work has been published in several journals, and she has presented at several national and international conferences.

Dr. Neumann continues to study leadership, marketing, and higher education. She enjoys being a part of every learner’s journey and seeing their growth throughout the program.

A Degree You Can Count On

We are, and have always been, regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This accreditation guarantees that our programs meet certain levels of quality standards.   

A Note About Licensure:

While this program provides a comprehensive understanding of the intended program outcomes, it does not lead to licensure, certification, or endorsement. ACE offers several programs that do provide a pathway to licensure, certification, or endorsement and they can be found here.

Home / Leadership and Administration / M.Ed. in Educational Business Administration

Tuition

M.Ed. in Educational Business Administration

Total Tuition

35 semester credits x $235 per credit

$8,225

Fees

$50 Application Fee

$875 Technology & Library Fee ($25 per credit)

$100 Program Conferral Fee

$1,025

Total Program Cost*

$9,250

*This is an estimated value of the cost for tuition and fees. Amounts may vary depending on number of transfer credits applied to the selected program hours, the pace and satisfactory completion of the selected program credit hours, receipt of scholarship and/or grant amounts, and adjustments to tuition or fees as described in the Catalog Right to Modify Tuition section.

State of California Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF)

It is a state of California requirement that a student who pays his or her tuition is required to pay a state-imposed assessment for the Student Tuition Recovery Fund. For more information and to see if you must pay the state-imposed assessment for Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) click here.

Home / Leadership and Administration / M.Ed. in Educational Business Administration

ACE General Admission Requirements

  • Complete and submit all application components including the admission application, including the enrollment agreement, and payment agreement.
  • Submit the nonrefundable application fee.*
  • Provide official transcripts from a regionally accredited institution indicating successful completion of the level of education required for entry to the program.**

*The application fee is valid for one year from date of submission.
**Additional evidence may be required to fulfill state requirements, including but not limited to verification of professional experience, test scores, or an interview.

Program Admission Requirements

M.Ed. in Educational Business Administration

  • Bachelor's or Highest Post-Baccalaureate degree earned
  • Minimum Grade Point Average 2.75 on a 4.0 Scale for full admission
  • Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.50 on a 4.0 Scale for Provisional Admission*
  • Additional evidence may be required to fulfill state requirements, including but not limited to verification of professional experience, test scores, or an interview

*Applicants whose overall GPA, or GPA in the last 60 hours is below 2.50 will not be admitted to the degree program

International Transcript Requirements

All applicants must submit to the Admissions Office official, sealed college transcripts from each institution attended.

  • Transcripts that are international and/or not in English must be evaluated through an NACES-recommended agency.
  • Texas applicants may only submit evaluations from agencies approved by the Texas Education Agency.
  • International applicants must request the course-by-course evaluation. The evaluation report must show that the non-U.S. education is equivalent to the education/accreditation level required for the program.

English as a Second Language Applicants

All applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate competence in the English language as demonstrated in one of three ways:

  1. Submission of an official transcript showing a degree from a United States secondary school or regionally accredited college/university.

  2. Submission of a transcript from a secondary school or college/university whose country uses English as a primary means of instruction, including, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand.

  3. Submission of an official minimum score on the paper-based or internet-based TOEFL exam.
    • The minimum TOEFL score required for the paper-based Test (PBT) is 550, and for the internet-based (iBT) Test is 80.

    • Applicants to the Texas M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program must submit scores from the internet-based (iBT) TOEFL An overall score of 80, and a score of 26 on the speaking section is required.

    • The testing agency must send test scores directly to American College of Education.

Admissions Appeal Process

Applicants have the right to appeal admissions decisions. Begin the process by filling out the admissions appeal here.

Home / Leadership and Administration / M.Ed. in Educational Business Administration

Courses

Explore the classes you'll take to fulfill this program's 35 semester credit requirement. For more information, a complete list of requirements, and course options, see the College Catalog.

Educational Business Courses

(17 semester credits)

Students are prepared to appropriately apply philosophy and school business theories to the educational environment. By tracing the historic role of laws in education and government, students examine how a school culture is established through the organization's vision, mission, and goals to optimize student learning. Transparency, ethics, inclusiveness, and equity play a vital part in understanding the importance of gaining buy-in and support from employees, boards, and community members.
Designed to explore fiscal and budget responsibilities, this course applies budgetary principles to interpret a range of funding and valuation models, including property tax levy. By analyzing the shifts in cash flow, students consider multiple theoretical approaches to effectively manage revenue sources, expenditures, budgetary constraints, and forecasts of resources, with respect to state and federal regulations. Emphasis is placed on the budget process including the support of technology resources, facilities, and applications as it relates to reporting the management and oversight of funds and financial services.
Designed to assist leaders in gaining knowledge and experience of legal and ethical standards, this course provides opportunities for students to explore aspects of benefits and payroll administration, employment law and labor relations. Exploring the changing role of human resources, principles and strategies for gathering and communicating critical information are examined including ways to conduct job and compensation analyses, proactive planning and implementation for hiring, staff and faculty development, and resolving conflicts along with other workplace issues.
This course assists students in gaining the knowledge, experience, and resources needed to appropriately analyze and report organizational data to ensure quality, equitable, and informed decisions. To efficiently manage organizational needs, students examine ways to use technology to maintain, and retrieve relevant data, and prepare various documents for the purpose of maximizing resources in a variety of educational settings.
This course establishes the legal foundation of public schooling by examining authority from constitutional through local governance. Issues related to school and public works law are examined in case studies focused on liabilities, disabilities, and facilities delivering educational services. This includes laws related to labor relationships and contract negotiations, and building and construction contracts.
This course develops leaders in a wide range of educational and organizational settings, who can effectively forecast and evaluate financial risks challenging their institutions. To avoid or minimize risk in a proactive manner, students learn to utilize analysis, avoidance, minimization, or elimination of undesirable threats to protect present and future organizational interests. Through the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks, students prepare to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and impact of negative events on an institution in a manner that does not detract from the institutional goals.
The Capstone Experience is designed for candidates to demonstrate and document the impact of their knowledge and competencies gained throughout, and as a result of, studies related to Educational Business Administration.

Leadership Courses

(6 semester credits)

Ways to develop and sustain a thriving school culture are examined through the utilization of effective communication and collaboration strategies within and beyond the community. Governance strategies for ethical and legal policies, organizational development and optimization, and decision making are covered. Students explore ways in which their ethical code protects and ensures equity, fairness, tolerance, and respect in various educational and organizational cultures.
This course focuses on establishing and maintaining the instructional vision and mission of an institution through effective use of student performance data to inform the selection of strategies and practices contributing to academic success. Through the development of districtwide initiatives and priorities, supported by effective communication, students learn to facilitate collaborative efforts, develop productive partnerships, promote academic rigor and empower leadership skills in others to create a culture of achievement.

Research Courses

(3 semester credits)

This course enables students to become informed consumers of educational research and to develop skills to understand collecting, analyzing, organizing, interpreting, and communicated data for educational and organizational decision making. An emphasis is placed on data-mining principles students can apply to determine whether particular scientifically based research findings are trustworthy and relevant for use within complex data sets. Emphasis is placed on how action research can become a vital tool for school leaders working to improve educational business operations and activities.

Focus of Study

Customize this degree by choosing a three-course Focus of Study to fulfill the remaining nine semester credits.

Educational Entrepreneurship

(9 semester credits)

In this course, students evaluate models, theories, and evidence-based best practices related to strategic management and innovation in educational entrepreneurship. Students learn the fundamentals of business planning and design, develop, and implement strategic models facilitating innovation and creativity to be used in diverse entrepreneurial endeavors.
Driven by organizational theory, this project-based course integrates aspects of sociology with adult learning theory to deliver on online option for staff or faculty development. Students identify a learning solution in response to an organizational problem. Utilizing research-based theories, principles, models, and practices, concepts related to application are tested to determine value and appropriate action.
As an introduction to foundational concepts of marketing, this course considers various perspectives from influencer to consumer. Marketing opportunities are explored for implementing strategic plans through the use of research and analysis. Students examine examples of brand development, positioning, and management of integrated marketing communications (IMC) campaigns, which can be highly beneficial for private and charter schools. Case studies and scenarios frame the examination of managed markets. The intersection of marketing with public and media relations is also explored.

Human Resources

(9 semester credits)

A comprehensive course designed to provide students with the tools needed for successful management of the critical human resources functions, including employee relations, professional development, and conflict management. Students gain an understanding of the importance of employee performance and satisfaction to organizational culture. By providing fundamentals in managing all levels of the workforce, from professional development to conflict management and resolution, students will be confident administering evaluations, documentation, and disciplinary actions while becoming familiar with appropriate communication when managing difficult situations.
Through an in-depth look at employment law and managing risk, this course will give students the tools needed to navigate a collective bargaining contract, along with required contractual policies and procedures. Students will gain a deeper understanding of workplace compliance laws, while exploring the differences between employees and independent contractors.
This course thoroughly studies how human resources function as a strategic partner to all lines of business. Students will learn a multitude of skills ranging from the basic administration of personnel records, employee handbooks and policies, to the entire recruiting and hiring process. By providing a comprehensive study into compensation and benefits administration, students will leverage understanding of specific laws and regulations, including ACA regulations as these relate to payroll functions.

Information Systems

(9 semester credits)

This course will examine various methods of learning in new media environments. In the 21st century, virtual communication and collaboration are crucial to understand how to participate and incorporate effectively. Also, understanding the similarities, differences, advantages, and disadvantages of online classrooms, blended classrooms, and flipped classrooms is needed. Lastly, learning about technology use, learning management systems, social media, and Web 2.0 tools will be examined. A key component of this course includes the opportunity for students to create with technology-based assignments.
Using research, students acquire and utilize multiple resources designed to effectively and efficiently create, collect, filter, process, and distribute data through well-managed information systems. The course provides a solid foundation for maximizing available technological and organizational resources through the enhancement of operations and information systems support while also providing the knowledge, skills, and experience to administer such functions. This course further helps to prepare educational business leaders to successfully analyze and evaluate trends and best practices in information systems.
Applying principles of instructional design and adult learning, learners demonstrate a broad understanding of their professional environment by developing products to support continuous professional growth within the organization. Learners identify and evaluate technologies to facilitate and improve collaboration, productivity, communication, and instruction for all organizational stakeholders. They also design a professional development plan based on best practices and emphasizing legal and ethical guidelines specific to blended and online learning environments. Within the context of professional environments, academic integrity and dishonesty, personal and professional learning networks, and digital citizenship are major topics.

School Business Official

(9 semester credits)

This course focuses on communicating the financial status of an educational organization or institution in alignment with governing policies and procedures. Applying sound accounting practices, students examine financial reporting, contractual services, cash flow analysis, purchases, investments, policies and procedures, and forecasting within the legal constraints established by state and federal agencies.
Based on the interdisciplinary study of business, operations, and facility management, this course effectively prepares students to coordinate people, budgets, infrastructure, logistics, spatial organization, purchasing, and other financial, material, and technological resources specific to educational settings. The concepts of operational efficiency, institutional resiliency, and contingency planning across departments is also explored to ensure academic continuity. The role of human resource management is considered with respect to communication, emergency planning, preparedness and recovery, environmental protection, property management, technology, and vendor management.
By investigating the underlying structures of economics through the application of econometrics, students apply theories to topics such as human capital, institutional finance, and educational technology. As economics grows more complex and critical, educational choice, public funding, and policy trends impact the education production function. The economics of education is explored from a cost-and-benefit perspective as students learn to navigate operational challenges, make data-driven financial decisions, and maximize capital resources utilizing sound principles of management.
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