The Educational Leadership Department primarily serves to prepare leaders for K-12 education in Texas and beyond.  The department houses only Graduate Programs with both a Doctor of Education program and Masters of Education program.  Principal and Superintendent preparation programs are also a major part of the department’s responsibility. Most of the coursework in both the doctoral and masters programs are now fully online. Some certification courses do incorporate onsite learning to satisfy state requirements for Principal and Superintendent preparation programs.

The Department of Educational Leadership graduates more than 200 students each year and is one of the largest administrator preparation programs in the state.  Faculty utilizes a variety of innovative teaching processes to reach a diversified student population across the state.

Texas A&M University-Commerce has one of the highest graduation rates among Texas public institutions for doctoral programs. The Department of Educational Leadership ranks near the top in Texas in the preparation of K-12 Principals and Superintendents.  Our programs are designed for the working practitioner while holding to the highest standards of scholarship and professionalism.

For a description of these programs and graduate courses, please refer to the Graduate Catalog.

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Melissa Arrambide
Professor and Department Head
B.A., Baylor University; M.S., Ed.D., Texas A&M Univeristy-Commerce

Julia Ballenger
Regents Professor
B.S., M.Ed., East Texas State University; Ph.D., University of Texas-Austin

Kriss Kemp-Graham
Associate Professor
B.A., University of Pittsburgh; M.S., Hunter College; Ph.D., New York University

Nathaniel Templeton
Professor
B.M., M.E.D., Stephen F. Austin State University; Ed.D., Liberty University

Ray Thompson
Associate Professor
B.A., East Texas Baptist College-Marshall, BMA, Theological Seminary-Jacksonville, MEd, East Texas State University, EdD, Stephen F. Austin State University-Nacogdoches

Elsa Villarreal
Assistant Professor
B.A. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi; M.E.A. University of Houston-Victoria; Ph.D. Texas A&M University (College Station)

Peter Williams
Associate Professor
B.A., Sam Houston State University; M.E.D., Abilene Christian University; Ph.D., Texas A&M University