Master of Secondary School Leadership–MSSL 180 points Qualification regulations

1. (a) Before enrolment, a candidate for the MSSL degree shall have:

(i) completed a Bachelor’s degree with a B average or have completed a postgraduate qualification, and hold a middle or senior management position in a secondary school; and

(ii) been nominated by and have the support of the principal of the school in which the candidate works; and

(iii) been accepted by the Associate Dean (Academic) of the Wellington Faculty of Education as capable of proceeding with the proposed course of study. This acceptance will depend, inter alia, on the positive endorsement of an interview panel of principals and academic staff of the University.

(b) Requirement (a) (i) may be waived by the associate dean in exceptional circumstances.

2. (a) Except as provided in (b) or in section 4, the course of study for the MSSL shall comprise:

Part 1: MSSL 501, MSSL 502, MSSL 503, MSSL 504

Part 2: MSSL 505, MSSL 506, MSSL 507; one approved elective from the EMBA or MEd schedules

Part 3: MSSL 508.

(b) A candidate who has sufficient mastery of the material contained in any required course, whether through appropriate professional or scholarly experience or through passing a similar course for a completed qualification, may be permitted by the associate dean to replace it with a further elective from the EMBA or MEd schedules.

(c) To enrol in Part 2 a candidate must normally have completed Part 1 or be concurrently enrolled to do so. To enrol in Part 3 a candidate must normally either have completed Parts 1 and 2 or be concurrently enrolled to do so.

(d) A candidate who fails two or more courses in any one trimester or who has failed any course on two occasions will need the permission of the associate dean to re-enrol.

3. A candidate shall normally be enrolled for at least two years of part-time study and shall normally complete the degree within five years of first enrolling in it (or in the PGCertSSL or PGDipSSL). The associate dean may extend the maximum period in special cases.

5. The MSSL may be awarded with Distinction or Merit as described in the Assessment Handbook.