Educational Leadership, EdS

Program Description

The online Educational Specialist (EdS) in Educational Leadership is for experienced educators who want to learn how to serve students and communities collaboratively and acquire the necessary skills to solve the complex problems facing school districts. The program enables students who already have a master’s degree in education or a related field to earn an advanced degree and certification for district-level educational administration. The program is aligned to the National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) Program Recognition Standards and is certified by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Graduates become superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, and curriculum specialists, and serve in a wide variety of building- and district-level leadership roles.

Summary of Degree Requirements

Building-Level Certification

The two-year, 10- or 12-course Building-Level Certification program includes an emphasis on instructional leadership and building equitable schools. Students take two, eight-week courses a semester with field experiences embedded in each course. In the last half of the program, students apply what they are learning in the program to address a problem of practice in an educational setting they are familiar with. Students choose from three degree options, which consist of 30 or 36 credit hours.

District-Level Certification

The five-semester, 10-course District-Level Certification program (30 credit hours) includes an emphasis on improvement science to create school systems. Students take two, eight-week courses a semester with field experiences embedded in each course. Throughout the program, students apply what they are learning to address a problem of practice in a familiar educational setting, enabling them to transfer their coursework directly to practice.

Coursework

Building-Level Certification

• EDLL 8000 - Introduction to School Leadership 3 Credits  
• EDLL 8050 - Contemporary Issues in School Leadership 3 Credits  
• EDLL 8100 - Organizational Improvement in School Leadership 3 Credits  
• EDLL 8150 - Community Relations for School Leaders 3 Credits  
• EDLL 8200 - School Personnel Development 3 Credits  
• EDLL 8250 - Law and Ethics for School Leaders 3 Credits  
• EDLL 8300 - Instructional Leadership I 3 Credits  
• EDLL 8350 - Program Evaluation for School Leaders 3 Credits  
• EDLL 8400 - Instructional Leadership II 3 Credits  
• EDLL 8450 - Resource Management for School Leaders 3 Credits  
• EDLL 8500 - Elementary School Internship I 3 Credits  / EDLL 8550 - Secondary School Internship I 3 Credits  
• EDLL 8510 - Elementary School Internship II 3 Credits  / EDLL 8560 - Secondary School Internship II 3 Credits  

* Internship is only required for those seeking South Carolina certification.

 District-Level Certification

• EDL 8050 - Advanced Educational Leadership: Theory and Practice 3 Credits  
• EDL 8100 - School Facilities Planning 3 Credits  
• EDL 8150 - The Superintendency 3 Credits  
• EDL 8200 - Politics of Education 3 Credits  
• EDL 8300 - Finance in School Systems 3 Credits  
• EDL 8390 - Research Methods in Educational Leadership 3 Credits  
• EDL 8400 - Field Problems in School Administration and Supervision of Instruction 3 Credits  
• EDL 8500 - Internship in School System Leadership I 3 Credits  
• EDL 8510 - Internship in School System Leadership II 3 Credits  
• EDL 9250 - School System Instructional Leadership 3 Credits