Educational Leadership, Education Specialist

Mission Statement

The EdS program in Educational Leadership will strive to equip candidates with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and beliefs that will enable them to function effectively as leaders in fluctuating, complex, and dynamic educational environments. This will be accomplished by applying principles of continuous improvement to maximize human, social, and spiritual potential.

Admission Requirements

Program-specific admission requirements for acceptance into the Education Specialist in Educational Leadership are the following:

1. Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all post-baccalaureate work completed;
2. Minimum of three years of successful administrative/teacher leadership experience, administration preferred;
3. Current entry-level license in school administration-principal;
4. Three professional recommendations from persons who know the applicant’s work as an educator or graduate student, at least one of whom must be an administrator at the central-office or school-board level;
5. Personal essay explaining the applicant’s purpose in wanting to earn an EdS in Executive Leadership; and
6. Cohort Form.

Program Goals

1. The EdS program in the College of Education will prepare and improve abilities of candidates in the area of Strategic Leadership leading to Superintendent’s licensure.
2. The EdS program in the College of Education will prepare and improve abilities of candidates in the area of Instructional Leadership leading to Superintendent’s licensure.
3. The EdS program in the College of Education will prepare and improve abilities of candidates in the area of Cultural Leadership leading to Superintendent’s licensure.
4. The EdS program in the College of Education will prepare and improve abilities of candidates in the area of Human Resource Leadership leading to Superintendent’s licensure.
5. The EdS program in the College of Education will prepare and improve abilities of candidates in the area of Managerial Leadership leading to Superintendent’s licensure.
6. The EdS program in the College of Education will prepare and improve abilities of candidates in the area of External Development Leadership leading to Superintendent’s licensure.
7. The EdS program in the College of Education will prepare and improve abilities of candidates in the area of Micro-political Leadership leading to Superintendent’s licensure.

Student Learning Outcomes

Candidates graduating from the EdS program will demonstrate and show proficiency in the 56 descriptors outlined by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction that correlate with the following practices. These descriptors translate to student learning outcomes in that successful demonstration of all 56 is required for both the degree and Superintendent’s licensure.
As a result of participating in the EdS program students will be able to demonstrate:
1. cultural competence;
2. expert content knowledge;
3. evidence-based decision-making;
4. skills of reflective and effective practitioners;
5. innovative integration of technology; and
6. ethical and collaborative leadership skills with all stakeholders.

Course Requirements (54 hours)

Candidates in the program will be supported from their first semester in engaging in the process of developing a dissertation proposal and/or a research topic. This work supports candidates in understanding of research method and process. At the conclusion of the 54-hour coursework, candidates may choose to graduate with their EdS degree or continue on into dissertation hours and pursue their EdD. Students who choose to pursue their EdD may, at any point, also choose to end their studies and graduate with an EdS. Once a student graduates with their EdS degree, no EDLS courses may be applied to an EdD degree.

EDLS 730	Strategic Leadership and School Reform	6
EDLS 732	Instructional Leadership: Curriculum and Instruction for Sustaining Academic Acheivement	9
EDLS 734	Human Resource Leadership: Organizational Development and Leading Adult Learning	9
EDDS 736	Research Methods and Program Evaluation	12
EDLS 738	Cultural and Ethical Leadership	6
EDLS 740	Managerial Leadership	6
EDDS 731	Dissertation Coaching/Clinical Experience Seminar	1
EDDS 733	Dissertation Coaching/Clinical Experience Seminar	1
EDDS 735	Dissertation Chairing/Clinical Experience Seminar	1
EDDS 737	Dissertation Chairing/Clinical Experience Seminar	1
EDDS 739	Dissertation Chairing/Clinical Experience Seminar	1
EDDS 741	Dissertation Chairing/Clinical Experience Seminar	1

 

Total Credit Hours: 54