Education Administration, Ed.S.

The Education Administration, Ed.S. prepares students for a variety of formal and informal leadership positions at the district level. These roles include, but are not limited to district-level leadership, district coordinators, assistant superintendent and superintendent. Students learn to lead PK-12 school districts by engaging in critical educational praxis. The Ed.S. in Education Administration program leads to superintendency certification in South Carolina. To be admitted to the program, applicants must already hold an elementary or secondary administration certificate.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Candidates who complete the program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all students by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a district vision of learning supported by the school community.
  2. Candidates who complete the program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all students by promoting a positive district culture, providing effective instructional programs, applying best practice to student learning, and designing comprehensive professional growth plans for staff.
  3. Candidates who complete the program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all students by managing the organization, operations, and resources of a district in a way that promotes a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
  4. Candidates who complete the program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all students by collaborating with families and other community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources.
  5. Candidates who complete the program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all students by acting with integrity, fairly, and in an ethical manner
  6. Candidates who complete the program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all students by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.
  7. Internship. The internship provides significant opportunities for candidates to synthesize and apply the knowledge and practice and develop the skills identified in Standards 1-6 through substantial, sustained, standards-based work in real settings, planned and guided cooperatively by the institution and school district personnel for graduate credit.

Admission

In addition to The Graduate School application requirements, applicants must complete the EDLP application supplement.

Degree Requirements (33 Post-Masters Hours)

A minimum of 33 hours beyond the master’s degree is required.

Certification

The Ed.S. in Education Administration satisfies the academic requirements for certification as a superintendent in South Carolina. In order to be recommended for certification, program completers must pass the appropriate required certification exam as determined by the South Carolina Department of Education.

Coursework

Coursework is designed to ensure that at the completion of the program the student can demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions developed in the following:

Core (21 Hours)

Course Title Credits
EDLP 753Advanced Methods of Instructional Supervision3
EDLP 754Educational Finance3
EDLP 755Educational Policy Analysis3
EDLP 756The Superintendency3
EDLP 757AThe Superintendent in Practice I3
EDLP 757BThe Superintendent in Practice II3
EDLP 758School Building Planning3
Total Credit Hours21

Related Electives (9 Hours)

Course Title Credits
Select nine hours of related electives as approved by advisor 9
Total Credit Hours9

Educational Research (3 Hours)

A 3-hour course in research/measurement/assessment to be selected with the approval of the advisor. This course is in addition to the research course taken at the master’s level. Students with no research courses at the master’s level will be required to take two research-related courses in the Ed.S. degree program.

Course Title Credits
Select three hours of course work in educational research as approved by advisor. Typical selections are listed below, but students must consult with and have approval of advisor before registration. 3
Introduction to Research in Education
Classroom Assessment Methods
Mixed Methods Research
Educational Measurement
Design and Analysis of Educational Surveys
Data Informed Decision Making
Total Credit Hours3

Note: Courses taken in a master’s degree program cannot be used to fulfill Ed.S. requirements.