The department offers a concentration in Educational Administration under the Specialist in Education degree with a major in education. This degree is designed for individuals who already possess a master’s degree in education. Exceptions may be made only by the faculty of the program to which the student is applying. This degree may be used to fulfill the course requirements for obtaining licensure as a school administrator. The coursework will be delivered in an online format through distance education.
Licensure Alternative
The EdS requires 42 hours of course work. Evening and summer classes are combined with on-the-job internship activities organized around real school problems. The school principal and a faculty representative of the educational administration and supervision program together supervise the internship.
The desired outcome of the program leading to licensure as a school administrator is to produce thoughtful principal and supervisory practitioners with the skills and scholarship to provide quality leadership to the organizations they serve. Graduates are expected to have a vision of quality education combined with good leadership skills to lead our schools in the twenty-first century.
The program leading to licensure as a school administrator is designed around the standards developed by the State of Tennessee, The Tennessee Instructional Leadership Standards (TILS), and the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) for the knowledge and skills required today for a school principal. It meets the certification requirements of the Tennessee State Board of Education. The program is also accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and recognized by the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) indicating national recognition as a quality program.
Courses for this degree are offered online through Distance Education.
Non-licensure Alternative
The non-licensure alternative program is designed to prepare leaders for a variety of settings in schools and in other social service agencies. It requires a common set of four courses with the remainder of the program tailored to the students’ special needs. The degree requires 42 hours of course work and may require an internship, which is decided in consultation with the faculty advisor.
Admission
Application forms should be completed and submitted prior to April. These include the online application to the Office of Graduate Admissions and for those interested in licensure, the Educational Specialist application. A graduate GPA of 3.2 or higher, documentation of teaching or related experience (a minimum of three years of school-related experience is needed for licensure as a school administrator), and three rating forms that assess a candidate’s strengths, weaknesses, leadership, and scholarly potential are required.
Requirements
The EdS with a major in education with a concentration in educational administration requires a minimum of 42 hours of study. A final comprehensive examination is required as is a culminating research paper or thesis depending on the program.
1EDAM 519 or an approved curriculum course.
2A thesis option is available with approval of advisor.
3Additional electives from outside the Educational Administration area chosen in consultation with advisor.
Education Major, EdS – Educational Administration concentration
(Leadership Academy specialization)
The Specialist in Education degree, with a major in Education, concentration in educational administration with a specialization in leadership academy requires 39 hours of coursework and an internship, which includes a minimum of 400 hours of field-based experience under the mentor’s direction. The internship is supervised through EDAM 570. A final comprehensive examination is required and includes a minimum competency score on the School Leader Licensure Assessment, the submission and presentation of a professional learning portfolio (PLP) and an action research paper on a topic relevant to educational leadership.
1Alternate research elective from outside educational administration must be chosen in consultation with advisor.
