Ed.S. in Educational Leadership

Collaborative Online Degree

This 100 percent online, consortial program is taught by IU South Bend, IU East, IUPUI, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest,  and IU Southeast. This consortial model allows you to take coursework from several campuses and learn from a wide range of faculty.

Many online support services are available to assist you as you progress through the program.

Education Specialist

As a teacher, you have valuable experience that gives you a unique understanding of the challenges that students and schools face. Build upon those experiences as an administrator.

The IU Online Ed.S. in Educational Leadership prepares you to take on leadership roles in your school, district, or educational organization. In this program, you are trained to:

• Promote the current and future success and well-being of all students.
• Apply your knowledge and skills to collaboratively lead, design, and implement a district mission, vision, and process.
• Foster continuous improvement at the district level which reflects a core set of values and priorities that include data use, technology, values, equity, diversity, digital citizenship, and community.
• Advocate for ethical decisions and cultivate professional norms and culture.
• Develop and maintain a supportive, equitable, culturally responsive, and inclusive district culture.
• Evaluate, design, cultivate, and implement coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, data systems, supports, assessment, and instructional leadership.
• Engage families, communities, and other constituents in the work of schools and the district and to advocate for district, student, and community needs.
• Develop, monitor, evaluate, and manage data-informed and equitable district systems for operations, resources, technology, and human capital management.
• Cultivate relationships, lead collaborative decision making and governance, and represent and advocate for district needs in broader policy conversations.

Your IU Online Ed.S. in Educational Leadership prepares you for education administration careers at the preschool, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels.

Job titles include:

• Director of education
• Academic director
• Director of student services
• Library director
• Department chair
• Health services director
• Principal

Of Special Interest for K-12 Teachers Wanting to Transition to the Role of Administrator

• Applicants with a bachelor’s degree plus two years of classroom experience can enter the program directly and earn the degree after completing 60 hours of graduate coursework in educational leadership.
• Applicants with an advanced post-baccalaureate degree can apply up to 30 credit hours of coursework toward the requirements of this program.
• Applicants holding a post-baccalaureate degree from Indiana University may apply up to 36 credit hours.

Admissions

To be accepted to this program, you must have:

• A bachelor's degree

To apply to this program:

Complete an online application that includes:

1. Official transcripts from every college or university attended (except Indiana University)
2. Statement of purpose (750-1000 words)
3. Two letters of recommendation on official letterhead from current administrators (may include vice-principals, principals, and superintendents) addressing applicant’s potential for leadership
4. Licensure information or documentation of at least two years of teaching experience

Application Deadlines

• Fall semester | August 1
• Spring semester | January 1
• Summer 1 semester | May 1
• Summer 2 semester | June 15

Degree Requirements (60 cr.)

To earn the Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, you must complete 60 credit hours:

• Building-Level Administrator Requirements (24 cr.)
• District-Level Administrator Requirements (24 cr.)
• Electives (9 cr.)
• Leadership Seminar (3 cr.)

Building-Level Administrator Requirements (24 cr.)

1. Mission, Vision, and Improvement of Schools

Select one of the following:

• EDUC-A 500 Introduction to Educational Leadership
• EDUC-A 600 Problems in Educational Leadership

2. Ethics and Profesional Norms

Select one of the following:

• EDUC-A 540 Elementary and Secondary Administration
• EDUC-A 624 Educational Leadership: The Principalship K-12
• EDUC-A 625 Administration of Elementary Schools
• EDUC-A 627 Secondary School Administration

3. Equity, Inclusiveness, and Cultural Responsiveness

Select one of the following:

• EDUC-A 608 Legal Perspectives on Education
• EDUC-H 520 Education and Social Issues

4. Learning and Instruction

• EDUC-J 500 Instruction in the Context of Curriculum

5. Community and External Leadership

Select one of the following:

• EDUC-A 510 School Community Relations
• EDUC-A 653 Organizational Context of Education
• EDUC-T 550 Culture/Community Forces in Schools

6. Operations and Management

Select one of the following:

• EDUC-A 630 Economic Dimensions of Education
• EDUC-A 631 Micro Economic Applications to Education
• EDUC-A 635 Public School Budgeting
• EDUC-A 640 Planning Educational Facilities

7. Building and Professional Capacity

Select one of the following:

• EDUC-A 515 Educational Leadership: Teacher Development and Evaluation
• EDUC-A 670 Supervision of School Instruction

8. Internship

• EDUC-A 695 Practicum in Educational Leadership

District-Level Administrator Requirements (24 cr.)

1. Mission, Vision, and Improvement of Schools

• EDUC-A 671 Planning and Change in Educational Organizations

2. Ethics and Professional Norms

• EDUC-A 672 Moral Dimensions of Leadership

3. Equity, Inclusiveness, and Cultural Responsiveness

Select one of the following:

• EDUC-A 675 Leadership in Special Education
• EDUC-T 531 Organizational Change in Cultural and Linguistically Diverse Schools

4. Learning and Instruction

• EDUC-J 630 Curriculum Theory and Practice

5. Community and External Leadership

• EDUC-J 655 Seminar in Multicultural and Global Education

6. Operations Management

Select one of the following:

• EDUC-A 638 Public School Personnel Management
• EDUC-A 653 The Organizational Context of Education

7. Policy, Governance, and Advocacy

Select one of the following:

• EDUC-A 560 Political Perspectives of Education
• EDUC-A 615 Advanced School Law

8. Internship

• EDUC-A 785 Internship in Educational Leadership

Electives (9 cr.) 

Select three of the following:

• EDUC-A 530 Statistical Data for Educational Leaders
• EDUC-A 590 Independent Study in Educational Leadership
• EDUC-A 629 Data-Informed Decision Making for School Leaders
• EDUC-P 507 Assessment in Schools
• EDUC-P 540 Learning and Cognition in Education
• EDUC-Y 502 Intermediate Statistics Applied to Education
• EDUC-Y 510 Action Research I

Leadership Seminar (3 cr.)

Select one of the following:

• EDUC-A 680 Education Specialist Seminar (Educational Leadership)
• EDUC-A 754 Seminar in Research in Educational Leadership