Student Learning Outcomes - The graduate with the Education Specialist (EdS) degree in Educational Leadership will use the knowledge and skills obtained in the program to promote the success of all students by:
- Facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community.
- Advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
- Ensuring management of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
- Collaborating with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources.
- Acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner .
- Understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.
The EdS in Educational Leadership program prepares school leaders who are reflective practitioners by requiring candidates to think analytically, practically and creatively about the teaching, learning, and the decision making processes associated with educational leadership.
The degree options available include Elementary Principal, Secondary Principal, Special Education Director, and Superintendent. The degree requires a minimum of 30 hours, however, course requirements within the options vary dependent upon a student’s master’s degree and/or existing certification. If one’s interest is certification in school administration.
To be accepted into any one of the above options the student must have a master’s degree in educational administration or in a certificate content area recognized by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and the student must have a minimum overall graduate grade point average of 3.25. Applicants who do not meet the above GPA criteria will be classified as a “non-degree seeking student” until achieving a minimum graduate grade point average of 3.50 during their first nine hours of graduate study in courses appropriate to the degree program and meet one of the following: 1) a minimum combined (verbal and quantitative) score of 295 on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE); or 2) a passing score on the state content test for Principal certification.
The EdS in Educational Leadership supports several DESE professional certification options, including initial DESE certification as a Building Level Administrator (Elementary Principal, Secondary Principal, Special Education Director), and initial DESE certification as Superintendent. A program may be planned which could lead to additional DESE certification as a middle school principal. The EdS in Educational Leadership meets the degree requirements for Continuous Career Certification by DESE.
Initial DESE certification requirements include the completion of a graduate degree in educational leadership; completion of a course in Education of the Exceptional Child; a valid Missouri teaching or student services certificate; a minimum of two years of teaching or student services experience; and the satisfactory completion of all requirements established by DESE, including passing scores on required assessments. Each building level administrator and Superintendent Certification has specific pre-requisite credentialing and experience regulations applicable to that position.
An applicant for an initial building level administrator’s DESE certificate must receive a recommendation for DESE certification from the UCM Director of Clinical Services and Certification. Recommendation will be based upon the completion of all requirements established by DESE. Inquiries regarding DESE certification in school administration can be directed to the UCM Director of Clinical Services and Certification at 660-543-8441. For information concerning degree contact the Educational Leadership program coordinator in the School of Professional Education and Leadership.
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