Educational Specialist: Educational Administration
The educational specialist degree with emphasis in school administration (accredited by the National Council for Accreditation
of Teacher Education and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) prepares teachers for specialization in school leadership and
administration. The program also provides an opportunity for practicing administrators to enhance their professional skills and to connect with other practitioners from the metropolitan area and region. To this end, the program's emphasis is the development of broad understanding and experiences across the whole professional field, the acquisition of in-depth knowledge in at least one specialized field in educational administration, and integrative experiences demonstrating the application of theory to practice.
The program of study will be planned in accord with the candidates'
professional goals. Emphasis areas include:
- General administration (school superintendents and other central
office administrators)
- Secondary principals or assistant principals
- Elementary principals or assistant principals
Although not essential to completion of the educational specialist degree, the master of arts may be earned by the candidate at approximately the halfway point.
Requirements for Admission
Candidates must:
- Possess a bachelor's or master's degree.
- Have compatible teacher certification if seeking administrative certification (i.e., to be an elementary principal one must be an elementary teacher).
- Have at least two years of professional education
experience.
- Meet unconditional admission requirements of the School of Graduate Studies, the School of Education and the Division of Urban Leadership and Policy Studies.
Curriculum
A minimum of 36 credit hours is required in the major area.
Individual programs will be designed with the assistance of the faculty adviser to
develop competencies in the theoretical, technical and functional aspects of
educational administration.
The basic prerequisite course for the K-12 program is:
- EDUL 5501, Foundations of School Leadership and Organization
The basic
prerequisite course for the higher educational administration program is:
- EDUL 5550, Organization and Administration of Higher Education
Completion of one of the following is required in all programs:
- EDUL 5574 Administrative Practicum
- EDUL 5570 Administrative Practicum in Higher Educational Administration
- EDUL 5575 Internship in Administration
- EDUL 5571 Internship in Higher Educational Administration
Candidates are required to complete 18-27 credit hours of work in the supporting areas in education and humanistic and behavioral studies.
Courses in the field of educational psychology, history of education,
philosophy of education, sociology of education, curriculum, counseling,
anthropology and approved courses from the Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration or from the behavioral sciences or humanities are considered appropriate.
Also required are both of the following:
- EDRP 5508, Principles and Methods of Research
- A second approved research course, such
as statistics or a computer language.
Note: Students should identify a faculty adviser in urban leadership and policy studies in education at the time of admission to the School of Education. Final program planning is a joint responsibility of the candidate, the faculty adviser and the candidate's committee.
The committee, consisting of three members of the faculty, is established for
each candidate early in the program of study. This committee and the candidate work cooperatively in reviewing progress in the program, planning the field project and making arrangements for the oral examination. The committee makes recommendations to the dean of the School of Education regarding the candidate's program and the satisfactory completion of graduation requirements.
Requirements for Graduation
In addition to the general School of Education graduate degree requirements, the Ed.S. degree in educational administration also requires:
- EDUL 5574 Administrative Practicum
-or-
EDUL 5570 Administrative Practicum in Higher Education
-or-
EDUL 5575 Administrative Internship
-or-
EDUL 5571 Administrative Internship in Higher Educational Administration.
- A planned field experience.
- A written project.
- A final oral examination upon completion of the administrative
practicum or internship.
- The educational specialist degrees designed to meet state
certification requirements for school superintendency and special
education administration have specific course requirements in addition to
the above.
