Program Overview

Educational Leadership Program

The Educational Leadership Specialist (EdS) program is designed to provide students with an area of educational specialization, emphasizing practice to prepare them for administrative positions within a school system. This program is ideal for those seeking to become elementary, middle, and high school principals or superintendents.

Program Overview

Through the Educational Leadership (EdS) program, students will learn how to:

• Effectively run urban schools
• Design and implement curriculum
• Develop critical and creative thinking skills
• Positively impact school culture by meeting the needs of diverse student populations

The Educational Leadership (EdS) program offers advanced study beyond a master's degree, ideal for those not interested in pursuing a doctoral degree that requires a culminating dissertation or capstone. By earning an EdS in Educational Leadership, students will increase their skills for advanced licensure requirements or to meet state or professional requirements, which can be beneficial for career advancement and development in the field.

Program Structure

All in-person classes meet in the evenings on the Lincoln Park Campus. The program can be completed in just over three years.

Partnerships

DePaul University is partnered with Chicago Public Schools, the fourth-largest public school district in the country, the Archdiocese of Chicago, the nation's largest private school system, and suburban public, independent, and charter schools throughout the Chicago area. These partnerships provide students with access to leaders in the field who can guide their careers.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for the Education Specialist program, students must:

• Hold a bachelor's and master's degree from an accredited college or university
• Have a previous GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale

A complete application to the EdS program will include:

• Graduate admission application
• $40 domestic application fee, $75 international application fee
• Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended
• Résumé or curriculum vitae
• Three letters of recommendation, at least two of which should be from faculty in the master's program or from faculty for master's level coursework taken at other institutions
• A personal statement discussing interest in further study and articulating an issue or problem of interest or concern (approximately 3 pages)
• Writing sample from a master's-level class; alternatively, a 3-5 page response to readings provided by the Educational Leadership program

Degree Requirements

Students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 prior to the completion of 36 credit hours and 3.3 after the completion of 36 credit hours. Students are allowed no more than two grades of "C." Upon receiving a third grade of "C," students must retake the class in which the grade was received. Grades of "D" and "F" require that the course be retaken.

Course Requirements

• Core Courses: 24 quarter hours required
  • A&S 801: Leadership: Theory and Practice
  • CS 704: Curriculum Discourses/Perspectives Over Time
  • CS 751: Curriculum for Human and Community Development
  • SCG 701: Seminar: Philosophy of Education
  • SCG 711: Culture, Power and Education
  • SCG 721: Human Development and the Educational Process
• Research Courses: 12 quarter hours required
  • SCG 775: Foundations of Inquiry and Educational Research
  • Select two subsequent research courses from the following:
    • SCG 735: Quantitative Research Methods I
    • SCG 745: Qualitative Research Methods I
    • SCG 755: Quantitative Research Methods II
    • SCG 765: Qualitative Research Methods II
• Elective Requirement: 4 quarter hours required
  • One elective (4 quarter hours) from a list of approved courses
• Concentration Courses: 20 quarter hours required
  • A&S 803: The Superintendency: Programs, Systems, and Structures
  • A&S 823: Community and Consensus Building for School Improvement
  • A&S 843: The Politics of Schooling
  • A&S 873: Current Trends in Budgeting and Finance
  • A&S 883: School Law

Additional Endorsement Options

Students choosing to apply to one of the additional endorsement options are required to fulfill specific requirements, including:

• Teacher Leader Endorsement
• Principal Endorsement
• Superintendent Endorsement

Each endorsement has its own set of requirements, including proof of teaching experience, letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose.

Application Deadlines

The EdS program admits new students every quarter: fall, winter, spring, and summer. Regular deadlines are set for each term to assure students full consideration for admission and financial aid.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Educational Leadership program can expect to find employment in various administrative positions within school systems, including elementary, middle, and high school principal or superintendent roles. The average reported salary for Educational Leadership graduates was $53,000. Alumni of the program join a community of like-minded educators and administrators, providing a network of support and expertise necessary to become a transformational leader.