Degree Programs in Educational Leadership

• M.A. with Principal Licensure
  This is a master’s program consisting of 36 semester hours (s.h.): 24 s.h. of courses and 12 s.h. of clinicals.  Upon completion of this degree, students will have completed the requirements to obtain an Iowa Administration License, which makes them eligible for K-12 school principal positions.  In order to obtain the Iowa administrator license, teachers must have at least 3 years of teaching at the K-12 level.
• M.A. without Principal Licensure
  This is a master’s degree program consisting of 36 semester hours (s.h.): 24 s.h. of leadership coursework and 12 s.h. of electives in a leadership-related area of study.  This degree does not result in any kind of licensure.
• Ed.S. in School Curriculum and Assessment Policy
  This is an education specialist degree program consisting of 36 semester hours of interdisciplinary coursework for educators who already have a master's degree.  The program prepares students for positions such as district curriculum directors or assessment directors, state testing programs, and state departments of education.  This degree does not result in any kind of licensure or endorsement.
  Note: The education specialist degree (Ed.S.) is considered an intermediate degree between a masters and a doctorate for education practitioners.
• Ed.S. in Educational Leadership
  This is an educational specialist degree program consisting of 36 semester hours of superintendency coursework for educators who already have their master's degree and Iowa Administration License.  The Educational Leadership Ed.S. program prepares candidates for the superintendency in Iowa, as well as other district level leadership positions in a K-12 school district, area education agency chief administrator, or state or federal departments of education.  Candidates will obtain the superintendent endorsement (State of Iowa Endorsement 171) upon the completion of the coursework requirements.
  Note: The education specialist degree (Ed.S.) is considered an intermediate degree between a masters and a doctorate for education practitioners.
• Ph.D. in Educational Leadership
  The Educational Leadership doctoral program requires 90 semester hours (s.h.) beyond a bachelors degree: 12 s.h. of common courses, 9 s.h. of a cognate area in a different department, 29 s.h. of electives, 12 s.h. of a specific area of concentration, 18 s.h. of research courses, and 10 s.h. of dissertation research.  The program prepares students for a wide range of leadership positions in education and public sector settings.  This degree does not result in any kind of licensure or endorsement.