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Educational Leadership, EdS - School Leader: Grades K–12 Option

Graduate Educational Leadership Program - School Principal (K–12) EdS

Educators have to be prepared for change that can occur without warning, and students’ needs and learning styles and societal expectations are constantly evolving. Schools need strong leaders who can adapt to an ever-changing environment while continuing to deliver quality education. The University of Central Missouri’s Educational Leadership EdS - School Leader: Grades K–12 degree program prepares leaders for a strong future. 

With more than 250 UCM graduates in educational leadership roles in the state of Missouri, you may have already witnessed what a UCM Educational Leadership degree looks like in action — we value caring, service and excellence above all. If you’re ready to take on a leadership role, we’ll help you get there with the quality principal education requirements you need.

Earn your degree when and where you want it

We offer a flexible graduate program, so you can take courses to earn your Education Specialist degree at our Warrensburg or Lee’s Summit campuses, partially online or at a partnering school district in the region. You can choose to learn alongside your peers over a two-year period or go at your own pace.

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Contact

Dr. Bryan McDonald 
Associate Professor and Educational Leadership Program Coordinator
Lovinger 4110
Tel: 660-543-8996
bmcdonald@ucmo.edu

College of Education

Department of Counseling and Educational Leadership

Educational Leadership Program Brochure


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Flexible degree: study at your own pace

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CAEP-accredited Advanced Program

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UCM is a regional leader in education

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100% of faculty have terminal degrees

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Qualify for MO Principal Certification

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Attend class close to home or online

What you will study

UCM’s Educational Leadership degree for K–12 school leaders is designed for educators who already have a master’s degree but want to deepen their knowledge and skills.You will learn how to set a vision for your school that promotes student learning and continuous school improvement while creating a positive culture and an equitable learning environment. You’ll also learn how to supervise school personnel and strategically allocate school resources.

To support this learning, our graduate program curriculum includes courses on finance, law, data analysis and curriculum development and assessment. You’ll also choose an elective focused on a leadership experience to customize your master’s degree.

You’ll work alongside a mentor throughout the program to observe, participate and facilitate school management and improvement roles while maintaining your current teaching status.

 

Excellence in Educational Leadership

  • Top 15%: Most Focused Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
  • Top 6%: Most Popular Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)

 

Unique learning opportunities in educational leadership

As a graduate student in UCM’s Educational Leadership program, you’ll put your knowledge into action with hands-on learning opportunities. Most Educational Leadership students are also full-time teachers, so we’ve structured our program to adapt to your schedule and ensure that you can take advantage of knowledge-sharing opportunities with your peers:

  • Internships: Tie together everything you’ve learned by working with local administrators and real-life scenarios during a two-semester practicum at your school or another location of your choice. You’ll identify challenges that your school is facing and design and implement a solution that directly impacts your school and students.
  • Collaborative Principals Preparation Program (CPPP): Graduate students can take advantage of our collaborative partnership with Kansas City area school districts and complete their Educational Leadership degree close to home. Learn alongside teachers from area schools and benefit from the guidance and support of an administrative mentor from your school district.
  • Practical application: As a UCM student, you’ll learn by doing, applying your knowledge in real-world situations.

 

What can you do with an Educational Leadership degree from UCM?

When you earn your degree in Educational Leadership from UCM you’re demonstrating your commitment to creating a positive and effective learning environment while gaining the credentials you need to advance your career in a leadership position. Our EdS degree for K–12 school leaders provides the coursework required by the state to apply for certification for school administration once a performance assessment and content test have been successfully completed.

Graduates of this program can apply to a wide variety of leadership roles — including lead teacher, instructional coach or a central office position. If you plan to pursue a terminal degree, our EdS will equip you for advanced education and a successful future in school leadership.

Careers in educational leadership

Use the tool below to explore careers in educational leadership. View salary potential, employment trends, job growth rates and other career data.

 

 
 


 

Financial assistance options for your Educational Leadership degree

At the University of Central Missouri, we recognize that earning a degree is a big investment. We’re proud to offer a regionally recognized degree at a lower-than-average cost. In addition to our low tuition and fees, we offer financial resources such as scholarships, grants and awards to help finance your college education. In fact, we are recognized as a top-ranked university for low student debt by LendEDU and as a Best Value College by U.S. News & World Report.

Beyond the university-wide scholarships we offer, the College of Education offers three scholarships for our graduate students in the Educational Leadership degree program:

  • Cliff and Patty Mohn CPPP Scholarship
  • School Administration Scholarship
  • James L. and Judith A. Cockrell Middle School Leadership Scholarship
  • Mary E. Warren Elgeva Waller Education Administration Scholarship
  • Sandra and Charles Braithwait School Administration Scholarship

Learn more about program-specific scholarships by using the .

 

 

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Explore programs related to school leadership.
 

If you want to expand your leadership skills by focusing in greater depth on a particular area, take a look at UCM’s other Educational Leadership degrees:

 

Degree Options

  • K-12 Principal
  • Special Education Director (MSE can be in leadership or another area)
  • Superintendent (MSE should be in leadership, leading to initial building level certification)

Entrance Requirements

  • A master's degree from an accredited institution
  • 3.25 or higher cumulative GPA
  • Teaching certification
  • A minimum of three years of teaching experience

Course Sequencing

Courses are offered at both the Warrensburg and UCM-Lee’s Summit campuses. Students have flexibility with their schedules and time of completion. EDAD 5110 Foundations of Educational Administration should be taken within the first six hours. The Principal Internships (EDAD 6969 and 6971) are to be taken toward the end of the program of study.

Internships

At the end of the program you’ll complete an advanced practicum at your own school or another location of your choice. This gives you the opportunity to tie together everything you learned throughout your courses with local administrators and real life scenarios. The internships are also designed to provide support for those completing the MPEA Performance Assessment, required for certification.

 

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UCM is the longest continuously CAEP accredited public institution in Missouri

 

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