ϲ

Submit
Open Calendar
The Lovinger Education Building

Breadcrumb

Click to print this page

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 — pandemics and technological advancements 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 200 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 Kansas City area. You can choose to learn alongside your peers over a two-year period or go at your own pace by combining on-campus and online courses.

View Courses


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


Faculty icon
Faculty
Request Info icon
Request Info
Visit icon
Visit
Apply icon
Apply

 

An icon showing flexibility

Flexible degree: study at your own pace

CAEP accreditation logo

CAEP-accredited Advanced Program

A university icon

UCM is a regional leader in education

A graduate icon

100% of faculty have terminal degrees

A certificate

Qualify for MO Principal Certification

A laptop

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. As a graduate student, you’ll build on your existing knowledge with coursework that covers a wide scope of leadership competencies, including finance, law, curriculum, data analysis, administration and supervision.

Throughout the graduate program, you’ll work with a mentor to observe, participate and facilitate school management and improvement roles. You’ll continue to work in your current position while broadening your impact in your school community.

 

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. Whether you attend in-person or online classes, you’ll solve real problems and make meaningful changes at your school.

 

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
  • Dr. John Paul Mees Scholarship

Learn more about program-specific scholarships by using the .

 

 

An elementary teacher in a busy hallway

 

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

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

Degree programs can also be modified to support certification as a Middle School Principal.

Entrance Requirements

  • A master's degree from an accredited institution
  • 3.25 or higher cumulative GPA
  • Teaching or student services (special education) certification
  • Experiences as a teacher or student services (special education) provider

Course Sequencing

Courses are offered on a rotating basis at both the Warrensburg and UCM-Lee’s Summit campuses. A few courses are offered online. 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 and Central Office Internships may only 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 DESE Performance Tasks, required for certification.

 

CAEP Logo

UCM is the longest continuously CAEP accredited public institution in Missouri

 

Request Info   Visit   Apply Today!

 

social-section