Education Specialist in Educational Leadership and Administration
The George Washington University’s Education Specialist (EdS) in Educational Leadership and Administration is a specialized degree that prepares students to lead and promote high-quality student achievement at a district, sub-district or school-wide level. The education specialist degree program is ideal for students with a master's degree in education who seek further professional preparation for specific objectives.
Additionally, the EdS is a terminal degree for those who do not wish to pursue a doctoral degree, and as a result, EdS graduates may save time and money by pursuing this 30-credit hour program, which is generally shorter than most doctoral programs.
GW’s program is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC). Completion of this degree may also prepare qualified candidates for principal or administrator licensure. This program’s courses and internship experiences are designed to meet the academic requirements for administrative certification/licensure for the District of Columbia , Maryland , Virginia , North Carolina and other interstate compact agreement partners.
As a graduate of the Education Specialist degree, you will be prepared with the applicable skills and real-world experience to meet the needs of diverse learning communities as a PK-12 leader who understands curriculum design, instructional excellence, motivation and support of classroom professionals, the broader community and the needs of diverse learning communities. Evidence-based coursework and internship opportunities emphasize leadership, change, communication, administrative issues, human relations, supervision and curriculum analysis.
Highlights
Why GW’s EdS in Educational Leadership and Administration?
- Specialized Skills: Develop a specialized skill set that includes theory, practice and research to help make you more competitive in the job market.
- Applied Leadership Emphasis: Design and implement an evidence-based action research project addressing an area of instructional need with an application to program curriculum.
- Licensure Preparation: Coursework prepares students for licensure opportunity as an administrator or principal with academic and field experiences designed to meet the academic requirements for administrative certification/endorsement of the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and other interstate compact agreement partner states.
Curriculum
GW's Education Specialist in Educational Leadership and Administration is a 30-credit degree and can be completed in an accelerated format in as little as 2 years.
The program requires a variety of internship experiences that provide important opportunities for students to synthesize and apply knowledge and practice and to develop the skills identified in Standards 1-7 in the National Educational Leadership Preparation standards. Through these administrative internships, students gain authentic leadership experience by observing and participating in leadership experiences and opportunities within diverse learning communities.
The program includes courses and required internship experiences designed to meet administrative certification/licensure requirements in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and other states that honor interstate compact agreements.
30 credit hours
- EDUC 6232 Supervision of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (3 credits)
- EDUC 6234 Foundations of K-12 Educational Leadership (3 credits)
- EDUC 6236 School Law and Policy (3 credits)
- EDUC 6238 Leadership for Equity and Social Justice (3 credits)
- EDUC 6240 Instructional Leadership for School Improvement (3 credits)
- EDUC 6244 School, Family, and Community Engagement (3 credits)
- EDUC 6246 School Finance and Resource Management for School Leaders (3 credits)
- EDUC 6270 Education Policy for School Leaders (3 credits)
- EDUC 6272 Leading Evidence-Based Action Research for School Improvement (3 credits)
- EDUC 6287 Internship: Administration (3 credits)
While most students intern at their employing school/district, individual placements are not guaranteed.
Cohort Options
DC Public School Cohort: Convenient and flexible classes will be offered in a hybrid model for the Master's and Education Specialist degrees in Fall 2023.
Loudoun County Cohort: Convenient and flexible classes will be offered in a hybrid model for the Post-Master’s Certificate, Master's and Education Specialist degrees in Loudoun County in Fall 2023, with some classes held online asynchronously and some held on-site at an LCPS Building.
Certificate Offered
GW offers a Post-master's Certificate in Educational Leadership and Administration and a Master's in Educational Leadership and Administration (online).
Should you wish to pursue the Graduate Certificate prior to the EdS degree, there is opportunity to transfer those GW Educational Leadership and Administration earned certificate credit hours into the Education Specialist (EdS) degree in Educational Leadership and Administration as defined by GSEHD policies.
Program Outcomes
Successful completion of GW's education specialist graduate program will prepare you to lead and promote high-quality student achievement at a district, sub-district or school-wide level with skills that include:
- Mastery of theoretical and practical aspects of leadership, planning and change processes
- Demonstration of knowledge of critical issues in supervision, instruction evaluation, resource allocation and policy
- Ability to promote excellence, equity and efficiency in education
- Develop and maintain educational administration through applied research and practice in methodological, historical, social, economic and political contexts
Faculty
| Clayton, Jennifer | Professor, Educational Administration |
| Jamison, Kimberly | Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership and Administration |
| Nganga, Christine | Associate Professor, Education Administration |
| Sherrill Linkous, Kelly | Assistant Professor, Educational Administration |
| Shirrell, Matthew | Associate Professor, Educational Leadership and Administration |
| Tekleselassie, Abe | Professor, Educational Administration |
| Thessin, Rebecca | Associate Professor, Educational Administration |
| Trimmer, Leslie | Assistant Professor of Practice, Education Administration |
Career Outlook
The George Washington University’s Education Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration degree program prepares you to lead and promote high-quality student achievement at a district, sub-district or school-wide level. Graduates are ready to be PK-12 leaders who understand curriculum design, instructional excellence, motivation and support of classroom professionals, the broader community, and the needs of diverse learning communities.
This program may also prepare qualified candidates for administrator/principal licensure, and has been designed to meet the administrative certification requirements of the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and other interstate compact agreement partner states.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Services, elementary, middle and high school principals earned a median $98,420 annual salary in 2021, with jobs in the field expected to grow 5% by 2031.1 Postsecondary education administrators earned a median $96,910 in 2021, with jobs expected to grow 7% by 2031.2
Career Opportunities for Graduates
- Principal
- Assistant principal
- Athletic director
- Central office administrator
- PK-12 Dean
- Department chair
- Director of admissions
- Education advisor
- Education consultant
- Program director
Potential Employment Settings
- Consulting organizations
- Government departments and agencies
- Higher education institutions
- PK-12 public, private or charter schools
1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/elementary-middle-and-high-school-principals.htm (visited October 31, 2022).
2 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Postsecondary Education Administrators, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/postsecondary-education-administrators.htm (visited October 31, 2022).
Admissions
Program Entry: On-Campus (Fall) - Online (Spring, Summer, Fall)
Prerequisites: Master's Degree, One Year Teaching Experience
Campus: Alexandria Campus, Online
Application Requirements
- Online Application
- Resume
- Statement of Purpose (500-750 word essay): Please address the following statements in an essay (please avoid using bullets and numbers in responding, but demonstrate your writing skills in a coherent essay):
- Rationale for seeking a Post-Master’s Certificate in the field of Educational Administration and Administration at GW;
- Current knowledge, skills, and leadership experiences that contribute to your readiness to assume an administrative role as an equity-centered leader;
- Vision for serving as a leader who advocates and promotes equity, diversity, inclusion, and transformative practices in your school and communities.
- 2 Letters of Recommendation (at least 1 from a current administrator preferred)
- Transcripts
- Interview may be required
*Additional application requirements may exist for international applicants
For more information on any of these requirements, please visit our Admissions FAQ page.
Apply
Applications are now being accepted for Fall 2023. We encourage you to apply as early as possible.
| Semester | Fall 2023 | Spring 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Fully Completed App Deadline | Aug 1 | Nov 15 |
For more information, contact the GSEHD Admissions Team at gsehdadm@gwu.edu or 202-994-9283.
Transformation Begins Here
Learn more about the Education Specialist in Educational Leadership and Administration program. Complete the form linked below or contact the GSEHD Admissions Team at 202-994-9283.
