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Education Specialist Degree in Educational Administration
Advance into leadership with innovation and integrity.
The Ed.S. degree combines an administrative licensure certificate — be it K–12 principal, director of special education, or superintendent — with six additional credits of specialized coursework, providing a comprehensive pathway to educational leadership.
The title “Education Specialist” (Ed.S.) signifies a unique academic achievement, positioning itself between a master’s and a doctorate, showcasing advanced expertise in education. It involves practical research, skill refinement, and culminates in a thesis that deepens your knowledge without the length of a doctoral dissertation.
Taught by experienced administrators and experts in the field, our program is rooted in leadership theory, the principles of wise leadership, and practical skills needed by school administrators to become effective leaders. At Saint Mary’s, you’ll grow as a moral leader, fostering integrity, virtue, and personal growth.
No matter your administrative career path, earning an Ed.S. degree will elevate your skills as an administrator and leader. Enroll in our program and begin your transformative journey, both professionally and personally.
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Program Highlights
- Attend our required annual one-day Summer Institute to connect with faculty, peers, and inspiring speakers
- Strengthen your leadership skills with courses embedded in character and virtue formation, developed to enhance our Ed.S. program that emphasizes the moral character of educational leaders
- You’ll be supported by a dedicated university advisor with education experience, guiding you from admission to completion with academics, field experiences, and program-related questions.
- Discover scholarships available through our partnerships with several regional and national employers. See if your employer is part of our Trusted Partnership Program. Learn more.
What You'll Learn
- Collaborative, visionary planning, and decision making to lead education institutions
- Operational management, including human, financial, and physical resources
- Effective learning environments and experiences for all students
- Practical ethical leadership to ensure the best interests of all learners
- Appreciation and cultivation of diversity
- Inclusiveness and effective communication
Information Session
Experiencing the Saint Mary's difference.
Samantha Holland knew classrooms would be changed forever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, she decided to embrace these challenges and navigate the complexities ahead by pursuing her Ed.S. in Educational Administration at Saint Mary’s.
This is Samantha’s inspiring story toward becoming an educational administrator and the support she found from our dedicated faculty at Saint Mary’s:
Admissions
Ready to apply? Learn about taking the next steps.
- Applicants must possess a master’s degree and at least 21 credits from among any of the following: teaching techniques, curriculum design, communication skills, education research/assessment, education leadership or administration. If additional credits are required to meet the entrance requirement, those credits must be earned before starting Ed.S. program coursework.
- According to the Board of School Administrators for the State of Minnesota, an applicant for licensure as a superintendent, principal, or special education director shall have three years of successful classroom teaching experience while holding a classroom teaching license valid for the position or positions in which the experience was gained.
Students with transcripts from universities located outside of the United States, unless from a waiver country listed here, are required to take and pass English Proficiency testing.
Saint Mary’s accepts:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 72
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum score of 6.0
- Michigan Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) with a minimum score of 74%
- International Test of English Proficiency (ITEP) with a minimum score of 4.0 or Pearson Test of English with a score of 51
- Duolingo with a minimum score of 100.
Applicants must submit the following:
- Completed application form with the nonrefundable application fee (fee not required for alumni or students seeking readmission or veterans and active military personnel), and
- An official transcript(s) issued to Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota from the institution posting the applicant’s completed bachelor degree and other relevant transcripts documenting program prerequisites and potential transfer credits.
- An official transcript is one that is sent to the university by the credit-granting institution.
- Transcripts from countries other than the U.S. must be evaluated on a course by course basis by a university accepted evaluation service, such as World Education Services, Educational Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, or One Earth International Credential Evaluators and be deemed equivalent to accredited U.S. university standards.
- Evaluations from an approved member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES.org) will also be accepted.
- A personal statement which includes:
- brief description of the applicant’s background, training, and experience; and
- statement indicating the career goals of the applicant and his or her reasons for seeking admission to the program and,
- statement indicating the career goals of the applicant and his or her reasons for seeking admission to the program and,
- personal information the applicant wishes to share.
- Names of two people (including title, organization, email, phone number) who could serve as professional references, if needed, during the application review process. The best references are those who know you in a professional capacity, such as current or former supervisors.
- A current résumé listing educational background and work experience.
- Applicants with international transcripts may require an English language proficiency exam (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or MELAB accepted.)
Please Note: Application materials should be sent to the attention of the Office of Admission on the Twin Cities Campus.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Office of Admission
2500 Park Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55404Or electronically: tcadmission@smumn.edu
Please reach out with any questions about the application process.
Phone: (612) 728-5100
Toll-free: (866) 437-2788E-mail: tcadmission@smumn.edu
Spring 2024 (January): Friday, Dec. 1, 2023
You can expect to be notified about your acceptance approximately two weeks following your application completion date.
Explore options to finance your education.
At Saint Mary’s, we are committed to making your investment as accessible and affordable as possible. Learn more about tuition, fees, financial aid, and scholarships.
Course Catalog
With both the Ed.S. program and your chosen administrativeative licensure courses, you’ll focus on how to combine organizational leadership theories with the practical skills school administrators need to become effective leaders of learning organizations. You’ll take courses such as:
- School Leadership: Purpose and Motivation
- Ethical Decision Making for School Leaders
- Leading Flourishing Schools
- Continuous Improvement for Learning
The course catalog provides complete information about course requirements.
Careers & Salary
The Ed.S. in Educational Administration at Saint Mary’s prepares educators for principal, superintendent, and district leadership roles. Common job titles include:
School Principal
-Superintendent
-Director of Student Services
-Director of Special Education
-District Administrator
-Educational Policy Advisor
-For career insights, visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook or organizations such as the American Association of School Administrators (AASA).
Related Programs
Frequently Asked Questions
At Saint Mary’s, we want you to succeed, and we help you do so, inside and outside of the classroom:
Student Central: Your one-stop for student services.
Library: Resources and services are available 24/7 to all students.
Writing Center: Offers virtual and face-to-face services to support students.
Career Services: Can help you develop your career-readiness skills at any point in your education.
If you are in a degree-granting program and enrolled at least half time, you may be eligible for financial aid.
Life gets busy. Whether you’re raising a family, pursuing your career, or playing an active role in your community, we know you want to keep up with what you love while you take the next step in your career. That’s why Saint Mary’s online programs are flexible and designed to fit your demanding life.
Complete your initial Minnesota administrative licensure coursework (minimum of 30 credits) and choose to complete the Ed.S. in Educational Administration degree. The degree is awarded upon successful completion of three additional courses, including an action research methods course, an action research seminar course in which you’ll complete and document your action research project in a thesis, and a presentation of your research thesis during your exit assessment.
The K-12 Principal administrative licensure program focuses on developing effective management skills that prepare you to advance into school administrative leadership. Our practitioner-led faculty will help you gain an understanding of the 12 core administrative competencies, with three additional competencies required for Minnesota K-12 principal licensure. You’ll also engage in a 320-hour field experience internship with a minimum of 40 hours at the elementary, junior/middle, and high school levels.
Requirements
- A master’s degree in any field
- Minimum of three years of teaching experience
This fully online program educates students on the planning and development of curriculum, assessment, and instruction necessary for effective Special Education leadership. Upon completing the program, you will be prepared to oversee, evaluate, and supervise special education programs. Our curriculum is led by faculty with practical leadership experience and can be completed in as little as two years.
Requirements
- A master’s degree in any field
- Minimum of three years of special educationteaching experience
As a superintendent, you will serve as a problem-solver, expert communicator, and ethical example for your community. Our practitioner-led faculty draws on real-world experience to impart the most relevant information needed in today’s school districts. This online program will prepare you for Minnesota Administrative Licensure with only six more credits beyond your principal or special ed director license.
Requirements
- A master’s degree in any field
- Minimum of three years of teaching experience
- Current K-12 administrative license or director of special education license
Salary.com, Director of Special Education Salary in Minnesota at https://www.salary.com/research/salary/posting/director-of-special-education-salary/mn#:~:text=How%20much%20does%20a%20Director,falls%20between%20%2499%2C452%20and%20%24125%2C075. (visited Oct. 3, 2023).
ZipRecruiter, School Superintendent Salary in Minnesota at https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/School-Superintendent-Salary–in-Minnesota (visited Oct.3)
ZipRecruiter, High School Prinicpal Salary in Minnesota at https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/High-School-Principal-Salary–in-Minnesota (visited Oct. 3)