Online: Specialist Degree in Educational Administration
Specialist
Graduate
It's time to take your education career to the next level. Find your fearless.
If you're a superintendent, principal, or career special education director, this program trains you for the next step in your career. SEMO's specialist degree accommodates busy schedules of practicing educators like you with our 100% fully online program.
Since SEMO has been preparing educators since 1873, you can feel confident in our history, our reputation, and our accreditation. We're consistently recognized for academic excellence by the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings for institutions in the Midwest and fully accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.
Where Bold Ideas Take Place
As a specialist administration student, learn the tools to become transformative leaders who develop high quality programs to inspire, empower, and prepare students to succeed. More specifically, you’ll drive real change:
- Participate in an innovative project-based learning curriculum
- Continue working,and balancing life’s other responsibilities by taking online courses.
- Engage in productive learning relationships with students from a variety of districts.
- Gain real-world experience with an internship experience in your district.
What Can You Do with a Specialist Degree in Educational Administration?
The Specialist in Educational Administration Program prepares students to work in administrative roles in schools and school districts as superintendents, career principals and career special education directors.
The program also prepares students for non-certificated administration roles such as director of curriculum, director of finance, and director of transportation. Test prep for the Missouri certification exam is built into the program.
Career Opportunities
- Superintendent
- Elementary career principal
- Secondary career principal
- Career specialist education director
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Online: Educational Administration Specialist Degree Map
This is where you find your fearless.
Educational Administration by the Numbers
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$113K
Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for elementary, middle, and high school principals is $113,360.
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$77K
Instructional Coordinators
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for an instructional coordinator is $77,600.
Ed.S. Educational Administration Curriculum
The degree program is designed to be completed in five semesters including summer. Students should contact an academic advisor each semester and use Degree Works to monitor their progress. Students may begin the degree during any semester.
- A graduate GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- A master's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. The master's degree must be appropriate to the student's educational objective. If an applicant has a related degree other than school administration, the applicant may be required to complete additional coursework for certification purposes.
- A valid professional teaching certificate
- A resume showing two years of classroom teaching experience
Probationary Admission
Probationary admission will be considered when the applicant presents a GPA that is less than 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. The admissions committee may permit the student to take nine hours in the program area. The student will be required to achieve a 3.66 GPA with a minimum grade of ‘B’ in each course.30 Hours Required
3.25 GPA Required
Choose One of the Following Specialty Tracks:
Superintendency:
- EA707 Personnel Management in Education (3)
- EA709 Leadership and Communications (3)
- EA710 Leading District Improvement (3)
- EA737 Administration of Curriculum (3)
- EA743 Data for Continuous Improvement (3)
- EA755 Ethics, Law, and Policy (3)
- EA756 Financial Management and Leadership (3)
- EA760 Internship I: Specialist Level (3)
- EA761 Internship II: Specialist Level (3)
- EA785 School Plant Planning and Operation (3)
- GR799 Education Specialist Oral Examination (0)
Advanced Principalship:
Required Courses:
- EA707 Personnel Management and Leadership (3)
- EA709 Leadership & Communications (3)
- EA710 Leading District Improvement (3)
- EA737 Administration of Curriculum (3)
- EA743 Data for Continuous Improvement (3)
- EA755 Ethics, Law, and Policy (3)
- EA756 Financial Management & Leadership (3)
- EA785 School Plant Planning and Operation (3)
Choose 6 hours from the following:
- EA718 Instructional Leadership Strategies (3)
- EA722 Equity in Educational Leadership Practices (3)
- EA727 Curriculum Development & Alignment (3)
- EX390 Psychology and Education of the Exceptional Child
- EA625 Foundations of Educational Administration
- EA630 Elementary Administration
- EA635 Secondary Administration
- EA634 Supervision
- EA653 Curriculum for Educational Leaders
- EA646 & 656 Elementary Internship I & Internship II
- EA647 & EA657 Secondary Internship I & Internship II
- EA651 School Law
- EA655 School Business/Facilities Management/Public Relations
- EA660 Administration and Supervision of Special Education
- GR691 Methods of Research
The Specialist degree in School Administration is a 30-hour program that prepares candidates for certification as a superintendent (K-12), career principal (K-8/7-12), and career special education director (K-12). For students entering the program with a masters’ degree in school administration, only the 30 hours of core courses are required, and the program can be completed in five semesters including the summer. All courses are taught online with the 6 hours of internship conducted in the student’s school district.
For students who enter the program with a masters’ degree other than school administration, the advisor will determine the required prerequisite courses. All 600 level prerequisite courses can be taken online. For initial principal certification, Missouri requires a degree in administration. This means that a student must complete the prerequisites and the specialist degree before applying for the initial principal certificate.
Students who have one year of experience as a building level principal or special education director and do not desire the superintendent certificate may opt out of the internship. They would substitute two other courses for the 6 hours of credit. Students should discuss this option with their advisor.
College of Education, Health and Human Studies
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Cape Girardeau, MO 63701