Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership

Educational Leadership/Administration offers two tracks for the Specialist degree:

The Advanced Masters/Specialist degree track leads to Level I certification in Educational Leadership, is offered in a totally online format, and courses may not count toward a doctoral program (For more information, contact Dr. Rhonda Blackwell-Flanagan (rflanagan@fsu.edu; 850.644.8166).

The second track is a regular Specialist degree is offered in a face-to-face form, does not lead to certification, and courses may be counted for a doctoral program (For more information, contact Dr. Judith Irvin, (jirvin@fsu.edu; 850.644.6447)

Advanced Masters/Specialist Degree
in Educational Leadership/Administration
(online format and leads to certification, and
may not be counted toward the doctoral degree)

Mission Statement
The mission of the Educational Leadership/Administration program is to develop and enhance dynamic, high performing leadership for the renewal and improvement of schools and school systems. Our program is designed to help those in leadership roles provide effective leadership for teaching and learning. Our program philosophy is informed by democratic values, including respect for individual rights and responsibilities, participatory and public decision making, pluralism, accountability, and organizational integrity.

Our faculty improves leadership for present and future schools. We value reflective, practice-oriented research and inquiry by faculty and students. We promote leadership qualities of honesty, dynamism, creativity, competence, challenge and respect for diversity. We value high-quality and action-oriented leadership and endorse a participatory and shared leadership style.

Advanced Masters/Specialist degree

The degree in Educational Leadership/Administration is a post-master's degree program for experienced teachers, school and district administrators, and other educators who seek to develop their leadership potential and competency. These individuals are committed to the improvement of Pre-K-12 education, especially at the school level and aspire to be leaders in their organizations, whatever their roles and responsibilities. This advanced masters/specialist degree may not be articulated toward the doctoral degree in any program offered in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.

Upon completion of the degree, graduates will have mastered a core set of knowledge in the field of Educational Leadership. Graduates will have also demonstrated knowledge and competence in using analysis and synthesis in coursework.

Admissions
An applicant for admission to the Specialist program must hold a Master's degree from an accredited institution and meet the following GPA requirements: (1) a GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale for the last two years of undergraduate study; (2) a GPA of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale for a Master's degree, and; (3) a score of at least 900 on the GRE with neither the verbal nor the quantitative portion under 400.

Progress Toward the Degree
The faculty of Educational Leadership/Administration provides advisement for each student. An advisor will be appointed.

Specialist Degree Coursework Requirements
36 hours beyond the masters degree comprise this advanced maters/specialist degree. A student is not eligible for conferral of a degree unless the cumulative GPA is at least 3.0 in formal graduate work.

No more than 12 hours taken as a special student may be transferred in to any degree program.

Transfer Courses

A student may transfer up to six semester hours of relevant course credit into the doctoral program, provided the courses were earned with a grade of “B” or higher, approved by the student’s advisory committee, were taken after the masters degree was awarded, and within the five years from the date of admission.

Final Demonstration of Knowledge and Competence

The final demonstration of competence is the ePortfolio.  Student must register for the Masters Comprehensive Examination (EDA 8966) at the beginning of the semester in which the portfolio will be completed.  The Portfolio is comprised of the following components:

• Presentation of the Leadership Development Plan, including self-assessment and mentor feedback on the leadership standards;
• Reflection on field experiences; and
• Conceptual Connections across Coursework paper. 

Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership/Administration
(face-to-face format; may be counted for the doctoral degree)

Mission Statement
The mission of the Educational Leadership/Administration program is to develop and enhance dynamic, high performing leadership for the renewal and improvement of schools and school systems. Our program is designed to help those in leadership roles provide effective leadership for teaching and learning. Our program philosophy is informed by democratic values, including respect for individual rights and responsibilities, participatory and public decision making, pluralism, accountability, and organizational integrity.

Our faculty improves leadership for present and future schools. We value reflective, practice-oriented research and inquiry by faculty and students. We promote leadership qualities of honesty, dynamism, creativity, competence, challenge and respect for diversity. We value high-quality and action-oriented leadership and endorse a participatory and shared leadership style.

Specialist degree

The Education Specialist's degree in Educational Leadership is a post-master's degree program for experienced teachers, school and district administrators, and other educators who seek to develop their leadership potential and competency. These individuals are committed to the improvement of Pre-K-12 education, especially at the school level and aspire to be leaders in their organizations, whatever their roles and responsibilities. Individual programs of study are tailored to enhance the competencies required to fulfill the student's career goals.

Upon completion of the degree, graduates will have mastered a core set of knowledge in the field of Educational Leadership. Graduates will have also demonstrated knowledge and competence in using analysis and synthesis in coursework.

Admissions
An applicant for admission to the Specialist program must hold a Master's degree from an accredited institution and meet the following GPA requirements: (1) a GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale for the last two years of undergraduate study; (2) a GPA of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale for a Master's degree, and; (3) a competitive score on the GRE of 900 or higher with neither portion below 400.

Admission to the specialist degree program is highly selective and meeting minimum requirements is no guarantee of admission. Additional factors relevant to admission include: (1) teaching, management, and/or leadership experience; (2) outstanding written and oral communication skills; (3) high motivation to achieve personal and professional goals; and (4) evidence of conceptual ability to conduct independent research.

Progress Toward the Degree
The faculty of Educational Leadership/Administration provides advisement for each student. A temporary advisor, appointed by the department chair, advises new students beginning with their first semester of enrollment. The major professor is appointed with the approval of the department chair during the student's first semester. The major professor must be selected from the EDA faculty. Members of the student's supervisory committee are determined in consultation with the major professor subject to the approval of the department chair and the willingness of the faculty members to serve.   Coursework for this specialist may articulate toward an EdD or PhD in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.

Specialist Degree Coursework Requirements
A minimum of 33-34 hours beyond the masters degree is required. A student is not eligible for conferral of a degree unless the cumulative GPA is at least 3.0 in formal graduate work.

A student wishing to obtain Florida Educational Leadership Certification is required to take the following courses:

Specialist degree students who seek Florida Educational Leadership Certification may substitute required advanced courses for core certification courses as follows:

EDA 6931 Perspectives of Leadership Theory for EDA 5192 Educational Leadership
EDA 6193 Leading Learning for EDA 5504 Instructional Leadership

Final Demonstration of Knowledge and Competence

Students should contact the Graduate Section of the Registrar's Office the first week of the semester they plan to graduate to make final arrangements to ensure that everything is in order for graduation.

Comprehensive Exam
The student will take the educational specialist's comprehensive exam at or near the end of completing course requirements. The exam may be taken when no more than two courses are remaining for completion of the Program of Study. Students must register for the Educational Specialist's Comprehensive Exam (EDA 8967) at the beginning of the semester in which the examination is to be written and defended; the exam generally takes six hours to complete. Upon request by a committee member, a follow-up oral exam may be requested. Students should contact the department to obtain a reference number for EDA 8967.

It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with all of the requirements presented in the Florida State University General Bulletin--Graduate Edition, as well as requirements outlined in this document for graduation or certification purposes. Refer to the Bulletin under which you originally enrolled in the educational specialist's program.