Ed.S. Program

The Ed.S. program is designed to prepare students to enter school and district leadership positions.

The specialist degree in educational leadership consists of 42 credit hours beyond a master’s degree. Students can take courses on-campus, online, or a combination of both. Students have the option to earn eligibility for the State of Florida’s Level 1 Educational Leadership certification through completion of a curriculum in educational leadership, supervised practice, and passage of the Florida Educational Leadership Examination (FELE).

The specialist can be pursued in one of two tracks – the degree with corresponding eligibility for Florida Level 1 certification in Educational Leadership OR the degree without corresponding eligibility for Florida certification in Educational Leadership. Students entering with at least three years of teaching experience are eligible for the certification track, though those entering with less can transition to the certification track upon completion of three years of teaching.

Students who continue their education with this specialist program graduate prepared to take on school and district leadership roles. This program integrates academic coursework with practitioner-based experience to put theory into action.

More information about this degree program can be obtained by emailing Dr. Walter Balser.

Tuition and Fees Frequently Asked Questions Email Program Coordinator Application Instructions Apply Now

Program Requirements

A bachelor’s, master’s, or terminal degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a degree deemed equivalent by the University Of Florida Office Of Admission.
A minimum grade point average of 3.0 upper-division (last 60 credits) undergraduate work.
An acceptable graduate grade point average for previous graduate work.
Candidates for the On-Campus Ed.S. may be invited for an interview for further evidence of program fit and scholarly potential.

Program Overview

Entry: Fall, Spring, Summer
Typical course load:6-9 credits/semester
Full-time/Part-time:Full-time/Part-time
Application Deadline: February 15th (Summer), July 1 (Fall), and October 15th (Spring)
Average Class Size:10-15 students
Program Completion:~3 years