Program Availability
The online/hybrid School Administration EdS is open to eligible students in the U.S. (including the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories). The program is closed to students residing in countries other than the U.S. except for U.S. military and State Department personnel and their family members with APO/FPO addresses. The EdS is a blended online learning program using a combination of interactive online sessions augmented by required on-campus sessions.
Why Earn an Online School Administration EdS at Indiana State?
If you are an educator seeking the Indiana Superintendent License or another leadership role in education, the online School Administration EdS is designed for you. Our program is a practitioner’s degree that invests you with the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to succeed in various educational leadership roles.
Benefit from a Program Designed for Working Adults
The Department of Educational Leadership offers the online/hybrid School Administration EdS to provide educators with opportunities for career development in elementary or secondary school administration. The program can qualify students for the Indiana Standard Superintendent License as well as other leadership positions.
The program is designed to serve public and private sector working professionals seeking positions of leadership in either setting. Requirements include a Seminar in Superintendency course, an internship in the student’s local district office, and an applied leadership project and professional portfolio.
The Educational Leadership EdS supports a rolling curriculum, allowing students to start the program any semester or during the summer session. The program is often completed in 1-2 years for students taking 2-3 courses per semester, including the summer session. Students do have the option of extending the program and choosing a less aggressive schedule. However, all degree requirements must be completed within eight years of admission.
This is a blended online learning program using a combination of interactive online sessions augmented by required on-campus sessions.
Licensure Information
The School Administration EdS can qualify students for the Indiana Standard Superintendent License. To acquire the licensure, students need a Professional Educator license, two years of teaching experience, and a passing score on the state licensure examination.
Please note that this program prepares students for licensure or certification in Indiana. The program may or may not lead to licensure in other states. Students need to have or be eligible for an Indiana school building leaders’ license” to pursue the Superintendent License with the degree program. Out-of-state students must contact their state licensing authority to ensure that, upon completion of the program, they are qualified to obtain a license or other form of certification. Visit the U.S. Department of Education to determine specific requirements for a particular state. For important information, visit Licensure or Certification Information.
Learn from Our Excellent Faculty
As a graduate student in the Department of Educational Leadership, you will benefit from classes taught by dedicated faculty mentors with diverse expertise and experience. All hold advanced degrees, collaborate with practicing professionals, and engage in scholarly and/or service activities at the state, regional, national, and international levels.
Recent faculty awards in the Department of Educational Leadership include the University’s Presidential Medal for Exemplary Teaching and Scholarship, the Theodore Dreiser Distinguished Research and Creativity Award, the A. Elmwood and Juneth S. Adams Awarded Professor, the Faculty Distinguished Service Award, and the Bayh College of Education Holmstedt Distinguished Professorship Award.
What You’ll Learn in the Online School Administration EdS Program
Coursework includes topics in personnel, school finance and budget, facilities planning, leadership, district administration, and related subjects. Culminating program requirements include a Seminar in Superintendency capstone course, an internship in the student’s local district office, and an applied leadership project and professional portfolio.
Transfer Credit
The online School Administration EdS is 60 additional credits beyond a bachelor’s degree, inclusive of the central office internship. A student working toward the educational specialist degree may transfer up to 39 hours of graduate credit either applied to a completed master’s degree or to an administrative license or certificate issued by a state department of education. Courses must be approved in advance by the department’s admission committee or the advisor in light of guidelines established by the committee.
Progress Toward the Degree
During the period of study leading to the educational specialist degree, a graduate student must show evidence of sound scholarship and ability to carry out a research project. He or she must meet the following standards to retain good standing as a graduate student:
- Maintain an average of 3.25 or above in all graduate work.
- Complete a program of 60 hours of graduate study (including all work taken beyond the baccalaureate degree) according to the specific requirements of the major field to which he or she has been admitted.
- Earn a minimum of 21 hours of graduate credit beyond the master's degree at Indiana State University.
- Complete a minimum of 15 credit hours of work after admission to the program.
- Have no encumbrances on his/her record.
Time Limitation
A student must complete all educational specialist degree requirements within eight years following admission to the program. Of the hours required for degree completion, incoming credits from completed degrees enjoy fewer restrictions on transfer; see the Program Advisor for details. The Graduate Student Appeals Committee of the Graduate Council must approve exceptions to this policy.
Career Possibilities for School Administration EdS Graduates
The online School Administration EdS prepares future leaders and administrators in public and private school systems. The program leads to eligibility for the Indiana Standard Superintendent License as well as other leadership positions in the public and private sectors.
Welcome from the Chair
Dr. Mary Howard-Hamilton, Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership, and the Dr. Lotus Delta Coffman Distinguished Research Professor at Indiana State University.
All educator licensure programs and related school programs at Indiana State University are accredited by the Indiana Department of Education and Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Admission Requirements and Instructions
The online/hybrid School Administration EdS program supports a rolling curriculum, allowing students to start the program any semester or during the summer session.
Admission Requirements and Information
Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in a relevant field from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale in all undergraduate coursework. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.25 in all graduate coursework with no deficiencies in the area chosen for advanced graduate study.
The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is not required for admission to this program.
Applicants must hold or be eligible for the Standard License for either Elementary School Administration and Supervision or Secondary School Administration and Supervision. Applicants must show documentation of all licenses and certifications held.
Applicants must have graduate work and experience commensurate with the student's objectives as evaluated by a committee appointed by department faculty.
Application should include a current curriculum vitae and a personal narrative statement of professional goals and past experiences.
Application should include three letters of recommendation supporting the applicant's admission to the educational specialist degree program. Important: Have the names and email addresses of your references available at the time that you are completing your admission application as you will need to enter them in the online application. Explain to your references that they will receive an email from Indiana State University requesting that they submit a letter of recommendation. Please ensure that your references expect to receive this request. It will be sent to your references immediately upon completing the application.
Application Instructions
The following are application instructions and deadlines for the online/hybrid School Administration EdS program.
How to Apply
Complete Indiana State University’s online application for admission at apply.indstate.edu/portal/apply?tab=overview.
Submit official transcripts from all colleges previously attended. To be official, transcripts must be sent directly from the college attended to: Graduate Admissions, Indiana State University, Welcome Center, 318 North Sixth Street, Terre Haute, IN, 47809. E-transcripts should be sent to admissions@indstate.edu.
Submit a nonrefundable application fee of $45.00 (U.S. citizens and permanent residents) or $65.00 (international students) payable by Visa, MasterCard, or check or money order payable to Indiana State University. Submit payment to: Indiana State University, Graduate Admissions, Welcome Center, 318 North Sixth Street, Terre Haute, IN, 47809.
Submit the following as part of the online application process.
- A copy of your Standard License for either Elementary School Administration and Supervision or Secondary School Administration and Supervision, and additional licenses and certifications.
- A current resume or curriculum vitae.
- A personal narrative statement of professional goals and past experiences.
- Three letters of recommendation with the names and email addresses of the individuals.
Next Steps
Once admitted, students receive notification from the University as well as their University ID number needed to activate their University Username on the MyISU Portal. The Portal offers access to online registration, University records, and other important University services, including email and University announcements
Note: Returning ISU students must apply for re-admission if they have not attended Indiana State University for more than two calendar years.
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Educational Administration: School Administration (PhD) Online
Doctoral
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School Administration and Supervision (MEd) Online
Master's
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School Administration Post-Master's Non-Degree Licensure Online
Graduate Certificate / Licensure