Program: Education Major, EdS, Educational Administration Concentration - University of Tennessee, Knoxville (2024)

Licensure Alternative

The EdS requires 36 graduate credit hours of coursework. Online classes are combined with on-the-job internship activities organized around real school problems. The school principal and a faculty representative of the Educational Administration and supervision program together supervise the internship.

The desired outcome of the program leading to licensure as a school administrator is to produce thoughtful principal and supervisory practitioners with the skills and scholarship to provide quality leadership to the organizations they serve. Graduates are expected to have a vision of quality education combined with good leadership skills to lead our schools in the twenty-first century.

The program leading to licensure as a school administrator is designed around the standards developed by the State of Tennessee, The Tennessee Instructional Leadership Standards (TILS), and Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) for the knowledge and skills required today for a school principal. It meets the certification requirements of the Tennessee State Board of Education. The program is also accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and recognized by the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) indicating national recognition as a quality program.

Courses for this degree are offered online through Distance Education. Program completion and recommendation for licensure requires a final comprehensive examination, a minimum competency score on the School Leader Licensure Assessment, and the submission professional learning portfolio.

Non-Licensure Alternative

The non-licensure alternative program is designed to prepare leaders for a variety of settings in schools and in other social service agencies. Course of study is consistent with the degree program selected; however, one elective is required in lieu of an internship. The non-licensure alterative is required for all out of state students. The degree requires 36 graduate credit hours of coursework and a field problem research paper on a topic relevant to educational leadership.

Credit Hours Required

36 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

• Core Requirement Courses (12 credit hours):

• EDAM 514 - Leading Professional Learning Communities
• EDAM 513 - Administrative and Organizational Theory
• EDAM 548 - Supervision and Personnel Administration
• EDAM 554 - Education Policy and Law

• Licensure Specialization (12 credit hours):

• EDAM 523 - Administration of Special Services
• EDAM 583 - Educational Leadership-Principalship
• EDAM 544 - School Finance and Business Management
• EDAM 519 - Curriculum for School Leaders

• Research (9 credit hours):

• EDAM 592 - Field Problems in Educational Administration and Supervision
• EDAM 521 - Statistics for Educators
• EDAM 580 - Internship in Educational Administration (for Licensure StudentsorElectives (3 credit hours) for Non-Licensure Students chosen in consultation with the faculty advisor)

Non-Course Requirements

• Licensure Students
  • Program completion and recommendation for licensure requires a final comprehensive examination, a minimum competency score on the School Leader Licensure Assessment, the submission professional learning portfolio and a field problem research paper on a topic relevant to educational leadership.
• Non-Licensure Students
  • Program completion and recommendation for licensure requires a final comprehensive examination and a field problem research paper on a topic relevant to educational leadership.

Credit Hours Required

39 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

• Core Requirement Courses (12 credit hours):

• EDAM 563 - School and Community Relations
• EDAM 588 - Best Practices for School Leaders
• EDAM 567 - Human Resources and Supervision
• EDAM 574 - Leadership for Change

• Specialization Courses (15 credit hours):

• EDAM 587 - Educational Law
• EDAM 585 - Policy, Equity, and Diversity
• EDAM 578 - Organizational Leadership
• EDAM 576 - Instructional Leadership
• EDAM 572 - Financial Leadership in Schools

• Research Courses (9 credit hours):

• EDAM 565 - Data Driven School Leadership
• EDAM 592 - Field Problems in Educational Administration and Supervision
• EDAM 530 - Research Methods

• Internship Course (3 credit hours)

• EDAM 570 - Aspiring Leaders Seminar
• The internship includes a minimum of 400 hours of field-based experience under the mentor’s direction.

Non-Course Requirements

• The Specialist in Education degree, with a major in Education, requires a minimum of 400 hours of field-based experience under the mentor’s direction, a minimum competency score on the School Leader Licensure Assessment, the submission of a professional learning portfolio and an action research paper in lieu of a comprehensive exam on a topic relevant to educational leadership.