Academics EPS

The Tier II educational specialist (Ed.S.) and Tier II add-on in educational leadership prepares graduates to be effective school and/or system leaders who positively affect student achievement.

Throughout the program, students work on meaningful projects to help them develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions required to lead school and district improvement efforts. Georgia State collaborates closely with its partner districts to help ensure students are being properly prepared to successfully address school and/or district needs.

Candidates who already hold an Ed.S. degree should apply for the 18-hour certification only add-on certificate. Candidates seeking a full Ed.S. degree should apply for the full 30-hour Ed.S. program. Both the add-on and the Ed.S. program lead to Tier II certification.

The certificate allows you to become a supervising administrator for schools and districts in Georgia.

Education programs leading to professional licensure or certification (nursing, education, social work, counseling, accounting, allied health professions, etc.) may require additional approval from separate licensing boards, depending on the state. Students who live or plan to live outside Georgia and are considering a professional program should contact the appropriate board in their state of residency prior to beginning a course of study. To help students find the best-known contact information for the appropriate state licensing board and for a list of Georgia State program contacts, visit the Student Consumer Information website.

The online M.S. in educational research prepares you to conduct research, evaluate programs and policies and translate current research into practical language. Our graduates are working in research units housed in educational agencies at the state and local level, non-profits and private employers who value internal research capacity.

• Statistics
• Measurement
• Program evaluation
• Survey research
• Computer applications
• Policy research

If you have an interest in applying skills in statistics and research methodology to address educational problems in today’s world, our program will help you advance.

Our educational research and mental health counseling dual degree program* combines educational research and the application of educational research methodology to a content area in mental health counseling.

You will meet faculty who are leaders in the field and find opportunities for research and field experience that are an enhancement to each of these academic programs. The program leads to a master of science degree with majors in educational research and mental health counseling.

Graduates of the program have increased career opportunities within academia and the work setting.

*This program requires you to apply to both educational research and mental health counseling to be admitted to complete the degree program.

The educational research master’s program prepares students to conduct research and evaluate programs in kindergarten through 12th grade schools, colleges and universities, and other settings (for example: government, healthcare and public health).

You’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of research methods as they are applied to the study of education.

Coursework is available in the following areas: statistics, measurement, program evaluation, survey research, computer applications, qualitative research, institutional research, and policy research.

Graduates of this program find employment in research units housed in educational agencies (for example: local education agencies, state boards of education), non-profits, and private employers who seek to improve their research capacity. Master of Science in Educational Research graduates are also well prepared to seek admission to Ph.D. studies in various disciplines.

This is the only fully-online master’s program in Higher Education Administration offered by a research-intensive (R1) university in the state. Georgia State University is an enterprising urban public research institution. Faculty in our program are breaking new ground in how we understand diversity and equity in higher education, minority-serving institutions, higher education policy and student success.

This program provides the skills to be successful in careers in higher education administration:

• Knowledge of institutional landscape of higher education, governance and issues faced by colleges and universities, especially institutional types in Georgia such as minority-serving institutions and community colleges.
• Understanding of how colleges and universities shape – and are shaped by – race, gender and class
• Understanding of social and academic integration and how to design support services based on these principals
• Ability to apply higher education theory and concepts in a real-world setting

This program is eligible for residency neutral rates for online students.

• $450 tuition per credit hour (same for all students, regardless of geographic location)
• $660 per semester online learning fee (if enrolled in 6 or more credit hours)

Learn more about the cost of a master’s degree, or use Georgia State’s Cost Calculator to get an idea of the investment required for your path of study. For information on how to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and to determine eligibility, visit the FAFSA tips page.

Check out our cost calculator or visit student financial services for information on estimated costs.

Georgia State University’s (GSU) Master of Science in Social Foundations of Education is an interdisciplinary master’s program that examines the historical and contemporary factors that shape educational inequity and injustice in our society. Course topics engage students in discourse about the influence race, class, disability and gender have on education and school systems.

Students are prepared to:

• Develop critical perspectives on education, inside and outside school.
• Evaluate the complex interrelationships among school, society, education and culture.
• Incorporate a number of disciplines, including history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, political science and cultural studies.
• M.S. students in Social Foundations work closely with their advisors to craft a program of study that is individualized according to student interests. Customizing student coursework allows students to take courses in the university’s other colleges and schools (for example, Arts and Sciences, Public Policy, Public Health and so on).

The Tier I Educational Leadership M.Ed. program is designed around a set of academic and site-based experiences that provide knowledge and skills for candidates seeking a stronger understanding of the dynamics of educational leadership.

This self-select program leads to Tier I leadership certification in Georgia. This allows an individual to serve as an assistant principal or/in district-level leadership positions that do not supervise principals.

The program design gives students a comprehensive understanding of beginning leadership concepts and activities. Students develop the dispositions required to lead school and district improvement efforts by focusing on linking theory, research and practice to positively affect student outcomes.

If a student has a masters already and they wish to receive Tier I certification they can visit our Educational Leadership, Tier I Certificate page.

Education programs leading to professional licensure or certification (nursing, education, social work, counseling, accounting, allied health professions, etc.) may require additional approval from separate licensing boards, depending on the state. Students who live or plan to live outside Georgia and are considering a professional program should contact the appropriate board in their state of residency prior to beginning a course of study. To help students find the best-known contact information for the appropriate state licensing board and for a list of Georgia State program contacts, visit the Student Consumer Information website.

The educational leadership program advances the development and practice of effective educational leadership.

This program addresses educational leaders’ professional needs and supports their long-term career goals in leading schools, school districts and other education agencies in a complex, highly competitive global environment.

We provide senior-level administrators with the following:

• Knowledge and skills necessary to deal effectively with the complex issues facing education today
• Methods of inquiry necessary to analyze educational problems
• Leadership skills necessary to direct the development and implementation of programs to address those problems and to disseminate the results in various professional and public forums
• Knowledge and applied skills rarely provided in traditional advanced degree programs in educational leadership in an alternative format that meets the needs of senior-level administrators.
• Select concentration in:
  • Advanced Leadership
  • Higher Education Administration
  • Tier II

Experience the best of both worlds with our hybrid PhD Program.
Designed for busy professionals, Georgia State’s Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies combines on-campus learning with the flexibility of online coursework—both live and on your own schedule. You’ll build strong connections with faculty and peers during in-person sessions, while enjoying the convenience of completing much of your work remotely.

Our Ph.D. program allows students to examine the philosophy and practice of education and to develop skills in both the methodology and the study of educational practice. Students will prepare to become policymakers and examiners of policy and the effects of policy on education.

There are four concentrations you can choose within this degree program: