Academics EPS

The Graduate Certificate program is on hold until further notice and will not be accepting applications at this time. Please check back when this program will become available.

The broad field of informatics employs large data sets and includes computer processing and data analysis. This certificate prepares graduate students to perform quantitative analyses on large databases relevant to education and human development within positions in various institutions or as independent consultants.

The certificate benefits students by giving them a focused avenue for pursuing a career in the growing field of data analytics. It benefits society by producing a group of qualified, competent data analysts whose work will lead to the understanding and improvement of programs in educational, business, governmental and other settings.

The online Tier I Educational Leadership Certificate program is for those with an education-related master’s degree who are passionate about leading and ready to take the next step towards becoming an entry-level leader in a school or school district such as an assistant principal. The courses introduce students to educational leadership theory and practice. Students participate in 300 hours of varied leadership experiences supported by a school or district mentor in addition to completing advanced coursework. Upon completion of the program, students will receive a program certificate from the Board of Regents and will be eligible to apply to the Professional Standards Commission for a Tier I Educational Leadership add-on certificate.

Our Voices, Our Stories, Our Faculty

• Graduate highlight on Amanda Lynch
• Five questions with Kareem Dunlap
• Recent graduate’s children’s book
• The Educational Leadership Unit is composed of eight faculty members with practitioner and academic expertise.

The Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies 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:

Concentration in Educational Leadership

This concentration has three strands (leadership and administration, leadership and policy or leadership and urban education) that emphasize organizational leadership, policy development, supervision and management. The leadership concentration will be designed to meet the students’ unique career objectives including teaching and research in academia, leading schools, school districts and other education agencies. For those students seeking to obtain a Tier II certification, they must apply to the leadership and administration strand.

(Note: Applicants who receive favorable admission to the Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies with a concentration in Educational Leadership can apply to the Tier II certification should they qualify; to qualify, an applicant must be employed in a K-12 system to be able to complete the required hours of clinical leadership experiences for the Tier II certification, satisfy the Georgia Ethics Assessment for Educational Leadership, and finally submit a letter of recommendation from their immediate supervisor)

Concentration in Higher Education

The concentration in Higher Education will prepare students for careers in higher education as academics, researchers, policymakers and practitioners. Through an interdisciplinary study of theory, research and content, graduates will be able to understand, analyze and impact higher education in complex ways. Students who pursue the concentration in higher education will explore and challenge a range of perspectives in order to develop an in-depth understanding of higher education; including but not limited to its educational and intellectual core, its institutional and organizational structures, its social, cultural and civic context, as well as its contemporary role as an enterprise.

Concentration in Research, Measurement and Statistics

This concentration prepares graduates to investigate research methodologies, to conduct research related to schools, and to conduct and critique research in educational practice, policy and administration. Students develop knowledge and skills in qualitative and quantitative research and evaluation methods.

Concentration in Social Foundations of Education

Social foundations is a broadly conceived field of educational study that derives its character from a number of academic disciplines and interdisciplinary studies. At Georgia State University, the disciplines involved in social foundations inquiry are history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology and political science; the interdisciplinary field is cultural studies. The purpose of social foundations study is to bring the intellectual resources derived from these areas to bear in developing interpretive, normative and critical perspectives of educational theory, policy and practices, both inside and outside of schools.

For more information about the concentrations, please visit:

• Educational Leadership 
• Higher Education
• Research, Measurement and Statistics
• Social Foundations of Education

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.

Our Program Evaluation post master’s certificate can provide you with the credentials you need to do consulting work or program evaluation.

This program includes the following:

• program evaluation models
• specialized topics in program evaluation
• issues in program evaluation

This program will help you if you’re in the following settings:

• education
• business
• industry
• government agencies
• nonprofit organizations

This program includes classroom experiences and hands-on practicum experiences to build skills as students progress towards completion of the certificate. The certificate is designed for individuals interested in working in a wide variety of education, training, and development areas, including those found in business, industry, government agencies, the military and nonprofit organizations.

If you’re enrolled in a doctoral program at Georgia State, you’re eligible to study for a graduate certificate in Quantitative Research in Education. The program is for those interested in conducting research or gaining expertise in quantitative research.

To earn the certificate, you must complete a minimum of eight 3-credit-hour doctoral-level quantitative research methods courses with a collective GPA of 3.5 or higher in those courses, with no grade lower than a B in any course to be counted toward the certificate.

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.