Educational Leadership, Tier II Certification, Ed.S.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must be full time, practicing educators and be employed in a leadership position or leadership role (as defined by the school system). Additionally, applicants must also be employed in a partnering institution. Because leadership certification is no longer a self-select program in the state of Georgia, applicants must receive written permission from their employers in order to participate. Applicants must hold a master’s degree or higher in any education field or in other Georgia Professional Standards Commission accepted non-education fields.

GSU collaborates closely with its partner districts to help assure that students are being properly prepared to successfully address the school and district needs.

The Performance-Based Specialist (Ed.S. Degree) and the Performance-Based Add-on Programs prepare candidates in the appropriate building or system-level leadership certification track.

Contact Educational Policy Studies Department before applying.

When applying to the Educational Leadership, Ed.S. program, you will need to submit several documents for review.

• Online Application
• Application Fee of $50
• Goals Statement (upload with application)
• Resume (upload with application)
• Two Letters of Recommendation (one from immediate supervisor; identify recommenders on your application)
• Must be employed in leadership position in partnering school system and must hold Educational Leadership Tier I Add-On
• Official Transcript: minimum 3.25 graduate GPA required for admission
  • from all colleges/universities attended

Tier II Certification Admission Requirements

Contact Educational Policy Studies Department before applying. Applicants must be employed in an approved position in a partnering school system.

When applying to the Educational Leadership, Tier II Certification, Non-Degree program, you will need to submit several documents for review.

• Online Application
• Application Fee of $50
• Goals Statement (upload with the application)
• Resume (upload with the application)
• Two Letters of Recommendation (one must be from the principal or immediate supervisor if not school-based; identify your recommenders on the application)
• Official Transcript: Ed.S., Ph.D., or Ed.D. degree with minimum 3.25 GPA required for admission consideration
  • submit transcripts from all colleges/universities attended

Program of Study

Required (3):

• EPSF 8440 Curriculum Design and Analysis (3)

Select one (3):

• EPY 8050 The Psychology of Instruction (3)
• EPY 8080 Memory and Cognition (3)
• EPY 8180 Learning and the School-Age Child (5 to 18 Years) (3)
• EPY 8250 Psychology of Inner-City Children (3)

Major (24)
Required (24):

• EPEL 8020 Leadership for Change in a Diverse Society (3)
• EPEL 8270 Theory and Decision Making (3)
• EPEL 8420 Advanced Instructional Leadership (3)
• EPEL 8650 The Principal (3)
• EPEL 8690 Research-Based Decision Making for School Leaders (3)
• EPEL 8970 Seminar in Educational Leadership (9)

Program advisers may approve substitute courses as necessary.

Following the completion of coursework, persons wishing to obtain the Tier II certification in Georgia must receive a passing score on the GACE Educational Leadership Tests.

Program total: Minimum of 30 semester hours

Add-On Tier II Leadership Certification

The program fulfills the requirements of the Tier II Performance-Based Educational Leadership certification for the state of Georgia. The purpose of the Tier II Performance-Based Specialist add-on certification program in educational leadership is to prepare graduates to be effective school and 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 assure students are being properly prepared to successfully address school and district needs.

Program Admission

This program is appropriate for applicants who already have specialist’s degrees and wish to add leadership certification. Applicants for the add-on certification must be full-time practicing educators and be employed in a leadership role in a partnering school system. Because Tier II certification is not a self-select program in Georgia, applicants must receive written permission from their employers to participate.

Program Academic Regulations

Students must earn a “B” or higher in all courses in the add-on program. If students earn a grade below a grade of “B” in a required course, the students with the advice and consent of his or her adviser may substitute another course for that requirement.

Required (18):

• EPEL 8020 Leadership for Change in a Diverse Society (3)
• EPEL 8270 Theory and Decision Making (3)
• EPEL 8650 The Principal (3)
• EPEL 8970 Seminar in Educational Leadership (9)

Program advisers may approve substitute courses as necessary.

Following the completion of coursework, persons wishing to obtain the Tier II certification in Georgia must receive a passing score on the GACE Educational Leadership Tests.

Total hours for certification: Minimum of 18 semester hours

Funding Your Graduate Education

Cost of attendance and funding opportunities are integral to your decision to attend graduate school. Georgia State University is proud to offer a variety of funding opportunities, from assistantships to fellowships.

Awards and Assistantships

Various awards, assistantships and fellowships are available to new and current graduate students. We encourage you to contact your department, college, school or institute of interest to get more information about the assistantships and fellowships that they offer their students.

The Scholarship Resource Center offers guidance and support to students seeking financial assistance through scholarship opportunities, including this scholarship library.

Fellowships

The Office of Graduate Programs’ Fellowship Advisor works with students interested in applying for nationally prestigious and competitive fellowships. The Office of Graduate Programs also coordinates the application process for students applying to the Second Century Initiative, the Provost’s Dissertation Fellowship and the Dissertation Library Travel Awards.

Cost Calculator

Our calculator can help you get an idea of the costs associated with attending the university.

Student Resources

Face-to-Face class sessions are held on Saturdays (five per semester), the remaining weeks are asynchronous online.