Specializations
Educational Leadership Graduate Pathways
Educational leadership is graduate study aimed at school and district leadership roles. Programs commonly sit inside an M.Ed., EdS, or EdD. Completing a leadership degree is not the same as earning a principal or administrator credential. States issue that license after an approved preparation sequence, experience, and any required exams.
Reviewed by Brittnie Vargas, School principal, M.Ed.Editorial processKey takeaways
- Educational leadership is graduate study aimed at school and district leadership roles. Programs commonly sit inside an M.Ed., EdS, or EdD. Completing a leadership degree is not the same as earning a principal or administrator credential. States issue that license after an approved preparation sequence, experience, and any required exams.
- No. Educational leadership is an academic concentration. Principal certification is a state-issued administrative credential. Many candidates earn both through the same approved program, but you must satisfy the state’s credential rules, not only complete graduate courses.
- Many educators start with an M.Ed. in educational leadership. Some continue to an EdS for post-master’s depth, or an EdD for terminal practitioner study. Match the degree to your state’s credential checklist and your timeline, do not choose based on ranking lists.
- Many programs offer online or hybrid coursework, but internships and field experiences are usually local. Confirm that the program can place you in an approved setting in the state where you intend to hold an administrative license.
This specialization is the primary conversion surface on Educator Pathways. Classroom certification competitors under-build school-role credentials; EdD ranking sites stop at doctoral directories. We publish the full ladder, concentration, degree level, and state credential, without proprietary scores.
A typical sequence for building leadership: hold a valid teaching license, complete an approved educational leadership / principal preparation program (often embedded in an M.Ed. or EdS), finish the required internship under a mentoring administrator, pass any state leadership assessment, and apply for the administrative credential.
District-level and superintendent pathways usually demand additional experience, coursework, or a separate credential tier. Higher education administration is a related but distinct track. See that specialization if your target is college or university leadership rather than a K–12 building license.
When a program claims it “leads to principal certification,” verify three things against the state board: program approval to recommend candidates, internship hour rules, and exam codes/cut scores. Marketing pages are not eligibility determinations.
State × specialization pages publish only when program coverage, state-specific content, and a fresh licensure record all clear the programmatic gate. Until then, use this national hub plus the principal credential page and your state DOE administrator requirements.
Leadership exams are set by the board, not by the concentration title. Sourced examples on this site include SLLA 6990 in New Jersey (passing score 151) and Virginia (cut score 146), TExES 268 plus PASL in Texas, FELE in Florida, CalAPA or CPACE in California, PAL in Massachusetts, and OAE 015 in Ohio. Neighboring-state scores are not yours.
Internship design is the usual failure point in “100% online” marketing. New Jersey publishes a 300-hour PSEL-aligned internship that cannot be folded into unrelated graduate hours. Massachusetts publishes a 500-hour practicum or mentored apprenticeship. If a catalog cannot place you in a setting the board accepts, you are buying a degree, not a credential pathway.
Browse educational leadership pathways
Principal credentials by state
Educational leadership is the graduate concentration. The ranking URL for “how to become a principal in {state}” is the principal checklist, not a concentration clone.
Frequently asked questions
Is educational leadership the same as principal certification?
No. Educational leadership is an academic concentration. Principal certification is a state-issued administrative credential. Many candidates earn both through the same approved program, but you must satisfy the state’s credential rules, not only complete graduate courses.
Which degree should I pursue for school leadership?
Many educators start with an M.Ed. in educational leadership. Some continue to an EdS for post-master’s depth, or an EdD for terminal practitioner study. Match the degree to your state’s credential checklist and your timeline, do not choose based on ranking lists.
Can I complete educational leadership online?
Many programs offer online or hybrid coursework, but internships and field experiences are usually local. Confirm that the program can place you in an approved setting in the state where you intend to hold an administrative license.
Which leadership exam will I take?
The exam is set by the state board. This site sources SLLA 6990, TExES 268 and PASL, FELE, CalAPA/CPACE, PAL, OAE 015, and other state instruments on the SLLA page and each principal checklist. Confirm the current test code and cut score on the board testing page.