Specializations · Michigan
Educational Leadership Pathways in Michigan
Educational Leadership in Michigan is a graduate award, not School Administrator Certificate with PK-12 building (Elementary & Secondary Admin K-12 / ES) endorsement. This table lists 51 institutions with matching IPEDS completions. Completions are not approval to recommend candidates for the license. Use the Michigan principal checklist for the credential.
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 processHow this degree relates to the Michigan principal credential
The Michigan license is School Administrator Certificate with PK-12 building (Elementary & Secondary Admin K-12 / ES) endorsement. Read the principal checklist for steps, exams, and the board source — this page is the IPEDS inventory for Educational Leadership, not a second copy of that checklist.
Michigan’s legal hook is not a Department handbook line; it is MCL 380.1246. Administrators whose primary responsibility is administering instructional programs must hold a valid School Administrator Certificate. That statute is why a district cannot permanently park an uncertified teacher-leader in a principal’s chair and call the work “instructional coaching.” The certificate itself carries endorsements. Building-level PK-12 work uses the Elementary & Secondary Admin K-12 / ES endorsement. Applying in MOECS for a central-office endorsement when the job is a K-8 principalship is a mismatch the Department’s pathways page is written to prevent.
The traditional route is a graduate-degree-plus-internship model. The master’s or higher must come from an institution recognized by CHEA or the U.S. Department of Education, the program must be Michigan-approved and include a supervised internship, and the provider must recommend the candidate. On or after the rule’s examination subdivision, applications also need a passing score on the state-approved school administrator exam. Candidates who finished older programs before that subdivision should read the current pathways page rather than assuming their cohort is grandfathered without checking.
Institutions with Educational Leadership programs in Michigan
Rows come from IPEDS awards by CIP and award level. This extract reported no completion counts, so none are shown. An institution that conferred awards is not automatically approved to recommend candidates for School Administrator Certificate with PK-12 building (Elementary & Secondary Admin K-12 / ES) endorsement.
| Institution | CIP | Award level |
|---|---|---|
| Andrews University (Berrien Springs, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Andrews University (Berrien Springs, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Andrews University (Berrien Springs, MI) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Doctorate (research) |
| Andrews University (Berrien Springs, MI) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Doctorate (research) |
| Andrews University (Berrien Springs, MI) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Master’s |
| Calvin University (Grand Rapids, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, MI) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Master’s |
| Concordia University Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Concordia University Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Master’s |
| Concordia University Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI) | 13.0408 Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| Cornerstone University (Grand Rapids, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Cornerstone University (Grand Rapids, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Davenport University (Grand Rapids, MI) | 13.0410 Urban Education and Leadership | Master’s |
| Davenport University (Grand Rapids, MI) | 13.0410 Urban Education and Leadership | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, MI) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Master’s |
| Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, MI) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, MI) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Ferris State University (Big Rapids, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Grand Valley State University (Allendale, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Grand Valley State University (Allendale, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Madonna University (Livonia, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Madonna University (Livonia, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Northern Michigan University (Marquette, MI) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Master’s |
| Northern Michigan University (Marquette, MI) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Oakland University (Rochester Hills, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Oakland University (Rochester Hills, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Oakland University (Rochester Hills, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Oakland University (Rochester Hills, MI) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Saginaw Valley State University (University Center, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Saginaw Valley State University (University Center, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Saginaw Valley State University (University Center, MI) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Master’s |
| Saginaw Valley State University (University Center, MI) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Siena Heights University (Adrian, MI) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Master’s |
| University of Michigan-Dearborn (Dearborn, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| University of Michigan-Flint (Flint, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Wayne State University (Detroit, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Wayne State University (Detroit, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Wayne State University (Detroit, MI) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Master’s |
| Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, MI) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, MI) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Master’s |
| Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, MI) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, MI) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Doctorate (research) |
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.