Specializations · Missouri
Educational Leadership Pathways in Missouri
Educational Leadership in Missouri is a graduate award, not Initial Administrator Certificate (School Leader, Kindergarten–Grade 12). This table lists 62 institutions with matching IPEDS completions. Completions are not approval to recommend candidates for the license. Use the Missouri 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 Missouri principal credential
The Missouri license is Initial Administrator Certificate (School Leader, Kindergarten–Grade 12). 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.
Missouri stages administrator certification instead of issuing one perpetual principal stamp. The first document is the Initial Administrator Certificate for School Leader, Kindergarten–Grade 12, and 5 CSR 20-400.610 caps it at four years. That four-year window is an upgrade clock. Educators who treat Initial as a career license discover at year four that DESE expected a Transition application, not a simple renewal. The academic core is a master’s in educational leadership from a DESE-approved program, an institutional recommendation, passing scores on required exit assessments, and three years of approved teaching experience as the rule text states.
Exit assessments are required, but DESE’s become-certified-administrator page and the rule language used here do not publish a vendor name or cut score. Candidates should take the instruments their approved program and DESE name for the current year rather than importing a Praxis or Pearson code from a neighboring state. Three years of approved teaching experience is likewise a rule phrase. Substitute, visiting, or out-of-field years may or may not be “approved”; the verification DESE accepts is the one that matches 5 CSR 20-400.610, not a generic employment letter.
Institutions with Educational Leadership programs in Missouri
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 Initial Administrator Certificate (School Leader, Kindergarten–Grade 12).
| Institution | CIP | Award level |
|---|---|---|
| Avila University (Kansas City, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Calvary University (Kansas City, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Columbia College (Columbia, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Drury University (Springfield, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Evangel University (Springfield, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Evangel University (Springfield, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Hannibal-LaGrange University (Hannibal, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Lincoln University (Jefferson City, MO) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Master’s |
| Lindenwood University (Saint Charles, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Lindenwood University (Saint Charles, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Lindenwood University (Saint Charles, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Lindenwood University (Saint Charles, MO) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Doctorate (research) |
| Lindenwood University (Saint Charles, MO) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Master’s |
| Lindenwood University (Saint Charles, MO) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Lindenwood University (Saint Charles, MO) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Doctorate (research) |
| Lindenwood University (Saint Charles, MO) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| Lindenwood University (Saint Charles, MO) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Lindenwood University (Saint Charles, MO) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Master’s |
| Lindenwood University (Saint Charles, MO) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Maryville University of Saint Louis (Saint Louis, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Maryville University of Saint Louis (Saint Louis, MO) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Doctorate (research) |
| Missouri Baptist University (Saint Louis, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Missouri Baptist University (Saint Louis, MO) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Missouri Southern State University (Joplin, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Missouri State University-Springfield (Springfield, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Missouri State University-Springfield (Springfield, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Missouri Valley College (Marshall, MO) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| Northwest Missouri State University (Maryville, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Northwest Missouri State University (Maryville, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Northwest Missouri State University (Maryville, MO) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Master’s |
| Northwest Missouri State University (Maryville, MO) | 13.0408 Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| Northwest Missouri State University (Maryville, MO) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| Northwest Missouri State University (Maryville, MO) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Park University (Parkville, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Park University (Parkville, MO) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Master’s |
| Rockhurst University (Kansas City, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Saint Louis University (Saint Louis, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Saint Louis University (Saint Louis, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau, MO) | 13.0408 Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau, MO) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar, MO) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Post-master’s / EdS |
| University of Central Missouri (Warrensburg, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| University of Central Missouri (Warrensburg, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| University of Central Missouri (Warrensburg, MO) | 13.0408 Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| University of Central Missouri (Warrensburg, MO) | 13.0408 Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship | Post-master’s / EdS |
| University of Missouri-Columbia (Columbia, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| University of Missouri-Columbia (Columbia, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| University of Missouri-Columbia (Columbia, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| University of Missouri-Columbia (Columbia, MO) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Doctorate (research) |
| University of Missouri-Kansas City (Kansas City, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| University of Missouri-Kansas City (Kansas City, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| University of Missouri-St Louis (Saint Louis, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| University of Missouri-St Louis (Saint Louis, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Webster University (Saint Louis, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Webster University (Saint Louis, MO) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Master’s |
| William Woods University (Fulton, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| William Woods University (Fulton, MO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| William Woods University (Fulton, MO) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Master’s |
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.