Program Description

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The Teacher Leadership Program prepares educators to lead their colleagues as teachers. Coursework includes graduate semester hours in advanced topics such as assessment, professional development, coaching, curriculum, leadership, and data-driven instruction. Candidates also participate in a residency, which provides significant opportunities for candidates to synthesize and apply the knowledge and practice to develop the skills identified in the Georgia Teacher Leadership Standards 1-7 through substantial, sustained, standards-based work in authentic, embedded settings, planned and guided cooperatively by the program provider and school district personnel. 

There are two doctoral tracks available for students. One for students who are seeking initial Teacher Leadership certification and one for those that already hold the Teacher Leadership field.

Programs of Study

Program of Study – EdD in Teacher Leadership (Advanced Track)

 Teacher Leadership Requirement
  • TLED 9200: Mentoring, Coaching, and Facilitating School Improvement (3 hours)
  • TLED 9830: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for Teacher Leaders (3 hours)
Electives
  • Advisor approved elective (3 hours)
  • Advisor approved elective (3 hours)
Additional Program Requirements
  • EDL 9700: Professional Seminar: Cases in School Leadership and Practicum (3 hours)
Research Requirements
  • EDRS 8100: Qualitative Research I (3 hours)
  • EDRS 8200: Quantitative Research I (3 hours)
  • TLED 9880: Conducting Topical and Theoretical Literature Reviews (3 hours)
  • EDL 9885: Advanced Research Methods in Teacher Leadership (3 hours)
  • EDRS 9300: Research Seminar: Conceptual Frameworks & Research Design (3 hours)
  • EDL 9600: Dissertation Research Methodologies in Practice (3 hours)
Dissertation
  • TLED 9950: Teacher Leadership Dissertation Research Seminar (6 hours total)
  • TLED 9900: Dissertation Research (6 hours total)
Total 45 Credit Hours

Admissions Requirements

Must possess the following beyond the general KSU Graduate College Admission Requirements: 

  • Educational Specialist Degree
  • Certificate – Must already hold the Teacher Leadership field on your PSC certificate. Uploaded to graduate application. Current clear, renewable Georgia Teaching Certificate, out-of-state equivalent, OR Educational Leadership Department Chair/Program Coordinator approval. To print a copy of your clear, renewable Georgia teaching certificate, you may log into your MyPSC account.  
  • Employment – Must be employed as teachers or administrators in a traditional public school district, a charter school district, a charter school, or an independent school.  
  • Résumé or Professional Vitae – Uploaded to graduate application. Should document your education, years of teaching experience, current school and district, volunteer and service activities in which you have participated, and any leadership involvement.  
  • Experience – Minimum of THREE (3) years of professional teaching and/or administrative experience required prior to admission consideration. May be a related role serving P-12 education.
  • Personal Essay about your research interest(s) and why it is worth studying, how it relates to teacher leadership, and the potential impact of your research on the field of education (2-3 pages)
  • Mentor Form – This program requires that you have a qualified mentor who meets the GaPSC Mentor requirements at each phase in your program. The Teacher Leadership Mentor Form provides instructions and requirements.  Completed form must be uploaded to graduate application.  Individuals employed in a private school setting will need to reach out to the Bagwell Certification Officer for further guidance.
  • Partnership Agreement – PSC rule 505-3-.72 requires candidates to be recommended by the school system administrator (superintendent) or designee using this form. Kennesaw State University must hold a Performance-Based partnership with the Candidate’s School District or Charter/Independent School.  Reach out to the Program Coordinator, for Teacher Leadership, to confirm that one exists with your school system. 

EdD in Teacher Leadership (Initial Certification Track)

Teacher Leadership Certification
  • TLED 8101: Critical Analysis of Policy, Theory, & Praxis for Post-Master’s Teacher Leaders (3 hours)
  • TLED 8215: Leading Data-Informed Curriculum and Assessment Practice for Post-Master’s Teacher Leaders (3 hours)
  • TLED 8401: Instructional Coaching, Mentoring, and Leading Professional Development for Post-Master’s Teacher Leaders (3 hours)
  • TLED 8615: Communication and Community Relations for Post-Master’s Teacher Leaders (3 hours)
Additional Program Requirements
  • EDL 9700: Professional Seminar: Cases in School Leadership and Practicum (3 hours)
Research Requirements
  • EDRS 8100: Qualitative Research I (3 hours)
  • EDRS 8200: Quantitative Research I (3 hours)
  • TLED 9880: Conducting Topical and Theoretical Literature Reviews (3 hours)
  • EDL 9885: Advanced Research Methods in Teacher Leadership (3 hours)
  • EDRS 9300: Research Seminar: Conceptual Frameworks & Research Design (3 hours)
  • EDL 9600: Dissertation Research Methodologies in Practice (3 hours)
Dissertation
  • TLED 9950: Teacher Leadership Dissertation Research Seminar (6 hours total)
  • TLED 9900: Dissertation Research (6 hours total)
Minimum 45 Credit Hours

Admissions Requirements

Must possess the following beyond the general KSU Graduate College Admission Requirements: 

  • Educational Specialist Degree
  • Certificate – Must NOT already hold the Teacher Leadership field* on your PSC certificate. Uploaded to graduate application. Current clear, renewable Georgia Teaching Certificate, out-of-state equivalent, OR Educational Leadership Department Chair/Program Coordinator approval. To print a copy of your clear, renewable Georgia teaching certificate, you may log into your MyPSC account.  

* If you already hold the Teacher Leadership field, please see the Advanced Track option.  

  • Résumé or Professional Vitae – Uploaded to graduate application. Should document your education, years of teaching experience, current school and district, volunteer and service activities in which you have participated, and any leadership involvement.  
  • Experience – Minimum of THREE (3) years of professional teaching and/or administrative experience required prior to admission consideration. May be a related role serving P-12 education.
  • Personal Essay about your research interest(s) and why it is worth studying, how it relates to teacher leadership, and the potential impact of your research on the field of education (2-3 pages)
  • Mentor Form – This program requires that you have a qualified mentor who meets the GaPSC Mentor requirements at each phase in your program. The Teacher Leadership Mentor Form provides instructions and requirements.  Completed form must be uploaded to graduate application.  Individuals employed in a private school setting will need to reach out to the Bagwell Certification Officer for further guidance.
  • Partnership Agreement – PSC rule 505-3-.72 requires candidates to be recommended by the school system administrator (superintendent) or designee using this form. Kennesaw State University must hold a Performance-Based partnership with the Candidate’s School District or Charter/Independent School.  Reach out to the Program Coordinator, for Teacher Leadership, to confirm that one exists with your school system. 

Deadline

The deadline for applications is July 1 for fall admission.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Wells at jwells42@kennesaw.edu or the Department of Educational Leadership at 470-578-6888 or edldepartment@kennesaw.edu. 

KSU Catalog tuition & fees

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Teacher Leadership Program has courses that emphasize leadership in the classroom and the community. Many candidates interested in this program are wishing to become program and instructional leaders and coaches at their workplaces. The program provides opportunities for teachers to strengthen their knowledge and skills in working with other teachers, families and community leaders in the areas of research and instruction. Candidates who graduate from the Teacher Leadership program go on to become instructional coaches, curriculum leaders, educational research team leaders, program leaders, instructional advocates and mentor teachers in their work environments. Many candidates want to remain in the classroom or work closely with teachers in their classrooms. Persons interested in becoming a school administrator, principal, school district superintendent may want to apply to the Educational Leadership program. This program may have courses that focus on school administration, organization and management of educational programs and leadership at the administration level.
  • Teacher Leadership candidates at KSU are working towards earning initial certification in Teacher Leadership through the Georgia PSC. As a part of this work, the Teacher Leadership Program requires candidates to participate in field work and complete assignments in KSU partner schools. A Georgia Partnership Agreement form is required and should be on file for each Teacher Leadership student upon admission into the program. Because of this requirement, it is difficult for candidates outside the state of Georgia to complete the program.
  • Candidates within the program must complete their field work and assignments in Georgia partner schools. Field work and assignments maybe completed at your workplace as long as a Georgia Partnership Agreement is on file when beginning the program.
  • We will accept up to nine credit hours for transfer credit. Stud The required courses that all Teacher Leadership candidates take in order to prepare them for the Teacher Leadership GACE and initial Teacher Leadership certification are not eligible for transfer credit. Transfer credit requests are reviewed after a student is admitted into the program. For additional questions regarding course transferability, please contact the Teacher Leadership program coordinator, Dr. Jen Wells, at jwells42@kennesaw.edu.
  • The Teacher Leadership Program accepts candidates once a year with the anticipation that courses begin in Fall after the application deadline. All application materials are due by July 1. All documents must be submitted by the deadline date.