Program Description

new 100% online
This program is truly unique in the state of Georgia. No other program in Georgia is approved to offer this combination of certifications in a single master's degree. Upon completion of this degree program and the required state certification tests, candidates will earn certifications for Teacher Leadership (T5 and S5) and Tier I Educational Leadership (L5), along with all the promotion and pay opportunities that come with them in your district.  This program prepares you to serve in various K-12 settings in Teacher Leadership roles such as Academic Coach, Instructional Coach, or Department Chair, as well as Educational Leadership roles such as assistant principal or district positions that do not supervise principals.

The Master’s Degree (M.Ed.) in Teacher Leadership and Educational Leadership is a cohort experience designed to provide candidates with the content knowledge and credentials necessary to lead schools through an integrated lens of leadership effectively. At the conclusion of the program, candidates will possess the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to effectively lead educational organizations to higher levels of achievement for all students as both teacher leaders and building leaders.

Applicants will be admitted for the program in Fall and Spring semesters only and will take two 3-hour courses per semester. The 30-hour sequence will be completed in 5 semesters. 

Applicants will select one of three sequenced elective concentrations:

  • Coaching for Performance
  • Leadership in Rural Schools
  • Leadership in Urban Schools

After completing the degree and passing the Educational Leadership GACE and Teacher Leadership GACE, candidates will be eligible to add the Tier I Leadership field and Teacher Leadership service field to their educator certificate. All fields, including teaching fields, will upgrade to a Level 5 (T5, L5 and S5). This program is in accordance with teacher leadership standards and educational leadership standards and outcomes required for licensure by the GaPSC. 

*Candidates enrolled in the new program must attempt the state-approved performance-based assessments in each of the two (2) areas of concentration, specifically, the Teacher Leadership GACE and the Tier I Educational Leadership GACE, as required for program completion. 

Program of Study

Instructional Leadership Core (12 Credit Hours) 

  • TLED 7101 Critical Analysis of Policy, Theory, & Praxis for Teacher Leaders (3 hours)
  • EDL 7615 Communication and Community Relations for School Leaders (3 hours)
  • TLED 7215 Leading Data-Informed Curriculum and Assessment Practice (3 hours)
  • EDL 7401 Instructional Leadership for Learning & Change (3 hours) 

Operational Management Core (6 Credit Hours) 

  • EDL 7415 Human Resources, Law, and Ethics for School Leaders (3 hours)
  • EDL 7601 School Operations and Organizational Management (3 hours)  

Concentration Options - Choose 1 concentration for 12 Credit Hours.

Option 1 - Coaching for Performance Concentration (12 hours) 

  • EDCO 7010 Introduction to Coaching (3 hours)
  • EDCO 7020 Using Data for Coaching (3 hours)
  • EDCO 7030 Applied Coaching: Developing, Implementing, and Maintaining a Coaching Plan (3 hours)
  • TLED 7990 Residency & Capstone (3 hours) 

Option 2 - Leadership in Rural Schools Concentration (12 hours) 

  • EDL 7620 School Leadership in Rural Communities I (3 hours)
  • TLED 7980 Action Research in Schools (3 hours)
  • EDL 7625 School Leadership in Rural Communities II (3 hours)
  • TLED 7990 Residency & Capstone (3 hours) 

Option 3 - Leadership in Urban Schools Concentration (12 hours) 

  • EDL 7700 Leadership in Urban Schools (3 hours)
  • TLED 7980 Action Research in Schools (3 hours)
  • EDL 7701 Dynamics of Leadership in Urban Schools (3 hours)
  • TLED 7990 Residency & Capstone (3 hours) 

Total (30 Credit Hours)

Admissions Requirements

The following requirements are in addition to the Graduate College Admissions:  

  • Employment role in an organization providing educational services*  
  • Admissions Portfolio 
    • Professional Resume 
    • Recommendation Form from school system administrator or designee 
    • Dual Certification Mentor Form Packet 
      • EDL Mentor Form demonstrating that the mentor is actively employed in a leadership position in a P-12 school or LUA and holds a clear, renewable PSC Leadership Tier I (FLD700) or Leadership Tier II (FLD710) Certificate Field.  
      • TLED Mentor Form with mentor holding clear, renewable PSC Teacher, Service and/or Leadership Certificate. 
      • One mentor can serve in both roles provided that they meet the requirements of each certification (EDL and TLED)  
  • Evidence of at least one year of teaching experience 
  • GACE Leadership Ethics Assessment Completion Certificate 
  • Clear Renewable Georgia Educator Certificate**  

* Candidates are required to be employed as teachers or administrators in a traditional public school district, a charter school district, a charter school, or an independent school. By PSC regulation, candidates must be referred for admission by their respective schools/districts, and Kennesaw State University must hold a Performance-Based partnership with the referring district.  

** Individuals from out of state who are not seeking Georgia certification are strongly advised to contact their respective state licensing agency to determine if this program curriculum meets the requirements in their state.  

Admission Criteria for Unique Cases:  

Students classified as non-degree students are not permitted to enroll in the M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership and Educational Leadership. This program will not provide graduate level course work for certification renewal purposes.  

Transfer Credit:

Requests for transfer credit for graduate courses taken at other accredited institutions must be evaluated and approved by the program coordinator or department chair and by the registrar. A maximum of six semester hours of transfer credit (with grades of “B” or higher) may be applied toward a degree program.  No courses will be accepted for transfer credit if they are more than five years old at the time of evaluation or have been used in completing another degree.

Graduation Requirements  

To graduate, candidates must be compliant with GaPSC Rule 505-3-.01, the EPP shall require candidates enrolled in the new M.Ed. in the Teacher Leadership and Tier I Educational Leadership program to attempt the state-approved performance-based assessments. Candidates enrolled in the new program must attempt the state-approved performance-based assessments in each of the two (2) areas of concentration, specifically, the Teacher Leadership GACE and the Tier I Educational Leadership GACE, as required for program completion.

Priority Deadline

Fall, July 1  Spring, Nov 15

Contact Us

Contact for more information at 470-578-6888 or jrobi313@kennesaw.edu. 

Tuition & Fees