Stand Out in Your Field
Effective school administrators can make a tremendous difference in the lives of others. The University of St. Thomas Administrative Licensure program is committed to providing you with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to thrive in an increasingly challenging environment for educational leaders. With a focus on social justice, our program is guided by current practitioners in the field, as well as award-winning educators and leaders.
Our administrative licensure programs are here to help you meet the demands of educational leadership during and after the pandemic. Hear from one of our expert faculty about leading during a pandemic. The School of Education also co-founded the Minnesota Institute for Trauma-Informed Education (MITIE) to develop, support, and advance the field of trauma-informed and trauma-engaged education. The Institute seeks to provide an arena for scholars, practitioners, and researchers to convene and learn about the latest practices in trauma-informed education.
This program is designed for individuals with a master's degree in educational leadership looking to fulfill required competencies for a Director of Special Education licensure. See the Education Specialist and Administrative Licensures flyer for more information.
Cohort model with one eight-week HyFlex course (classes in person and Zoom) on Wednesday evenings. It is the student's choice to attend online or in person.
Fall semester
New for Fall 2023!
The School of Education is offering up to $6,000 scholarships for Fall 2023 for qualified applicants who are pursuing their initial administrative licensure. Priority goes to Tier 3/4 teachers with 3-5+ years of experience. Simply apply to the EdS program to be considered for the scholarship! Review of completed applications will begin June 1 until scholarship funds are exhausted.
Director of Special Education License: Required additional credits can be completed concurrently with the EdS degree
Principal License: Completed as part of EdS degree requirements
EdS and Special Education Director License: 31 Credits
EDLD 621 Research Design, Analysis and Critique I (3 credits)
EDLD 801 Leadership and Organizational Theory (3 credits)
EDLD 805 Supervision and Professional Development (3 credits)
EDLD 807 Foundations of Leadership: An Intellectual and Ethical Practice (3 credits)
EDLD 820 School Law (3 credits)
EDLD 826 School Finance (3 credits)
EDLD 840 Administration of Special Programs (3 credits)
EDLD 884 Social Justice Leadership and Pedagogy (2 credits)
View our our current Education Specialist and Administrative Licensures flyer for the course schedule for the cohort starting in Fall 2023!
Dr. Jean-Pierre Bongila, Ed.D, is the founding and current director of the International Leadership Program (MA, Certificate & Doctorate concentration) at the University of St. Thomas within the department of Leadership, Policy and Administration (LPA) which he joined in 2006.
Dr. Alecia Mobley is the Director of Special Education for Richfield Public Schools. She has been in district-level leadership for the past eight years and is an expert in designing programs to effectively serve and support students who have typically been underserved by educational systems.
’99 EdS, ’15 EdD
Dr. Wharton-Beck began her career as a teacher for hearing impaired students in the Chicago Public Schools. Her leadership positions include mentoring and coaching teachers, serving as an adjunct faculty in higher education and as an elementary school principal.