Move Into Higher-Level Leadership
If you’re ready to leverage your experience and explore leadership opportunities, consider pursuing an education specialist (Ed.S.) degree from American College of Education (ACE). Our programs are designed to support the development of specialized and versatile leadership skills through advanced study at the post-master’s level, helping emerging leaders learn how to set strategic directions and make a bigger impact.
Skills and Knowledge Gained
ACE’s Ed.S. in Leadership helps you develop the knowledge and skills you need to be a more effective leader. This leadership education includes, but is not limited to:
- Collaboration and partnership building
- Applying theory and frameworks to solve complex problems
- Evidence-based decision making
- Critical and creative thinking
- Leadership models and strategies
- Using research-based strategies to influence policy and practice
Leadership Career Alignment
An Ed.S. in Leadership is suitable for those aiming to move into higher-level leadership, such as school or district leadership, senior program or department leadership, or mid- to upper-level administration. It’s also often considered a potential pathway to a doctorate, as you can apply the coursework you complete in your Ed.S. to an Ed.D. While the Ed.S. in Leadership does have an education slant, the skills and knowledge you learn are also applicable to other fields and can benefit work in nonprofit, healthcare or corporate sectors.
Education Specialist Degree in Leadership Admission
Along with ACE’s general admission requirements, prospective Ed.S. degree students must have a minimum of a master’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. We may grant provisional admission for a GPA of 2.0. Find detailed admission requirements for your program of interest on the program’s page.
Success Stories
See how ACE’s affordable online degrees have helped our students elevate their careers and find success.
*Source: Student Right to Know
Education Specialist Degree in Leadership FAQs
What is an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Leadership degree?
An Ed.S. in Leadership is a postgraduate degree that helps you gain specialized and versatile leadership skills through advanced study. It demonstrates your readiness for leadership and can help you obtain advanced leadership roles faster, as it typically takes less time to complete than a doctorate.
How is an Ed.S. in Leadership different from a master’s or a doctorate?
An Ed.S. sits between a master’s and a doctorate, as it’s more advanced than a master’s but has fewer requirements than a doctorate. Compared to a master’s degree, an Ed.S. in Leadership delves deeper into areas like organizational change and improvement, strategic decision-making, data-driven leadership, and policy and systems thinking. This prepares you to lead, not just manage, strategy and teams.
Often, an Ed.S. is considered a potential pathway to a doctorate – you complete doctoral-level coursework in an Ed.S. program and just need to take it a step further through original scholarship and a dissertation if you want to earn the full terminal degree.
What can you do with an Ed.S. in Leadership?
An Ed.S. in Leadership is designed to support the development of skills associated with higher-level leadership, which may be relevant to roles involving strategy development, initiatives and team leadership. This may include positions like principal, assistant principal, district or instructional leadership, program director, leadership development, or mid-level management. It’s often considered a credential that may support professional growth or advancement within certain career paths.
Is an Ed.S. in Leadership worth it?
If your goal is to expand your leadership capacity and indicate your readiness for advancement – especially within education – an Ed.S. in Leadership is worth it. It’s faster to complete and more affordable than a doctorate.
How long does it take to earn an Ed.S. in Leadership?
At ACE, the Ed.S. in Leadership takes 18 months to complete.*
What skills will I gain in the Ed.S. in Leadership program?
The program helps you develop the skills you need to be a more effective leader. This includes increasing your ability to make evidence-based decisions, using research-based strategies to influence policy or practice, and applying theory to solve complex problems. It helps you practice creative and critical thinking and understand best practices around collaboration and partnership building. In essence, it focuses on building skills associated with effective leadership, including strategic thinking, problem-solving and collaboration in professional settings.
*This is an estimated time to completion. Actual completion time may vary depending on the number of transfer credits applied, availability of courses, satisfactory pace, multiple course requests, successful course completion, and meeting program milestones as required.