Educational Administration & Supervision (Ed.S.)

This program is designed for those who possess a master's degree in school administration or a master's degree in a related educational field. This program offers advanced preparation for those educators who desire careers as school superintendents, assistant superintendents, state department of education personnel, vocational education coordinators, curriculum coordinators, or educational personnel in private organizations. This program leads to certification as a superintendent in New Hampshire. It is possible to also receive certification as a principal under special circumstances.

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A student who does not hold a master's degree in administration may be required to take specific courses as electives.

The call in our society for strong, creative leadership of our organizations is universal. Educational organizations are no less impacted by this need for quality leadership than are businesses, non-profit organizations, and government.  The Department of Education, in general, and the program in Administration and Supervision, in particular, is responsible for training educational leaders who will fill leadership roles in the schools, institutions of higher education, educational research centers, and government. 

Professional preparation is a blend of gaining expert knowledge, developing analytical and personal skills, and applying them in real world settings. Study at a research institution like UNH provides the link between theory and practice, concepts and actions. Our faculty infuse their courses with the strong belief that professionals develop and use concepts and research that provide a basis for handling new challenges of practice.¹ We use scholarship as the foundation for our preparation of leaders who will engage with the communities they serve. Our graduate programs of professional educational preparation prepare our students to lead and engage their communities based on the application of in-depth scholarship to leading educational institutions.

Graduate students in our Education Specialist degree program will be able to:

Articulate a vision and a mission grounded in core values that reflect the ability to:

• Develop an educational mission for the educational institution, in collaboration with constituencies.
• Develop an educational mission that promotes academic success and well-being of all students.
• Articulate a vision of an educational institution.
• Cultivate and articulate core values.
• Model the vision, mission and core values through ethical and professional practices.

Exhibit leadership skills that reflect the ability to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and the application of: effective leadership practices; the legal foundations that impact the institution, including human resources, civil rights, and civil liberties; the policy making process, planning, and evaluation; and the ability to consistently use strong interpersonal skills to work collaboratively.
• Gather information about the educational community served by the educational institution to be used in meaningful engagement and assessment.

Develop management skills that reflect the ability to:

• Use resources efficiently to develop the capacity of school personnel, and to maintain a safe environment.
• Establish programs and procedures that meet the mission, vision, and core values of the educational institution.
• Develop crisis response protocols to proactively react to emergency situations, including short-term specific incidents and longer-term systemic incidents.

Pursue, through leadership and management skills and activities, the core values of creating and sustaining a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion that reflect the ability to:

• Create a culture in which students, faculty, and staff are treated fairly and respectfully, and that protects their rights and dignity as individuals.
• Infuse an ethic of care for all participants in the educational institution.
• Implement policies and practices that support a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Articulate, advocate, and cultivate polices and practices that reflect the core value of a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

¹Student learning outcomes are actualized in our classroom instruction, assignments, and field experiences. We ground our classroom instruction, which supports the student learning outcomes, in the practices identified by the National Policy Board for Educational Leaders Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (2015), and the New Hampshire Department of Education regulations.

Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures

The University of New Hampshire offers a number of academic programs designed to lead to professional licensure or certification in New Hampshire. However,  completing a UNH degree/program does not guarantee professional licensure or certification. Eligibility may also depend on factors like years of work experience, professional examinations, passing a background check, and other criteria.

UNH does not guarantee that its professional licensure programs will satisfy the criteria of professional licensure boards in other states. Some states maintain different requirements for professional licensure or certification and requirements can change frequently. Federal regulations require the University to make public disclosure of certain information regarding professional licensure or certification programs, regardless of the modality the program is offered (i.e., in-person or online). The University provides guidance below but recommends students contact their state/territory licensing or certification board to ensure a program meets specific state/territory requirements.

Visit the Office of the Registrar's website for information about whether this program meets professional licensure requirements in your state.