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Education Administration, Ed.S.

College of Education

Prepare for superintendent certification and district-level leadership positions through this educational leadership and policies program, which marries theory and research with practice.

This online program lets you to continue your career while preparing for your next steps. It's perfect for future district coordinators and leaders, assistant superintendents and superintendents. Shorten the time it takes to earn an Ed.D. in Education Systems Improvement or Ph.D. in Education Administration. Applicants must already have an elementary or secondary administration certificate.

Program Highlights

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    Superintendent Status

    Take courses that directly address the superintendency and fulfill certification requirements for S.C. school district superintendents.

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    Working Knowledge

    Study in a program that boasts a "superintendent in residence": a practitioner informing our program's practice.

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    Special Tuition Rates

    Pay reduced tuition rates if you are a certified South Carolina teacher. Out-of-state students pay regular in-state tuition rates.

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    Ranked Program

    Be part of a college ranked in the top 15 percent nationally for graduate programs of education by U.S. News & World Report.

What You’ll Study

Courses cover finance, instruction, policy and facilities. Achieve superintendency certification for South Carolina upon completion. Increase your marketability for district-level positions. Our professors will help you grow your professional network while you learn to address the kinds of challenges faced by school district leaders.

Building Skills

Gain the professional and personal intelligence it takes to have a successful career.

  • Leadership

    Inspiring and guiding others to achieve common goals and reach their full potential

    Handling Conflict

    Resolving disagreements or disputes between individuals or groups in a fair and constructive manner

    Collaboration

    Working with others to achieve a common goal or objective

  • Innovation

    Introducing new ideas, methods or products to improve performance or achieve a specific goal

    Networking

    Building relationships and making connections with others to advance personal or professional goals

    Research

    Gathering and analyzing information to increase knowledge or solve problems

Using your degree

Make your college experience the foundation for a successful future.

Learn how alumni use degrees with outcome data from Gamecock GradStats, a service of the University of South Carolina Career Center.

Potential Careers

  • District Leader
  • District Coordinator
  • Assistant Superintendent
  • Superintendent

Job Titles of Alumni

  • Assistant Principal
  • Principal
  • Director
  • Academic Advisor

Workplace Settings

  • Education
  • Health Care
  • Information Technology
  • Consulting

Employers of Alumni

  • University of South Carolina
  • Lexington County School District One
  • Richland School District Two
  • Richland School District One
  • Lexington-Richland School District Five
  • Beaufort County School District

As an aspiring superintendent, the Ed. S. program gave me the opportunity to gain unique insight into the responsibilities and challenges facing the modern-day superintendent.

Linard McCloud
Portrait of Linard McCloud

Is USC Right For You?

There are many reasons we could be your ideal university. There's the award-winning academics, the globally modeled student life, and abundance of study abroad and experiential learning options. Take a closer look at what USC could mean for you.

Degree content is provided for informational purposes only. The Academic Bulletin is the source of record for all degree information.
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