Program Overview
The educational administration and leadership programs at USD are designed for school district superintendents, elementary and secondary principals, special education directors, curriculum directors, adult educators, and higher education administrators and classroom instructors. They develop education leaders to be effective school administrators by cultivating change for the future. Offered at master’s, educational specialist and doctoral levels, the programs can be taken on-campus, online or via a hybrid learning environment. Specializations vary depending on the degree level. Examples include adult and higher education, curriculum director, pre-K-12 principal, pre-K-12 educational leadership, director of special education and school district superintendent. The USD School of Education has been accredited by CAEP (formerly NCATE) since 1956. Learn more at https://www.usd.edu/Academics/Graduate-Programs/Pre-K-12-Educational-Leadership.
DELIVERY: On campus | Online
General Application Requirements
- Completed application
- $35 application fee
- Official transcripts*
- Letters of recommendation*
- Statement of purpose
- Resume/CV*
*Requirements for admission vary by program and may require different documentation and have different deadlines. This list is not all-inclusive, to view specific program requirements and submission deadlines, follow the “Admissions Information” hyperlink at the top of this page OR visit the specific program/dept. page found here: link.usd.edu/grad-catalog
Location Matters for Non-Licensure Track Programs
This program is not designed or advertised to lead to a professional license or certification required for employment.
USD is permitted to operate under the terms of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA) policies and standards in offering online courses/degree programs to residents in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Online courses/programs may also be offered to residents of California (a non-SARA state) because it does not regulate out-of-state public institutions.
Additionally, this program is authorized to offer supervised field study experiences (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) in South Dakota. Please be aware that there may be some restrictions on your ability to engage in supervised field study outside of South Dakota. Please contact a program representative if you have questions regarding supervised field study.
Distance education courses or programs will not be offered outside of the United States without prior written approval from the University, which may be withheld for any reason. If you are taking distance courses while physically located outside of the United States, it is your responsibility to confirm the following: (a) if the country will recognize an online degree; (b) the availability of supervised field study opportunities in the country; and (c) if the country charges any additional taxes, withholdings or fees associated with online distance education programs.
For more information, please visit USD’s State Authorization page or contact your admissions counselor.
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