The Educational Leadership Program is committed to creating a great leader for every Iowa school and will prepare you to be an exceptional school leader, professor, and policymaker.
Our programs are designed for working professionals and offer degrees and licensure for PK-12 school leadership. Most students in the program are practicing teachers and administrators, and the majority of classes are offered in the evenings during the regular academic year. Additionally, many classes are offered via interactive distance education.
Questions?
Programs
MA Educational Leadership
An accredited Iowa school administrator licensure program for aspiring K-12 principals.
EdS Educational Leadership with Superintendent Endorsement
An accredited Iowa school administrator endorsement program for aspiring K-12 superintendents.
Superintendent Endorsement
Prepares individuals for endorsement (State of Iowa Endorsement 171) as a school superintendent.
EdD in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies
A practice-based terminal doctorate preparing scholar-educators for district level K-12 school leadership.
PhD Educational Leadership
A terminal doctorate preparing scholar-educators for leadership, faculty positions, and policy analysis.
Graduate Certificates
Certificate in K-12 Equity and Inclusion
The Graduate Certificate in K-12 Equity and Inclusion offers professionals currently working in K-12 schools, districts, and area education agencies expertise in equity and inclusion to better support the needs and interests of a diversifying K-12 student population.
Certificate in Institutional Research and Effectiveness
The Certificate in Institutional Research and Effectiveness (IRE) prepares professionals to use data for institutional and organizational decision-making, reporting, and accountability in higher education and K-12 contexts.
Faculty and Research
Educational Leadership faculty believe in leadership for social justice and are nationally and internationally recognized in the field.
To see associated faculty, please: Visit Faculty Listing
Areas of expertise include:
- Program evaluation methods
- K-12 leadership
- Equity, access, and P-16/20 institutions
- K-12 Education policy and politics
- Marginalization in K-12 schools
- Qualitative methods
- School leadership for social justice
Center for Evaluation and Assessment
The Center for Evaluation and Assessment (CEA) conducts multiple forms of program evaluation and assessment in collaboration with colleges, universities, and school systems around the world. Evaluators do formative and summative work, utilizing a variety of methodologies to meet the needs of project stakeholders.
Admissions and Application
For general admissions information, please visit Graduate Admissions. Please visit the degree pages for specific admissions information:
Tuition and Fees
Accurate information about tuition and fee rates can be found on the Office of the Registrar Tuition and Fees page. Select the appropriate session and select the Graduate College. Then under “Filter by Curricular College,” select the College of Education.
Residency Classification for Tuition Purposes
Establishing yourself as an Iowan for tuition purposes has cost saving benefits. Detailed information can be found on the Residency page at the Office of the Registrar's website.
Assistantship Rates
Assistantship rates (salary and tuition scholarships) for graduate assistantships that honor the COGS union collective bargaining agreement are available on the Office of the Dean's Finance page.
Graduate Assistantships and Program-based Funding
MA
The MA program does not offer program-based financial aid. However, you may be eligible for needs-based aid (and other forms of grants and scholarships) offered through the College of Education or University of Iowa Office of Financial Aid.
EdS and PhD
Full-time students interested in being considered for assistantships/funding, must submit their application by January 2 for Fall Semester. Students seeking admission for Spring Semester will not be considered for funding until the following Fall Semester.
More Financial Support Information
College of Education
- Financing Your Degree
- Office of Student Services
- College Scholarships & Awards
- Graduate Grants and Assistantships
- GRSC Student Funding Opportunities
University of Iowa
Apply Now
Please review the required supplemental documents above before starting the general graduate application.
Program Resources
Computer Resources/Instructional Technology Services
Electronic technology is an important aspect of graduate education at the University of Iowa. Several Instructional Technology Centers (ITC labs) are located across campus, including in N188 Lindquist Center. Students may log onto lab computers using their HawkID. The ITCs support a wide variety of software, and students receive a semester allowance for printing on campus.
HawkID
Email accounts are required as they facilitate easy and quick communication among students and faculty within the program and department; you should use your uiowa.edu address for all transactions with the program. We expect students to access their university email regularly, and respond in a timely manner to correspondence with faculty. ITS may offer free short courses and workshops throughout the year to acquaint students with software programs and to provide thesis and dissertation support.
ITS
ITS is a very helpful resource for students and faculty. You can get help with your computer, access deep discounts for purchases, download discounted and free software, attend learning sessions for software, and create your own electronic portfolio to support your job search. They are located in the University Capitol Center.
Libraries
Most hard copy education holdings relevant to Higher Education and Student Affairs can be found in either the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences or in the Main Library. Students can also make use of the extensive collection of online resources via the library website: www.lib.uiowa.edu. Finally, arrangements also can be made for students and faculty to use the extensive resources of the library of the American College Testing Program (ACT).
EPLS Research Lab (N494 Lindquist)
The EPLS Research Lab hosts several computers equipped with software for EPLS students to conduct quantitative and qualitative research. In addition, the research lab includes a conference table and projector for students to meet and collaborate on group projects. To access the research lab, students will need to go through an orientation session. The graduate assistant will post times and dates of orientation on the COE listserv. If you are unable to attend the scheduled orientations, please contact Wei Lin Chen at wei-lin-chen@uiowa.edu to schedule a different time.
College of Education Writing Resource
The College of Education Writing Resource provides College of Education graduate students with a writing tutor who can assist with academic writing: to revise, discuss and offer a one-to-one “workshop” setting.
All students in the Educational Leadership Program are expected to comply with the highest professional and ethical standards in all of their activities, including their classes and research, as advisees, when interacting with peers, and as graduate assistants. Students should honor commitments, keep confidences, make and keep appointments, fulfill assignments in a timely manner, avoid plagiarism, conduct themselves in accordance with all ethical standards in research, and be honest in their interactions with faculty and students.
Examples of misconduct include, but are not limited to, cheating on examinations, signing another person’s name on a form, misrepresenting the truth about oneself or others, submitting the same paper for two or more classes, and submitting another student’s paper as one’s own. Students are expected to behave ethically in and out of the classroom. Students should be familiar with appropriate ethical standards that help define their professionalism.
When preparing papers and reports, students are responsible for following the style manual recommended by the instructor (typically APA). Not knowing how to give credit and cite sources is not an acceptable reason for plagiarism or failure of attribution. Plagiarism and other misconduct are viewed seriously by the faculty and can result in disciplinary action by the department, college, and university.
All Educational Leadership students are initially assigned to a faculty academic advisor. This assignment is not necessarily permanent, and can be changed at the request of the student. When changing advisors, a conversation with all parties is recommended.
*The policies of the Graduate College and College of Education will take precedence over program policies.
News
Murley, Hopkins bring valuable expertise to Educational Leadership program
Mark Hopkins (clinical assistant professor) and Stephen Murley (clinical instructor) are joining the college's Educational Leadership program.
Faculty, staff honored at year-end College of Education meeting
The University of Iowa College of Education recognized and celebrated the contributions of faculty and staff at the Spring Faculty and Staff meeting.
Contact Us
Program Coordinator
Lisa-Kieffer-Haverkamp
Clinical Instructor & Program Coordinator
N430 Lindquist Center
319-467-4271
lisa-kiefferhaverkamp@uiowa.edu
Questions?
For admission and application questions, please contact: anne-sparks@uiowa.edu.