K–12 Educational Leadership (KAM-Based Format)
Completion Requirements
- 96 total quarter credit hours
- Foundational courses (12 cr.)
- Core KAMs II & III (24 cr.)
- Specialized KAMs (24 cr.)
- Research courses (16 cr.)
- Proposal, dissertation, and oral presentations (20 cr.)
- Minimum 8–10 quarters enrollment
- Four Ph.D. residencies to equal a minimum of 16 units
- ePortfolio
Time to completion may vary by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. For a personalized estimate of your time to completion, call an enrollment advisor at 1-866-492-5336.
Curriculum
Foundation Course
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
| EDUC 8110 | Development of the Scholar-Practitioner | 4 |
| EDUC 8111 | Principles of Social Change | 4 |
| EDUC 8112 | Social Change in Education | 4 |
Core KAMs
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
|
KAM II: Principles of Human Development |
||
| SBSF 8210 | Breadth: Theories of Human Development | 4 |
| SBSF 8220 | Depth: Current Research in Human Development | 4 |
| SBSF 8230 |
Application: Professional Practice in Human Development |
4 |
| KAM III: Principles of Organizational and Social Systems | ||
| SBSF 8310 | Breadth: Theories of Organizational and Social Systems | 4 |
| EDUC 8328 | Depth: Current Research in Organizational and Social Systems: K–12 Education | 4 |
| EDUC 8338 | Application: Professional Practice in K–12 Educational Organization | 4 |
Core Research Sequence
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
| RSCH 8100D | Research Theory, Design, and Methods | 4 |
| RSCH 8200D | Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis | 4 |
| RSCH 8300D | Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis | 4 |
Specialized KAMs
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
|
KAM V: Educational Leadership for Student Success |
||
| EDUC 8515 | Breadth: Theories of Student Learning and Leadership for Student Success | 4 |
| EDUC 8525 | Depth: Current Research on K–12 Educational Leadership for Student Success | 4 |
| EDUC 8535 |
Application: Professional Practice for Student Success |
4 |
| KAM VI: Educational Leadership for Organizational Effectiveness | ||
| EDUC 8615 | Theories of Organizational Functioning and Development for K12 Leaders | 4 |
| EDUC 8625 | Depth: Current Research on Accountability and Organizational Effectiveness for K–12 Leaders | 4 |
| EDUC 8635 | Application: Professional Practice for Organizational Effectiveness in K–12 Settings | 4 |
Advanced Research Sequence—Choose one of the following.
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
| RSCH 8250 | Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis | 4 |
| RSCH 8350 | Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis | 4 |
| RSCH 8450 | Advanced Mixed Methods Reasoning and Analysis | 4 |
Dissertation
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
| EDUC 9000 | Dissertation | 20 |
Certification and Licensure
Note on licensure: Walden University is approved by Minnesota to offer the Ed.S. in Educational Leadership and Administration program that leads to licensure as a P–12 principal in Minnesota. This is the only program offered by Walden that is state approved as leading to any P–12 administrative/leadership license (e.g., assistant principal, principal, teacher leader, superintendent).
*Individuals completing a Walden University M.S. in Education degree with a specialization in Educational Leadership are eligible for principal certification in Texas. The nature of this collaboration offers eligibility for licensure in a limited number of states other than Texas, which currently may include California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, New Jersey, Nevada, and Virginia. Walden enrollment advisors can provide guidance on licensure issues; however, it remains the individual’s responsibility to understand and comply with all state licensure requirements. Walden makes no representation or guarantee that completion of Walden coursework or programs will permit an individual to obtain state licensure or endorsement.
Prospective candidates from outside of Minnesota should review their own state’s requirements to ensure that completing any teacher or principal preparation program at Walden will meet eligibility requirements for similar licensure in their state.
Walden University makes no representation or guarantee that successful completion of Walden's programs, or coursework for graduate credit within any graduate program, will permit a graduate to obtain state certification or licensure as a P–12 teacher or administrator.
Course Descriptions—KAM-Based Format
For assistance in deciding which online degree specialization fits your goals, request information or speak with an enrollment advisor by calling 1-866-492-5336. A list of international toll-free phone numbers is available for students outside the United States.
Compare Formats
The K–12 Educational Leadership specialization is available in two formats: KAM-based and mixed model. If you want to combine the structure of online coursework with the flexibility of scholarly research papers and to balance independent research on a topic with structured education courses, the mixed-model format may be the best option for you. View this specialization in the mixed-model format.
