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**Review** Graduate Catalog 2025-2026

Educational Leadership and Special Education Administration Ed.S.

Program Overview

College of Education and Behavioral Sciences

General Specialist Degree Admission Requirements

View delivery options, start terms and admission requirements

Director: Linda R. Vogel, Ph.D.

Location: McKee 418A

Telephone: 970-351-2119

Website: www.unco.edu/cebs/leadership-policy-development-higher-education-p12-education/educational-leadership-policy-development/

The interdisciplinary Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree program in Educational Leadership and Special Education Administration prepares candidates to become effective leaders and managers of educational program and services at both the school building and school district levels of impact. Candidates for this degree complete coursework in applied research/evaluation, the principalship, foundations of educational leadership, contextual understanding of systems, policy/legal/procedural information, program planning and organization, budget and resources, and parent/community engagement. The program provides opportunities for students to develop in-depth understanding about leadership roles and responsibilities, working with external environments, policy development, organizational behavior and contemporary educational issues. The program prepares graduates to assume roles as building principals at the elementary, middle, or high school levels: and district level positions as special education directors and/or central office administrators.

The Ed.S. degree requires 39 semester hours of graduate study beyond the master’s degree. Satisfactory performance on a concluding activity demonstrating attainment of program outcomes and approved by faculty, in accordance with Graduate School policy, must be demonstrated.

Degree Requirements — 39 Credits

Research — 3 credits

SRM 670Evaluation: Models and Designs

3

SRM 665Data Analysis for Decision-Making

3

Educational Leadership Courses — 21 credits

ELPS 601Leadership Development Through Inquiry

3

ELPS 603Shaping Organizations: Management and Leadership in Education

3

ELPS 604Understanding People: Professional Development and Educational Leadership

3

ELPS 650School Finance and Budgeting

3

ELPS 654Instructional Leadership and Supervision

3

ELPS 660Law and the Administrator

3

ELPS 670The Principalship: Leadership at the School Site Level

3

Special Education Administration Courses — 9 credits

EDSE 680Administration and Supervision of Special Education

3

EDSE 681Administrative Planning and Program Evaluation in Special Education

3

EDSE 718Advanced Seminar in Education of Students with Hearing and/or Visual Loss

3

Field-based Learning — 6 credits

ELPS 606Internship in Educational Leadership

1- 9

EDSE 697Externship in Special Education: Administration

1-12

Program Note

Satisfactory performance on a concluding activity demonstrating attainment of program outcomes and approved by faculty, in accordance with Graduate School policy, must be demonstrated.

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