Education Specialist in Educational Leadership, Principalship Online
Prepare for the many roles and responsibilities of a school principal with this 100% online program that offers you an intense study of the latest research on effective school management and education.
Program Overview
Find out why our Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Principalship online degree is for you
Our Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Principalship online program is designed to improve your general educational and specific professional competencies as a school system leader. Our esteemed faculty developed the program to provide additional training, beyond a master's, based on recommendations from professional organizations and accrediting associations. Candidates complete performance-based activities in P–12 school sites and related learning.
This program includes an internship requirement that can be completed while you continue working as an educator or school administrator. In addition, some of the coursework you complete as part of this post-master's degree program can apply to an Arkansas State University doctoral degree in education, allowing you to earn that degree in less time.
As licensure requirements may change without notice, it is the responsibility of the student to confirm the requirements for licensure in his/her state as it applies to the participation in an out-of-state degree program.
In this program you will:
- Improve your general educational and specific professional competencies as a school system leader
- Receive instruction on maintaining a successful culturally responsive school environment and learn to work collaboratively with teachers and parents to implement instructional improvement
- Utilize valuable experiences from an internship that can be completed while you continue working
- Meet state or professional requirements for career advancement
- Improve your general educational and specific professional competencies as a school system leader
- Receive instruction on maintaining a successful culturally responsive school environment and learn to work collaboratively with teachers and parents to implement instructional improvement
- Utilize valuable experiences from an internship that can be completed while you continue working
- Meet state or professional requirements for career advancement
As a graduate of this online program, you will be prepared for various educational leadership roles, including:
- Principal
- Assistant Principal
- Director
- Principal
- Assistant Principal
- Director
Additional documents
Also available:
A-State offers a variety of post-graduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online post-graduate programs.
Accreditation
Licensure programs within A-State’s College of Education & Behavioral Science are accredited by CAEP.
Tuition
Pay for your online program by the course
Our Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Principalship online program offers the same affordable tuition to all U.S. residents. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.
Tuition breakdown:
Calendar
Upcoming dates and deadlines
Our Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Principalship online program is designed to be flexible and convenient for working professionals, featuring accelerated coursework and multiple start dates a year.
Please note that the internship course lasts a full semester and only starts in Fall 1 and Spring 1 of terms.
Please note Summer 1 and Summer 2 terms are 5 weeks in duration for this program.
| Term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 1 | 5/27/25 | 5/12/25 | 5/16/25 | 5/22/25 | 5/23/25 | 6/26/25 |
| Summer 2 | 6/30/25 | 6/16/25 | 6/20/25 | 6/26/25 | 6/27/25 | 7/31/25 |
| Fall 1 | 8/20/25 | 8/6/25 | 8/8/25 | 8/14/25 | 8/15/25 | 10/3/25 |
| Fall 2 | 10/13/25 | 9/29/25 | 10/3/25 | 10/9/25 | 10/10/25 | 12/4/25 |
Now enrolling:
Have questions or need more information about A‑State online programs?
Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from A-State?
Admissions
Learn how to apply to this online Ed.S. principalship program
Students who are interested in our Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Principalship online program must have a master’s degree from an accredited institution and one year of teaching experience. For students seeking Building Level Administrator (Principal) licensure in the state of Arkansas, you must have 3 years of teaching experience to acquire this licensure. Review full admission requirements below. At this time, International students may not be accepted into any Educational Leadership program – only students with a valid US teaching license that are working in a US school district are eligible for this program.
Admission Requirements:
- Online application
- Master's degree
- Valid teaching license
Admission requirements
- Master’s degree from an accredited institution with at least 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale
- A valid, standard teaching license
- One year of experience as a certified teacher in an educational institution
- Commitment from an appropriate professional who will function as your mentor during the degree program. View acceptable mentors (PDF).
- Candidates will be required to submit the self-disposition document provided and verification for teacher effectiveness and leadership abilities
Note: If you have a 3.0-3.24 GPA, you must make a grade of B or better during the first 9 hours of graduate work at Arkansas State University.
Application submission requirements
- Complete online application
- Pay the nonrefundable $30 fee
- Send official transcript(s) from the college/university attended. Official transcripts are sealed transcripts sent from the granting institution. For this program, we will only need an official transcript that shows your conferred master's degree.
Submit all documents to:
A-State OnlineP.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467
Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]
Additional information
While not required for admission, Teacher/Leader Effectiveness Credentials will be required prior to registering for your first course.
Unless otherwise noted, Arkansas State University has not confirmed if a program has met requirements for an out-of-state licensure and it is up to the Student to confirm if the program will meet the needs for licensure. Please refer to the Program Approval Map to determine which programs are eligible to be offered in States and to find relevant State Agency contact information. Eligibility to offer in a State does not guarantee the program will meet State licensure requirements.
Additional required documents
As part of the student's portfolio, the following information is required to be completed prior to registering for the 3rd term (second semester):
- Video Essay
- Writing Sample
These additional documents are not required to render an admissions decision.
Appeals process
- Email a written Letter of Appeal and GRE or GMAT scores (may be unofficial) to [email protected]
Transfer credits
Up to 9 graduate hours from A-State or other higher education institutions may be credited toward a program subject to department approval. No course can be older than six years by graduation time. The course must have been taken at the level of the program you are seeking. To request prior credit be evaluated, please complete the Graduate Transfer Credit Evaluation Form.
Courses
Take a look at the online principalship curriculum
Students pursuing this Ed.S. program must complete the following 10 courses (30 credit hours).
Visit the Course Registration page to view the course schedule for this degree.