Educational Specialist with a concentration in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Admissions

This program has rolling admissions. You may start the program any fall, spring, or summer. 

For more information, view the Application Roadmap.

Completed applications should be submitted by the deadlines listed below:

Application Checklist

Because this is a licensure program, a Transcript Evaluation and Credential Review (TECR) must be completed prior to admission. The TECR will take at least two weeks to complete.

Contact the College of Education Office of Teacher Education and Licensure (OTEL) at licensure@purdue.edu before continuing with the application if you have any questions about how this transfers to your state or the process.

During the process, be sure to reach out edgrad@purdue.edu to help you through the admissions process. The following checklist will assist you in completing your Graduate School application, your Transcript Evaluation and Credential Review (TECR) and preparing your documents supporting both applications.

• Complete the Transcript Evaluation and Credential Review (TECR) request
  • Click on Start Your TECR Process (complete the form)
  • In the Area of Interest, Under the Administrative License Programs (Online or Hybrid) select the following:
    • District Administrator – Superintendent (P-12)
  • Pay the $35 TECR application fee and submit the TECR request.

Only one set of original transcripts need to be sent to Purdue. Please send them to gradadm@purdue.edu ATTN: Graduate School Admissions. If you request official transcripts be sent to the Purdue Graduate School, those can be accessed by the licensing advisors for your TECR.

If a TECR deadline is less than 7 business days away, official transcripts may be ordered and sent from the issuing institution to licensure@purdue.edu(This only meets the TECR requirement, not the Graduate School requirement for continued enrollment.)

• Create an application account to start your Graduate School application.
• Login to the Graduate School application using your account credentials.
• Contact the admissions representative at edgrad@purdue.edu if you need assistance.
• Complete the following sections of the application based upon your enrollment objective: Degree Seeking (Educational Specialist – Educational Leadership and Policy Studies)
  • Applicant Information – Personal Background, Emergency Contact, Residency
  • Campus and Program
    • Campus: Select “West Lafayette”
    • Proposed Graduate Major: Select “Educational Studies”
    • Area of Interest: “Educational Leadership and Policy Studies”
    • Degree Objective: Select “Educational Specialist”
    • Course Delivery: Select “Hybrid”
  • Complete the additional licensure form
  • Education Background
  • Supplemental Form
  • Employment & Other History
  • Personal History Statement (required)
  • Academic Statement of Purpose (required)
  • Resume Upload
  • Fellowship Applicant Essay Upload (not required)
  • Recommendations
  • Acknowledgments
  • Faculty Selections (not required)
• Pay the nonrefundable application fee by credit card. The Graduate School degree application fee is $60 (U.S. dollars) for domestic applicants and $75 (U.S. dollars).
• The Personal History Statement (required) helps reviewers learn more about you as a whole person and as a potential graduate student. This may include relevant details on community service, leadership roles, participation in diverse teams, and significant barriers that you overcame to attend graduate school.
• The Academic Statement of Purpose (required) is an opportunity for you to share information that will help reviewers understand your academic interests and objectives, assess your academic background, preparation, and training, and determine if you are a good match for the program to which you are applying.
  • Typically, 300-500 words concerning your purpose for undertaking or continuing graduate study, your reasons for wanting to study at Purdue, and your research interests, professional plans, and career goals. Consider addressing any major deficiencies in your application (such as a low GPA) and how you plan to overcome those experiences and achieve success as a graduate student.
• Three letters of recommendation are required for all applicants. The best letters you can secure are those from former or current employers, co-workers, colleagues, tutors, and other mentors. Never ask family members or close friends. You will have the opportunity to have your recommenders submit an online recommendation by entering their email within the application.
• Submit an official transcript for every college or university attended. Official transcripts should be requested to be sent directly from the issuing institution to the Purdue Graduate School or gradadm@purdue.edu. If possible, please select Attn: “Grad School.”
  • Social Security numbers must be marked out before any document is uploaded.
  • If degree/date awarded not listed on transcript, a copy of the original diploma must be made and verified by one of the following: the institution that issued the diploma, the employer, an official such as a lawyer (notarized), or an upper-level financial institution employee (notarized). The verifier must write “This is a true original copy of the diploma for (applicant’s full name)” on the copy, and include their name, title, phone, and email address on the copy. The copy cannot be faxed or sent over email; it must be mailed to the graduate program.
  • For International Transcripts:
    • For the TECR, different requirements apply from the Indiana Department of Education, including an official evaluation of Foreign Studies from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Please contact licensure@purdue.edu for more information. For a list of members, go to www.naces.org/members.html. Please send the original report to OTEL at licensure@purdue.edu .
    • For the graduate application, the transcripts/diploma requirements from the Graduate School can be found at the documents required by country webpage. Unofficial international transcripts may be accepted for admission and should be uploaded with the application.
• Your resume should provide the admissions committee with more information than what’s included in the application and focus on what they need to know to better evaluate your admission. A graduate resume is different than a job search resume. Job search resumes are designed to get you an interview; graduate school resumes are designed to enhance your application and provide yet another opportunity to sell yourself.
  • The resume is not limited to one-page in length (two pages is fine, though contact info must be on both pages)
  • Separate your work and non-work experiences into different sections
  • Include all your experiences – not just the ones targeting a specific job
  • Some of the most commonly included categories in a graduate school resume are:
    • Objective
    • Education
    • Academic Experience/Highlights
    • Employment
    • Volunteer, Community, and/or Extra-Curricular Involvement
    • Certifications/Professional Development
• International degree-seeking applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit proof of English proficiency. The Graduate School accepts the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores for admission. View the Graduate School’s minimum score requirements.
• The Graduate School will routinely waive the English proficiency requirement for applicants who have received a degree within the last 3 years from a school where English is the primary language of instruction in one of the recognized English-speaking countries. Note: If you have not done so already, request that ETS send your scores electronically to the Purdue University West Lafayette campus using code 1631.
• You may check the status of your submitted application by logging into your online application. We will keep you updated as any items arrive.

Additional Options:

Ph.D. degree in Educational Studies with a concentration in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies: The Cohort Doctoral Program concentrates on K-12 superintendent preparation and features the use of hybrid distance learning technologies. Website

Purdue University believes in stackable credentials. Should you choose to pursue a Ph.D. degree in Educational Studies with a concentration in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, you will be able to use 30 credit hours from the Ed.S. degree (earned at the Purdue West Lafayette campus only) towards the Ph.D. degree.

This program is subject to our Licensure Disclosure

The U.S. Department of Education requires institutions to publicly disclose to prospective and currently enrolled students whether certain programs meet the education requirements for licensure or certification in the state or territory in which they reside. “Programs Leading to Professional Licensure” is defined as programs represented to prepare students for an occupation for which, at completion of the program, a local, state or federal license, or nongovernmental certification is required (i) as a precondition for employment, (ii) to perform certain functions, or (iii) to meet additional conditions that are generally needed to secure employment.

The Purdue University Teacher Education Program is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the State of Indiana. However, not all undergraduate and graduate programs lead to an educator licensure in the State of Indiana. If your Teacher Education program includes field experience(s) and a student teaching or internship component, it may lead to an educator license in the State of Indiana, if you meet the licensure requirements. Contact your academic/faculty advisor and/or the Office of Teacher and Licensure at licensure@purdue.edu to verify your program enrollment and whether or not it leads to a license in the State of Indiana.

The State of Indiana has reciprocity agreements with other states, the District of Columbia, and territories. For licensing information contact information for individual state departments of education or visit the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) or email a Purdue University licensing officer/advisor at licensure@purdue.edu.