Specializations · Colorado
Educational Leadership Pathways in Colorado
Educational Leadership in Colorado is a graduate award, not Initial Principal License (advancing to Professional Principal License). This table lists 17 institutions with matching IPEDS completions. Completions are not approval to recommend candidates for the license. Use the Colorado principal checklist for the credential.
Educational leadership is graduate study aimed at school and district leadership roles. Programs commonly sit inside an M.Ed., EdS, or EdD. Completing a leadership degree is not the same as earning a principal or administrator credential. States issue that license after an approved preparation sequence, experience, and any required exams.
Reviewed by Brittnie Vargas, School principal, M.Ed.Editorial processHow this degree relates to the Colorado principal credential
The Colorado license is Initial Principal License (advancing to Professional Principal License). Read the principal checklist for steps, exams, and the board source — this page is the IPEDS inventory for Educational Leadership, not a second copy of that checklist.
Colorado sets its degree floor lower than most states. CDE’s initial principal checklist asks for an earned bachelor’s or higher degree plus completion of a Colorado-approved principal preparation program, verified on CDE’s approved program verification (APV) form. Nowhere does the checklist require a master’s degree as a separate licensure condition. Whether a given preparation program is itself graduate-level is the program’s decision, not a CDE licensure rule, so read the program’s admission page rather than assuming a master’s is or is not attached.
The experience clock is three or more years as a fully licensed teacher or a fully licensed special services provider in an elementary or secondary school. CDE’s requirements page also counts three years of like experience in a non-public school. The word “licensed” carries weight: years worked on a credential that was not a full license are a question to put to CDE before applying. The exam is a single Praxis test, Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision (5412), at 146. E-Train evaluator training has been required for every new and renewing principal applicant since August 1, 2024, and CDE states that the credential cannot be issued or renewed without that certificate unless the APV form shows it was done in the program.
Institutions with Educational Leadership programs in Colorado
Rows come from IPEDS awards by CIP and award level. This extract reported no completion counts, so none are shown. An institution that conferred awards is not automatically approved to recommend candidates for Initial Principal License (advancing to Professional Principal License).
| Institution | CIP | Award level |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Christian University (Lakewood, CO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Colorado State University Global (Denver, CO) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Master’s |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins (Fort Collins, CO) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Doctorate (research) |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins (Fort Collins, CO) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Master’s |
| Fort Lewis College (Durango, CO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Fort Lewis College (Durango, CO) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Master’s |
| Regis University (Denver, CO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Regis University (Denver, CO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Taft University System (Denver, CO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (other) |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs (Colorado Springs, CO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus (Denver, CO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus (Denver, CO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus (Denver, CO) | 13.0410 Urban Education and Leadership | Doctorate (research) |
| University of Denver (Denver, CO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| University of Denver (Denver, CO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| University of Northern Colorado (Greeley, CO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| University of Northern Colorado (Greeley, CO) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
Frequently asked questions
Is educational leadership the same as principal certification?
No. Educational leadership is an academic concentration. Principal certification is a state-issued administrative credential. Many candidates earn both through the same approved program, but you must satisfy the state’s credential rules, not only complete graduate courses.
Which degree should I pursue for school leadership?
Many educators start with an M.Ed. in educational leadership. Some continue to an EdS for post-master’s depth, or an EdD for terminal practitioner study. Match the degree to your state’s credential checklist and your timeline, do not choose based on ranking lists.
Can I complete educational leadership online?
Many programs offer online or hybrid coursework, but internships and field experiences are usually local. Confirm that the program can place you in an approved setting in the state where you intend to hold an administrative license.
Which leadership exam will I take?
The exam is set by the state board. This site sources SLLA 6990, TExES 268 and PASL, FELE, CalAPA/CPACE, PAL, OAE 015, and other state instruments on the SLLA page and each principal checklist. Confirm the current test code and cut score on the board testing page.