Specializations · Minnesota
Educational Leadership Pathways in Minnesota
Educational Leadership in Minnesota is a graduate award, not K–12 principal license (initial, then five-year continuing). This table lists 45 institutions with matching IPEDS completions. Completions are not approval to recommend candidates for the license. Use the Minnesota 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 Minnesota principal credential
The Minnesota license is K–12 principal license (initial, then five-year continuing). 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.
Minnesota principals are licensed by the Board of School Administrators under Minnesota Rules chapter 3512, not under the teacher licensing rules. The credit floor is higher than in most states. Rule 3512.0200 asks for a specialist or doctoral program of at least 60 semester credits, or 60 semester credits beyond the bachelor’s that include a master’s degree. A 30-to-36-credit master’s in educational leadership is not enough on its own; the rest of the 60 credits still has to be earned. Completing a board-approved administrative licensure program is the rule’s evidence that the candidate met the core competencies in part 3512.0510.
The experience rule is broader than a teaching-only clock. Rule 3512.0200 counts three years of combined experience as a licensed public school classroom teacher; a teacher in an accredited, state-recognized, or Bureau of Indian Education school; or a licensed school psychologist, school social worker, speech-language pathologist, or school counselor. In-person, hybrid, and online classrooms all count. Candidates without that experience follow rule 3512.0700 instead, which adds a one-school-year teaching internship of at least 1,050 hours (up to 250 of them online) on top of the 320-hour field experience. Chapter 3512 names no standalone statewide principal exam. Mastery is shown through the program’s exit evaluation, which the rule says may include objective examinations, portfolio reviews, and observations.
Institutions with Educational Leadership programs in Minnesota
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 K–12 principal license (initial, then five-year continuing).
| Institution | CIP | Award level |
|---|---|---|
| Bethel University (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Bethel University (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Master’s |
| Bethel University (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0408 Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship | Doctorate (research) |
| Capella University (Minneapolis, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Capella University (Minneapolis, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Capella University (Minneapolis, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Capella University (Minneapolis, MN) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Doctorate (research) |
| Capella University (Minneapolis, MN) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Capella University (Minneapolis, MN) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Doctorate (research) |
| Concordia University-Saint Paul (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Concordia University-Saint Paul (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Concordia University-Saint Paul (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Hamline University (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Master’s |
| Hamline University (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Hamline University (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Master’s |
| Hamline University (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Martin Luther College (New Ulm, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Metropolitan State University (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0410 Urban Education and Leadership | Master’s |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead (Moorhead, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead (Moorhead, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead (Moorhead, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Minnesota State University-Mankato (Mankato, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Minnesota State University-Mankato (Mankato, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Minnesota State University-Mankato (Mankato, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Saint Cloud State University (Saint Cloud, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Saint Cloud State University (Saint Cloud, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Saint Cloud State University (Saint Cloud, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (Winona, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (Winona, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (Winona, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (Winona, MN) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (Winona, MN) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Southwest Minnesota State University (Marshall, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth (Duluth, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth (Duluth, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (professional) |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| University of St Thomas (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| University of St Thomas (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| University of St Thomas (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| University of St Thomas (Saint Paul, MN) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Master’s |
| Walden University (Minneapolis, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Winona State University (Winona, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Winona State University (Winona, MN) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
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.