Specializations · South Carolina
Educational Leadership Pathways in South Carolina
Educational Leadership in South Carolina is a graduate award, not School Principal: Tier 1 (PK–Grade 12), advancing to Tier 2. This table lists 40 institutions with matching IPEDS completions. Completions are not approval to recommend candidates for the license. Use the South Carolina 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 South Carolina principal credential
The South Carolina license is School Principal: Tier 1 (PK–Grade 12), advancing to Tier 2. 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.
South Carolina rewrote its advanced-certification rule in 2025. Regulation 43-64, effective May 23, 2025, makes School Principal: Tier 1 a single PK–Grade 12 field instead of the older separate elementary and secondary principal fields. Educators who already hold School Principal: Elementary or Secondary may keep those fields, or add PK–12 by completing a graduate internship course in the complementary grade span or by serving one successful year as an assistant principal or principal in that span. A district can request a one-year permit in the complementary span while that year is served. Approved preparation providers must align coursework and field experiences to PK–12 settings no later than September 1, 2026.
The Tier 1 checklist has five parts: a master’s degree from an institution meeting State Board accreditation requirements, a valid South Carolina Professional educator certificate, a State Board-approved graduate principal preparation program, verification of at least three years of educator experience, and a qualifying assessment score. The regulation says “educator experience” rather than “teaching experience” and does not define it on the regulation page, so a candidate whose years are in counseling or another non-classroom role should confirm with SCDE before applying. SCDE’s 2026-27 list gives a choice of two Praxis tests: Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision (5412) at 146, or the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (6990) at 151.
Institutions with Educational Leadership programs in South Carolina
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 School Principal: Tier 1 (PK–Grade 12), advancing to Tier 2.
| Institution | CIP | Award level |
|---|---|---|
| Anderson University (Anderson, SC) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Doctorate (research) |
| Anderson University (Anderson, SC) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Anderson University (Anderson, SC) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Master’s |
| Bob Jones University (Greenville, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Bob Jones University (Greenville, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Charleston Southern University (Charleston, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Charleston Southern University (Charleston, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Charleston Southern University (Charleston, SC) | 13.0408 Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| Charleston Southern University (Charleston, SC) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina (Charleston, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina (Charleston, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Clemson University (Clemson, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Clemson University (Clemson, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Clemson University (Clemson, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Coastal Carolina University (Conway, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Coastal Carolina University (Conway, SC) | 13.0404 Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | Doctorate (research) |
| Columbia College (Columbia, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Columbia International University (Columbia, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| Columbia International University (Columbia, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Columbia International University (Columbia, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Converse University (Spartanburg, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Converse University (Spartanburg, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Converse University (Spartanburg, SC) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Master’s |
| Converse University (Spartanburg, SC) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Furman University (Greenville, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Furman University (Greenville, SC) | 13.0408 Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| Furman University (Greenville, SC) | 13.0408 Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Furman University (Greenville, SC) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Master’s |
| Furman University (Greenville, SC) | 13.0409 Secondary School Administration/Principalship | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Furman University (Greenville, SC) | 13.0411 Superintendency and Educational System Administration | Post-master’s / EdS |
| North Greenville University (Tigerville, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Southern Wesleyan University (Central, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Strayer University-South Carolina (Greenville, SC) | 13.0499 Educational Administration and Supervision, Other | Master’s |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia (Columbia, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Doctorate (research) |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia (Columbia, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia (Columbia, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Post-master’s / EdS |
| Winthrop University (Rock Hill, SC) | 13.0401 Educational Leadership and Administration, General | Master’s |
| Winthrop University (Rock Hill, SC) | 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.