Lipscomb University College of Education offers nationally recognized teacher prep program to Kentucky educators

Kim Chaudoin | 12/04/2023

Educators in Kentucky now have the ability to earn the Kentucky Principal Certification and a certificate, master's, or education specialist degree in Educational Leadership through Lipscomb University’s College of Education, recognized as one of the most effective educator preparation programs in the nation. 

Beginning this spring, Lipscomb’s Educational Leadership Program will offer Kentucky educators graduate programs that prepare them for principal certification and Kentucky Rank I and II statuses. 

“The Educational Leadership Program at Lipscomb is well known across the state of Tennessee for high quality preparation focused on both the practical and problem solving skill sets necessary for school leaders. We are excited for this opportunity to expand our program into Kentucky,” said Leslie Cowell, dean of Lipscomb’s College of Education. 

The programs are designed for working practitioners and are offered online in synchronous and asynchronous formats. All courses are taught by current practitioners at the school, district or state level and are grounded in national leadership standards. Degrees include:

• Certificate: This is a 21-hour program that provides coursework and field experiences to prepare candidates for principal certification. The program may be completed in three to four semesters.
• Master of Education: This 30-hour program prepares educators for principal certification and Kentucky Rank II status. Coursework includes an emphasis on character development, organizational change, instructional excellence, conflict management and business acumen. Students will develop the groundworks for an action research study to investigate an educational improvement strategy and gain experience through a leadership mentorship. The program may be completed in as few as 15 months. 
• Educational Specialist: This 36-hour program leads to principal certification and Kentucky Rank I status. Candidates may apply for Rank I once 30 of the 36 hours in the program have been completed. Concentrations include character development, strategic change, team collaboration, student experiences and system change. A capstone research project is also a program component. The program may be completed in 18 months. 

“These programs provide pathways for educators to reach their professional goals while expanding their impact on their school and district,” said Lance Forman, director of the Educational Leadership Program and associate professor in the College of Education. “Students engage in authentic learning experiences, are partnered with a school-based mentor and have a highly personalized experience in the program.”

Students may continue their professional development through a doctoral pathway by applying up to 15 hours of transfer credit from Ed.S. coursework toward the completion of an Ed.D. or Ph.D. program in the College of Education at Lipscomb. Full-time Kentucky educators are eligible for a 40% discount for this program. Applications are now being accepted for the spring semester. For more information, contact Kristin Blankenship, director of graduate admissions in the College of Education, at kristin.blankenship [at] lipscomb.edu.

Lipscomb University’s College of Education is consistently ranked as one of the most effective educator preparation programs in Tennessee and the nation. In April, Lipscomb received a $4.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to train mental health professionals in high-need local education agencies (LEAs) in the Nashville area through its IMPACT (Innovative Mental Health Partnership Accessing Counselor Training) Initiative. Lipscomb once again earned high marks on the Tennessee Teacher Preparation Report Card released this spring. This marked the 11th year that state data on the effectiveness of new Tennessee teachers indicates it is one of the most effective teacher preparation programs in the state.

Lipscomb has also developed a number of Grow Your Own partnerships over the last few years including the new Leading and Innovating for Future Teachers (LIFT) program through which Lipscomb will provide full tuition and fees for a cohort of 10 Metro Nashville Public Schools students every year to enter the teacher preparation program beginning this fall. The college has received a number of grants to develop and support other Grow Your Own partnerships in high-need disciplines and districts. In Fall 2021, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) named Lipscomb a recipient of the Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement. In 2019, the College of Education was also awarded a $2.49 million grant from the Kern Family Foundation to develop an innovative leadership development program for principals focused on character, academic excellence and business acumen in the rising generation of leaders. For more information about the undergraduate and graduate education programs offered at Lipscomb, visit www.lipscomb.edu/education.