Welcome to the Department of Education Practice and Leadership
"Learning from the past, looking to the future."
Greetings! It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Department of Education Practice and Leadership in the College of Education.Whether you are a curious high school student imagining a possible future, a seasoned educator seeking professional learning and advanced qualifications, or a community member seeking to change or advance your career, the Department of Education Practice and Leadership has much to offer you, including a warm welcome and a supportive, collaborative environment in which to explore and grow.
Greetings! It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Department of Education Practice and Leadership in the College of Education.Whether you are a curious high school student imagining a possible future, a seasoned educator seeking professional learning and advanced qualifications, or a community member seeking to change or advance your career, the Department of Education Practice and Leadership has much to offer you, including a warm welcome and a supportive, collaborative environment in which to explore and grow.Our mission is to cultivate teacher leaders and administrators who exhibit professional competencies and dispositions to establish learning environments that provide high-quality resources, 21st-century innovation, and sound educational practices. Our department has proud history of preparing quality teachers, researchers, and leaders who serve P-12 students and in higher education institutions in Tennessee and beyond.
The department offers three degree programs in education practice:
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
- Master of Education (M.Ed.)
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
and two degree programs in education leadership:
- Master of Education (M.Ed.)
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.).
Our leadership programs combine both conceptual and field-based experiences at the advanced level. All degree programs are approved by SACS. Our licensure programs are approved by CAEP and have full approval by the Tennessee Department of Education. The department also has membership with prestigious organizations such as University Council of Educational Administrators (UCEA) and the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED). Our leadership program is among the best in the nation.
As the top HBCU producer of teachers, Tennessee State University offers an array of undergraduate and graduate programs and is ranked one Tennessee’s largest preparers of educators, providing bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. We proudly offer a breadth of choice , online and face-to-face classes, and affordable quality programming only possible from a public research institution. We are proud that our nationally accredited programming is designed and run by highly qualified research and teaching faculty.
Again, welcome to TSU and the Department of Education Practice and Leadership!
Dr. Beth Christian, Chair
Academic Programs
The Department of Education Practice and Leadership provides professional education for teachers and leaders with offerings at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels.
November 5-January 9 – Spring 2026 Registration
November 30 – Course Evaluations Close
December 5 – Commencement (4:00 pm- arrive at 3:00 pm)
December 8 – Faculty must post grades in MyTSU (and send copy to chair)
December 10 – Priority Application Deadline for Spring 2026 Ed.D. Qualifying and Comprehensive Exams
December 16 – Fall 2025 Grades Released
January 5 – Faculty Institute
January 7- EDPL Faculty Meeting (In Person)- 10:00-12:00
January 9 – Initial Purge due to non-payment
January 12 – Classes Begin
January 12-16 – Late Registration and Schedule Adjustments
January 12-26 – Final Period to withdraw from course(s) or the university with 75% refund
January 19 – MLK Day- No Classes
January 30 – EDPL Faculty Meeting (Virtual)- 10:30-12:30
February 1 – Final Application Deadline for Spring 2026 M.Ed./Ed.D. Quals and Comp Exams
February 27 – EDPL Faculty Meeting (In-Person) -10:30-12:30
March 2-7—Spring Break
March 13 – Last Day to Withdraw from the Course or University
March 14 – Last Day to Administer Master's Comprehensive Exams
March 23 – Summer and Fall Registration Opens
March 27 – Last Day to Defend Thesis/Dissertation
March 27 – EDPL Faculty Meeting (Virtual) 10:30-12:30
April 10 – Last Day for ETD Thesis Dissertation Submission
April 24 – Last Day of Classes
April 24 – EDPL Faculty meeting (In-Person) 11:00-1:00
May TBA -- Commencement