Welcome to the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling.

The Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling is comprised of the Educational Leadership and Counselor Education Programs.

The Masters program in Educational Leadership offers a planned sequence of experiences designed to develop leadership skills essential to the improvement of administration and supervision in schools, and other educational entities. Emphasis is placed upon increased understanding of the school management function. The institution provides a unique setting for the preparation of multicultural leadership. Curricula are designed to prepare the student for entry-level administrative posts in school systems (Level I for Florida Certification) for professional development and improvement and for leadership positions in other educational entities.


The Ph.D. Program in Educational Leadership has been designed as a non-traditional program to insure the academic success of qualified individuals who are interested in serving in rural and urban settings. The full time program is designed to move students to Ph.D. candidacy in two years. Because of the developmental focus of this program, transfer credit will not be accepted. Student cohorts are admitted once each year in the fall semester.

This program will enable graduates to pursue leadership career opportunities in educational settings and organizations involved with education-related issues. The program is designed to provide professionals with theoretical and practical knowledge that will enable them to be effective change agents and successful program managers, particularly in schools and agencies that serve the needs of minority and at-risk populations. This unique program is organized in the cohort format based upon the constructivist philosophical foundation. Inter-and intra-personal development and cultural factors are identified as essential elements for effective leadership and are emphasized as part of the doctoral program. A strong emphasis is also placed upon acquisition of theoretical content and research methodology.


Counselor Education offers graduate study which emphasizes both didactic and affective experiences as necessary dimensions in the growth and development of professional counselors. The program provides a curriculum that is comprehensive, integrated, and sequential and is approved by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and meets State of Florida approval. The course of studies include differentiated patterns of preparation for school counselors, and those persons interested in enhancing their human service skills for employment in other settings such as mental health agencies. Special effort is made to sensitize and provide the learner with experiences and skills relevant in working with individuals, groups, families and populations representing varied backgrounds and motivations. Multi-ethnic and multi-cultural effectiveness constitute a pervasive focus in all program studies.

The Counselor Education program has been in existence at Florida A & M University for over thirty years with a mission of supplying school and community systems with highly qualified counselors in public/private schools, college, community agencies and businesses. Our graduates become certified school counselors or licensed mental health counselors. In both of these professions, there is an under representation of minorities, specifically African-Americans. Our candidates are exposed to instruction which emphasizes multiculturalism so that they are better equipped to address the needs of the current school and community populace.