Minor in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Minor

Department of Educational Leadership and Policy

The minor in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS) provides undergraduate students the opportunity to explore leadership, governance and policy in schools, colleges and community organizations. Students learn how educational institutions work and gain skills to create meaningful change across educational settings.  

Through this minor, you will deepen your understanding of how policies are developed, how leadership decisions shape educational outcomes and how you can address challenges related to education disparities, student success and community engagement.  

Best Suited To: Developing leadership skills and policy expertise across educational settings and contexts to broaden primary fields of study.

Career Objectives: Early-career leadership positions in education systems and policy to create meaningful change in educational outcomes across disciplines.

At a Glance

Eligible Majors: All

Credit Hours Required: 15

Program Location: In-person

What You’ll Learn

What You’ll Learn

  • Develop leadership skills in education, community building and organizational development.
  • Examine the historical, economic and political forces shaping educational practices.
  • Explore strategies for improving student outcomes and addressing opportunity gaps.
  • Analyze policies and practices at the state and federal levels.
  • Apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings through an internship experience or capstone project.
  • Prepare for graduate study or entry-level leadership roles in education, policy, non-profit and community organizations.
  • Develop skills in policy analysis at the local, state and federal levels.
  • Strengthen systems thinking and organizational leadership skills.
  • Learn to work effectively across diverse stakeholders and community partners.
  • Use data and evidence to inform leadership and policy decisions.

How The ELPS Minor Connects to Your Major

  • Engineering & Computer Science: Learn how schools adopt new technologies, how educational innovations are implemented and how issues like data privacy and equity influence technology design.
  • Health Professions: Explore the connections between educational opportunity, public health, school health policy and workforce development.
  • Business & Economics: Understand education as one of the nation’s largest sectors and its role in organizational leadership, workforce development and human capital.
  • Public Affairs & Social Sciences: Examine how leadership and public policy influence educational systems and community outcomes.
Why the ELPS Minor?

Why the ELPS Minor?

Whatever your major, education has shaped your life—and educational systems will continue to shape your career, your community and the people you will one day serve, lead, hire, teach or work alongside. The ELPS minor is designed not only for students interested in schools or education careers, but for anyone who wants to better understand how educational systems influence society and how leadership and policy can create meaningful change.

  • Complements a number of majors, including social sciences, humanities, education, public health and related fields.
  • Equips students with the tools to impact and strengthen educational systems, policy and community organizations.
  • Provides versatile leadership skills for multiple career paths.
Program Requirements

Program Requirements

  • Open to all UT Austin undergraduate students.
  • 15 undergraduate credit hours in Educational Leadership and Policy (ELP). 
  • At least six credit hours must be upper-division coursework. 
  • All courses must be taken for a letter grade unless the course is only offered pass/fail.
Courses

Courses

Students will select four core courses and one elective or internship option to complete the 15-credit requirement. Here is a sample of courses within the ELPS minor:

  1. ELP 311S – Introduction to Educational Leadership Studies (topics course, can be repeated for credit) Study and practice of educational leadership with a focus on K–12 contexts. 
  2. ELP 311S – Introduction to Educational Policy (topics course, can be repeated for credit) Explore theory, research, and practice about educational policy and its influence on educational outcomes. 
  3. ELP 330K – Topics in Educational Leadership and Policy A rotating topics course examining a wide array of issues in educational leadership and policy (K-12 and higher education). 
  4. ELP 354K – Professional Issues, Leadership, and Development Topics related to careers in higher education, student affairs, K–12 education policy, school finance and other professions. 
  5. ELP X53N – Internship Supervised professional practice. May serve as the capstone course or be fulfilled through an existing internship/apprenticeship course in the student’s major

Note: Not all courses are offered every semester. Be sure to check the Course Schedule for availability.

How to Add the Minor 

How to Add the Minor 

Your academic adviser can help you declare the ELPS minor and make sure it aligns with your degree plan. The minor must be added to your Interactive Degree Audit (IDA) profile.

Department of Educational Leadership and Policy 
Email: elp@austin.utexas.edu  
Phone: (512) 471-7255