Educational Leadership (MEd) with School Principal or Program Administrator Certification

Peterson Hall
206-281-2214
gradsdmissions@spu.edu
spu.edu/soe

MASTER OF EDUCATION IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

The Master of Education in Educational Leadership program (51 credits) is designed to prepare you for a position as a school principal or program leader in the elementary or secondary school.

In addition to on-campus classes, graduate education courses in School Administration are offered at off-campus locations in Olympia and Stanwood. Contact the graduate programs manager (soe-grad-mgr@spu.edu) to determine when these occur and the specific location.

A School Principal or Program Administrator "Certificate Only" program (30 credits) are also available for those who already hold a master's or other advanced degree.

This degree is nationally accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and its successful completion will qualify you for a Washington Residency P–12 Certificate as a school principal or program administrator.

A year-long (9-credit) Internship is a part of both the Master's Degree program in Educational Leadership and the Principal Certification-only or Program Administrator-only program. It is a vital, integrative experience in which you perform administrative activities while being supervised in a school-district setting.

The primary objective is for the intern to acquire and practice the skills of effective management and leadership. Internship experiences will center on those competencies and skills defined in the Washington Administrative Code and by the National Policy Board for Education Administration.

Each applicant to the educational leadership program must have at least three years of documented successful school-based experience in an instructional role with students, as either a certificated classroom teacher or in an ESA role.

Those in the program administrator program are not required to hold a teaching or ESA certificate but they must have at least one year of documented successful school, district, or school-site experience.

COMPREHENSIVE EXAM FOR THE MASTER'S DEGREE

Students will usually complete this two-part examination, consisting of a written essay and an oral defense of the answers to these questions, at the end of the program.

You should contact the graduate programs manager (soe-grad-mgr@spu.edu) to make arrangements for the written portion. The oral defense is arranged individually through the chair of the program. The written test is to be completed prior to the oral defense.

ENROLLMENT POLICY

Students must be continuously enrolled in required SPU courses to earn a graduate degree or certificate or until the student is officially withdrawn from the program.

Exceptions to continuous enrollment must be approved by the program chair (prenew@spu.edu).

A student who decides to no longer actively pursue a graduate degree or certificate may officially withdraw from the program and the university by notifying the program chair (prenew@spu.edu) and the graduate programs manager (mego@spu.edu).

A student may be granted a leave of absence for up to four quarters by the program chair. Once the leave of absence has expired, the student will either enroll in graduate coursework or be dropped from the program.

SPU's Student Academic Services (SAS) requires continuous enrollment to remain admitted in a graduate program. After four quarters of non- enrollment, students will be placed in “inactive status” and will need to reapply for admission.

ITEMS REQUIRED FOR APPLICATION REVIEW

To apply, submit the following items to The Graduate Center to be considered for admissions:

• A graduate application.
• A $50 processing fee. Make checks payable to "Seattle Pacific University."
• An official transcript from any college or university where a degree was obtained, a professional-certification program was completed, and where any graduate coursework was taken.
• A copy of your most current teaching or ESA certificate. Program administrator candidates are not required to hold a teaching or ESA certificate.
• Two letters of recommendation.
• Recommendations must come from present principals and other school administrators who recommend support of the applicant's pursuit of administrative certification.
• At least one of the letters must be from a school-district administrator who affirms district support for the candidate to conduct a year-long administrative internship, school-based for principal certification and/or district based for a program administrator.
• For master's candidates: Scores from either the Miller's Analogy Test (MAT)or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Official results must be sent directly to the graduate program manager in The Graduate Center. Test scores must be less than five years old to be valid.
• A personal statement. Applicants are to submit a typed personal statement on their academic and professional goals. The personal statement should not exceed two pages in length.

APPLICATION AND ADMISSIONS QUESTIONS

Ted Hiemstra
Associate Director of Graduate Admissions

Seattle Pacific University
3307 Third Avenue West, Suite 111
Seattle, WA 98119-1922

 
SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR "CERTIFICATE-ONLY" PROGRAM (30 CREDITS)

Applicants who otherwise qualify to enter the educational leadership program and already have a master's or other advanced degree need not complete a second master's degree to obtain certification as a school principal or program administrator.

OPTION FOR A SECOND CERTIFICATE

Applicants who have earned Residency Principal or Program Administrator Certification from SPU may earn the other certificate (either Principal or Program Administrator) by completing 6 additional internship credits.

A valid teaching or ESA certificate and completion of EDAD 6581 are required for those who wish to add a principal certificate.

For more information on specific requirements, contact Dr. William Prenevost (prenew@spu.edu). Students must complete all coursework for the second certificate within three years of earning the previous certificate.

STUDENT OUTCOMES

Information regarding program completion and job placement rates on SPU's may be found on the Information and Data Management website under "Student Outcomes" (PDF).

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