Principal Licensure

You’re already helping to build a better future: You teach. Now serve and lead at a higher level by earning your Educational Leadership-Principal Licensure.

Overview

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Combine your passion for education with your talent for leadership. With CSU-Global’s Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership-Principal Licensure*, you can prepare for an assistant principal or principal role in elementary, middle, or high schools—and you can complete your online education leadership principal licensure entirely online, around your busy schedule.

Choose the option that's right for you:

• You may earn your principal licensure as part of your online Master’s Degree in Teaching and Learning from CSU-Global. If you choose this option, your principal licensure program will replace the specialization requirement of the master’s degree program.
• If you’ve already earned your master’s degree, you can earn your principal licensure as a 24-credit-hour, stand-alone program.

(Students in this licensure program are not required to have completed a master’s degree prior to admission.)

Whichever option you choose, you will learn education theory and high-level leadership techniques as well as the tools to...

• Coordinate daily school activities.
• Oversee curricula.
• Maintain a safe, productive learning environment.

It’s a challenging and rewarding occupation, and CSU-Global is here to help you prepare for a bright future as an effective leader in education.

Principal licensure requirements vary from state-to-state. This program was established and approved based on the State of Colorado standards.

Students are solely responsible for checking what the specific requirements are from their state's Department of Education.

If you want to take the next step in your teaching career, move into administration, or become a principal, the graduate Educational Leadership-Principal Licensure can help you reach your goal.

Admission Requirements

No later than 14 days prior to start of the term, the following documents will need to be uploaded through the student portal:

• A Vision Statement defining your view of "great school leadership".
• A Declaration of Eligibility form.
• A copy of your current teaching license.
• A complete set of fingerprints taken by a qualified law enforcement agency.
• A resume that provides documented evidence of two or more years of full-time, successful experience working as a licensed or certified professional in a public or non-public elementary or secondary school in the United States, additional professional employment leadership skills, special skills, publications, exhibitions, awards, and service activities.
• A reference letter completed by a school administrator indicating that you have the skills and disposition to be an effective school leader.
• Email from the principal of the school where you are currently teaching documenting that they approve an aspiring leader internship placement of six hours per week with a licensed principal or assistant principal.

Talk to your academic advisor for further details and assistance as needed.

Career Outlook

School administration is projected to grow 5-8% from 2014 to 2024 which is slightly above average of all other occupations.

In order to stay competitive in the field without earning a full master’s degree, you need to showcase your skills in a way employers recognize. Quickly and affordably get your graduate licensure at CSU-Global and you could finally land the job you deserve.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, school administrators earn an average of $90,410 a year.

As a principal, or administrator, you could be doing any or all of the following:

• Serve as a disciplinarian to students
• Assist teachers with student issues
• Collaborate with parents and stakeholders
• Offer a listening ear for students, teachers, parents, and fellow administrators
• Manage teachers and staff for professional growth
• Act as a marketer for best practices in education
• Advocate in the local community

With a nationally recognized graduate licensure from CSU-Global employers will know that you’ve got the skills to excel in any job in education.

Not only will you be making the world a better place, influencing educational systems, and having a direct impact on families, you’ll also be financially and professionally stable.

Program

Program Description

The educational leadership–principal licensure is a 24-credit, stand-alone licensure program, recognized by educational and professional institutions nationally.

Learning Outcomes

• Facilitate the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a learning vision shared and supported by educational stakeholders.
• Validate, nurture, and sustain a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
• Manage the organization, operation, and resources of a school to create a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to develop systems and relationships to engage and leverage resources, from within and outside the school, to maximize the school’s ability to successfully implement initiatives that better serve the diverse needs of students.
• Create and utilize processes to empower leadership teams that support change and encourage improvements consistent with policies, laws, and agreements.

Courses

The graduate Principal Licensure program consists of seven courses; four Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) courses, three new courses, and student teaching - which counts for six credits - for a total of 24 credits. During each principal licensure course students will also be interning 6-8 hours per week, implementing the principal effectiveness standards that they are learning, in the school in which they are currently teaching.

• EDL500: Strategic Leadership

  This course examines the goals and objectives for individuals and groups to shape school culture, climate, and values. Students learn to facilitate the development of a shared strategic vision and prioritize the student and staff needs of a school within community and district contexts.

• EDL520: Instructional Leadership

  This course examines instructional leadership in K-12 schools with special attention to issues of promoting the success of every student. Students focus on advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to learning and staff professional growth.

• EDL530: School Culture and Equity Leadership

  This course introduces the ethical, social, and technical dimensions of current educational leadership practice. Top- ics include creating an inclusive and welcoming school cli- mate, promoting the overall development of every student, providing instruction that meets the needs of diverse student populations, and fostering a culture that encourages continual improvement.

• EDL540: Human Resource Leadership

  This course focuses on personnel management and instructional supervision for creating effective learning environments with diversity and equity. Students learn how to be visionary change agents by creating collaborative learning communities, engaging in reflective and research-based practices, and increasing capacity for leadership development.

• EDL550: Managerial Leadership

  This course explores the allocation of resources for maximizing student and staff learning support. Students learn the necessary functions for managing school operations conducive to learning and ensuring a safe environment in accordance with federal/state laws and school board policies.

• EDL560: External Development Leadership

  This course investigates the development and successful implementation of initiatives that better serve learners. Students learn to effectively design structures and processes that result in community engagement, support, and ownership. The course content focuses on proactively creating opportunities for parents, community leaders, and business representatives to participate in meaningful school activities, and provides effective strategies to leverage district and community resources in the best interest of students and their families.

• OTL568: Action Research

  Advanced examination of an educator led research approach with an emphasis on instructional improvement and student learning.

• EDL510: School Leadership Internship

  This course fulfills the internship requirement of the Education Leadership Principal Licensure program at CSU-Global Campus. Prior to enrolling in this course, students should have completed the 300 total hours (approximately six hours per week) of internship activities that specifically relate to course content in the other EDL courses within the program. Learners will then complete assignments that focus on their clinical observation and application of knowledge and skills in various situations.

* OTL568 and EDL510 may be taken as corequisites

** This course may not be available in all states; see the State Specific Authorization Policy under Admissions Policies.

Learn more about the Graduate Education Leadership Principal Licensure program.

For financial assistance, see if you qualify for Colorado Center for Rural Education scholarships or stipends by visiting http://www.unco.edu/colorado-center-for-rural-education/scholarships-and-stipends.aspx.