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School Principal Certificate

The School Principal Certification was designed to produce school leaders who are knowledgeable about current theories and strategies in leadership and change. Components of the program’s conceptual bedrock are heuristic diagnostic learning, intelligent use of emotions in interpersonal skills of leadership, creative problem solving, and learning technologies.

The School Superintendent (Letter of Eligibility) available at the PhD level was designed to offer future school district leaders current research-based knowledge in creative instructional, community, and technological leadership.

Admission Requirements
Applicants come from a variety of undergraduate and graduate backgrounds and typically desire to provide leadership for change as a school principal. The School Principal Certification is available for teachers who already possess initial teaching certificates and requires a minimum of five years of appropriate teaching experience.

Applicants interested in School Principal Certification must interview with the director of the Leadership and Change area of studies in the School of Education. During the interview, the applicant’s transcripts and life experiences are evaluated in relation to Pennsylvania state standards for the specific certification area. If coursework is dated, a content exam or additional coursework may be required. Specific content courses are generally not required for students working toward School Principal certification. Applicants must meet the general admissions requirements for graduate studies at Drexel University.

Program Requirements
Students will not be recommended for the School Principal Certificate until all course requirements are met, initial teaching certificate has been received, and all required sections of the Praxis Exams have been taken, and five years of satisfactory professional school experience have been completed. Minimum coursework requirements for the School Principal Certificate include 21-32 credits of specific pedagogy as outlined below. These credits may be incorporated into the graduate Science of Instruction program or into the electives portion of another approved Drexel master’s degree program. Students must achieve the grade of B or better in each graduate level course needed for certification and receive passing Praxis Exam scores in order to satisfy requirements for the desired certification.

Core Courses for School Principal Track
At a minimum, 33 credits will be required from the core courses. (A minimum of 22 credits is required for students not wishing to build the School Principal Certificate into the master’s degree program.)

School Principal Courses			Credits
EDUC 522	Evaluation of Instruction*		4.0
EDUC 523	Diagnostic Teaching*		4.0
EDUC 525	Multi-Media in Instructional Design*		3.0
EDUC 702	School Leadership and Decision Making		3.0
EDUC 705	School Law and Politics		3.0
EDUC 708	Managing Integration of Technology in School Setting		3.0
EDUC 710	School Finance and Facilities		3.0
EDUC 712	School and Community Relations and Partnerships		3.0
EDUC 714	Instructional and Curriculum Leadership		3.0
EDUC 715	School Principal Internship: Technology		1.0
EDUC 716	School Principal Internship: Finance/Facility		1.0
EDUC 717	School Principal Internship: Leadership		1.0
EDUC 718	School Principal Internship: Community Relations		1.0
* Not required for students who pursue the School Principal Certificate without working toward the master's degree.

Students working toward School Principal Certification engage in a corresponding one-credit school-based internship when enrolled in EDUC 708, EDUC 710, EDUC 712, and EDUC 714, related to each course’s content.

Students who possess a valid Pennsylvania Instructional I or II Teaching Certificate and have completed a minimum of five years of satisfactory professional school experience upon successful completion of theses core courses, and who also meet the current state minimum score on the Praxis Exam entitled, School Leaders License Assessment (Principal), may apply for School Principal Certification and continue working toward the master’s degree requirements.

Master of Science Degree Requirements
Once students complete the 33 core credits for the School Principal certification, an additional 12 credits of Professional electives are necessary to finish the Master of Science, Science of Instruction degree.