School Principal

The School Principal Certification was designed to produce school leaders who are knowledgeable about current theories and strategies in leadership and change and can apply their knowledge and skills based on state and national standards. Components of the program’s conceptual bedrock are: (1) a constructivist view of teaching and learning that leads to students' high performance on challenging standards (state and national), (2) intelligent use of emotions in interpersonal skills of leadership, (3) creative/collaborative problem solving and learning technologies.

Admission Requirements
School Principal Certificate 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 may apply to the School of Education's graduate advisor.  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 24-32 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.

Program Change Announcement:

For Students planning to enroll during the fall 2009 or beyond, the PA Principal's Certificate, K-12, will require the MS in Educational Administration: Collaborative Leadership (going from 24 to 45 graduate credits). There will no longer just be a Principal Certificate Program. This change is necessary to meet new PA Department of Education requirements in principal preparation programs.

Core Courses for School Principal Track (prior to Fall 2009)
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.)

*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 and a half 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 appropriate Praxis exam, may apply for School Principal Certification and continue working toward the master’s degree requirements.

Effective September 1, 2005, students being recommended for a School Principal's certificate will be able to meet their testing requirements through the use of Praxis test #410, Educational Leadership:  Administration and Supervision, in order to receive their certificate.  This test requires a passing score of 580.

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.