School Executive Leadership With Specialization

VIEW DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

• Executive Leadership and Superintendent Certification

About the program

The School Executive Leadership program is intended for those who wish to prepare to become educational leaders outside the superintendency. Distinct from the Superintendent Certification program, this program is designed for both certificated and non-certificated educational leaders.

The first option provides professional development opportunities within a specialized area for certificated candidates. The second option provides non-certificated students or those who hold either current teacher or ESA certification who currently serve in a district level position with an opportunity to receive a program administrator certificate by completing this program.

Option 1: Executive Leadership With Specialization

You will complete the same core coursework as for the superintendent certificate, but will replace the field experience with electives in a chosen specialization and/or an applied field study in that area of specialization. All coursework is completed over a two-year period.

Areas of Specialization for Executive Leaders

• Teaching and Learning (Curriculum and Instruction)
• Finance and Business
• Human Relations Administration
• Special Education
• Support Programs (Remediation, ELL, etc.)

Option 2: Executive Leadership With Program Administration Certification

Non-certified candidates who currently serve in a district level position, or those currently certified as teachers or as educational staff associates, complete the same core coursework as for the superintendent certification, but receive program administrator certification. All coursework is completed over a two-year period.

The Executive Leadership program with program administrator certification requires at least 360 hours of field experience. The number of required credits (minimum of 6) is dependent on your experience and desired position.

Admission requirements

Applicants must submit the following items to the Graduate Admissions:

• Application and $50 application processing fee.
• Copy of current teaching certificate, front and back.
• Copy of current administrator's certificate, front and back.
• Official transcript(s) from each college/university attended.
• Personal statement (1–2 pages).
• Résumé.
• Two letters of recommendation (one supervisory, one professional).
• Site Agreement form, available in the application.

Enrollment policy

• You must be continuously enrolled in required SPU courses to earn this certificate, or until you officially withdraw from the program. Exceptions to continuous enrollment must be approved by the program chair.
• You may be granted a leave of absence for up to four quarters by the program chair. Once the leave of absence has expired, you will either enroll in graduate coursework or be dropped from the program.
• SPU’s Student Academic Services 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.
• If you decide to no longer pursue this certificate, you may officially withdraw from the program and SPU by notifying the program chair and the graduate programs manager.