Principal Certification Elementary and/or Secondary (K-12 program)

Variable up to 36 credits

Program Purpose

The program has been designed for and will accept students who:

• Have enrolled in the Master’s Degree in Professional and Secondary Education program at ESU OR
• Need additional course work to meet certification standards in Pennsylvania or other states and meet all entrance requirements.
• Desire enrichment, professional education requirements for other degree programs, or for other certification requirements and do not necessarily plan to seek certification as a principal.

Graduate credits already earned will be evaluated and accepted when applicable. Each student will have an adviser who will assist in planning the program in view of the students’ needs and interests.

To receive endorsement for a Pennsylvania Certificate, students will need to complete either a Master’s Degree or an add-on certificate program with a minimum of 18 hours completed at ESU.

New Jersey’s requirement that a candidate have a master’s degree in administration, leadership, or management can be completed at ESU by developing a master degree plan of study based on the Pennsylvania approved principal’s certification program.

An individual Plan of Study is developed for all candidates dependent upon their career path and state requirements for professional certification.

This program has been approved by the Educational Leadership Constituent Council’s Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the national organization for administration and leadership.

For all degree programs described above, the candidate must select a minimum of 18 credits of courses open only to graduate students.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines 

(see Graduate Admission Requirements)

Standards for admission are as follows:

Admission, Pre-candidacy (Full)

1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
2. Three completed Recommendation Forms from persons who have taught or supervised you. All recommendations must be sealed and bear the signature of the author.
3. An overall undergraduate minimum grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 basis).
4. A one-page professional resume.
5. A 250-300 word Professional Goal Statement (see Graduate Admissions Requirements).

Admission, with Conditions

1. Completion of all requirements listed above
2. If the applicant does not meet the GPA requirements listed above but has an overall undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.5, he/she may request admission with conditions.
3. The conditions the applicant must fulfill are stated at the time of application to a degree program. They may be corrected by taking:
   1. required undergraduate or graduate courses
   2. proficiency examinations
   3. auditing of specific courses
4. The student is required to fulfill all deficiency requirements in his/her program and to have achieved a 3.0 quality point average and a "B" or better in all courses in his/her graduate work by the time he/she has completed nine to 12 graduate credits. At this time, FULL ADMISSION is achieved when the Plan of Study is submitted and approved.

Initial Teacher Certification Admission

Students entering a program for initial teacher certification, either with or without the master’s degree option, are required to fulfill additional requirements for entry and matriculation in the teacher education program.

1. Students must be formally admitted to the teacher education program before or upon completion of 12 graduate credits. Admission to the teacher education program requires:
   1. Completion of a faculty interview with portfolio demonstration
   2. Earn a minimum overall ESU QPA as identified by PA law (3.0)
   3. Have incidence-free FBI clearance, Criminal Check (Act 34), and Child Abuse clearance (Act 151)
   4. Any other specific departmental requirements or prerequisites and, being recommended by departmental faculty and approved by the Teacher Education Council.

Students must be accepted to the Graduate College, which includes the review of all undergraduate course work.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships are available through the department. These are awarded based upon merit and achievement to full-time students in the graduate program.

Graduate assistants do not teach classes, but complete projects and tasks assigned by professors.

The graduate assistantship is awarded for the first year of full-time study, with the possibility of extension through the first summer. Prospective students should apply for a graduate assistantship at the time of original application to the program, using the application form online.

Graduate Assistants must maintain satisfactory academic progress and meet all requirements stipulated by the Graduate College.