Educational Leadership: Sixth-Year Certificate

Program Rationale:
This program is designed to prepare graduates to serve in administrative roles within public and private school organizations. Successful graduates will be eligible for certification as an intermediate administrator/supervisor.

Program Learning Outcomes:
Students in the program are expected to:
• understand how learning occurs and how people process information, acquire skills, and develop thoughtful inquiring minds;
• apply change theory to create continuous organizational renewal processes;• use a variety of approaches to assess student learning, teacher development, parent satisfaction, and organizational effectiveness;
• be able to collaborate with colleagues, parents, and local business and social organizations to create optimum learning environments; and
• understand the legal, ethical, and policy environments of their work as school administrators.

Admissions Requirements:
Admission to this program is limited and highly competitive. The department accepts applications for summer and fall semesters only. Applicants must complete the graduate admissions application and have all official undergraduate and graduate transcripts from each college and university attended (except Central Connecticut State University) sent to the Graduate Recruitment and Admissions Office by the established admissions application deadline. The admission application deadline for the summer term is March 1 and for the fall semester the deadline is June 1. 

All supporting materials required by the department must be submitted to the Educational Leadership department by May 1 for students taking EDL 590 in the summer and December 1 for students taking EDL 590 in the spring.

The admission application, application fee, and all official transcripts must be sent to the Graduate Recruitment and Admissions Office.  All additional materials required must be sent to the Educational Leadership department.

In addition to meeting the general requirements, admission to the Sixth-Year Certificate program will be based on the completion of EDL 590 and submission of an application portfolio evaluated on the following criteria:
• Possess a bachelor's and master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education
• Attained a 3.00 minimum post-baccalaureate cumulative grade-point average (GPA) on a four-point scale or its equivalent
• Have a minimum of three years of teaching experience and possess, or be eligible for, a Connecticut teaching certificate (Students who do not hold an educator’s certificate issued by the Connecticut State Department of Education must also pass Praxis I)
• Two letters of reference from school administrators
• A formal essay which focuses on (1) the reasons that led the candidate to the area of school leadership, and (2) future career goals
• Materials required from the EDL 590 course
• Successful presentation of the application portfolio to a team of faculty members. EDL 590 will be offered only twice a year and students may enroll with permission of the chair. All applicants must take this course in either the spring or summer semester. Application portfolio presentations will be scheduled at the end of the EDL 590 course.

Course Requirements:
The Sixth-Year Certificate in Educational Leadership, including recommendation for certification for the Intermediate Administrator/Supervisor, requires a minimum of 30 credits. Requirements include completion of EDL 590, 24 credits of professional core and 3–6 credits of advisor approved electives.

Pre-admission Course Requirement (3 credits):
EDL 590 Leaders as Learners: Educational Leadership and Self-Assessment Professional Core (24 credits):
EDL 605 Leadership in Teaching and Learning I 3
EDL 606 Leadership in Teaching and Learning II 3
EDL 610 School Leadership I 3
EDL 611 School Leadership II 3
EDL 615 Understanding External Environments of School Leadership I 3
EDL 616 Understanding External Environments of School Leadership II 3
EDL 690 Internship in Educational Leadership I 2
EDL 691 Internship in Educational Leadership II 2
EDL 692 Internship in Educational Leadership III 2
Electives (3–6 credits of advisor-approved electives)

Note: To receive certification, students must also pass a performance-based examination administered by the State of Connecticut. The State of Connecticut also requires 50 months of teaching experience prior to licensure and completion of a designated course in special education, which may be used as part of the elective requirements.