Principal Leadership Certificate

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The non-degree Principal Leadership Certificate program at SMU prepares students for EC-12 Texas Principal Certification through hands-on, experiential learning with the best faculty and mentors in the profession. Graduate ready to positively impact student outcomes and tackle the unique challenges of principalship.

Program Structure. This 21-hour certification program is rigorously designed to prepare educators for a variety of leadership positions in pre-K through grade-12 public, charter, private secular, and religious schools. Our students work closely with both expert SMU clinical faculty and district mentors, so that in just one year they are equipped with the knowledge and field experience needed to lead educational organizations effectively.

Courses begin on a rolling basis and can be completed in 12 months. During the fall and spring academic terms, students take courses, plus an internship (Field Studies). The Field Studies course each semester involves internship activities on the student’s campus of employment.

The curriculum reflects both the principal certification requirements established by the state of Texas and is consistent with national standards and empirical evidence on effective school leadership knowledge and skills.

Program Requirements

Core Content Courses (15 Credit Hours)

Field Courses (6 Credit Hours)

Total: 21 Credit Hours

Admission Requirements

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale). Applicants not meeting this requirement must provide GRE scores (see below), as well as other qualifications, such as long-term experience or expertise in a related specialized field as justification for consideration for admission.
For applicants with a GPA below 2.5: Scores from the verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing sections of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), taken within the last five years. To ensure that we receive your GRE scores, please use the institution code 6660. For the GRE taken after August 1, 2011: Preferred scores are 144 or higher for Quantitative Reasoning, 153 or higher for Verbal Reasoning, and 4.5 or higher for Analytical Writing.
Copy of valid Texas teacher certification.
Copy of service record reflecting two years teaching experience in an accredited public, private or charter school.
Applicants with a degree from countries where the predominant language is not English are required to supply scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) administered by the Educational Testing Service. The minimum scores for admission speaking 24, listening & reading 22, and writing 21.
Recommendations and evidence of a high degree of support from the school of employment, including a commitment on the part of the applicant’s principal (or an equivalent supervisor) to serve as a mentor for internship activities.
Evidence of leadership capacity and demonstration of leadership role in the applicant’s school.
The application includes essays, recommendations, and an interview with the Admissions Committee.
Official Transcripts of all graduate and undergraduate transcripts where a degree has been conferred.

Electronic transcripts should be sent to:
gradappmaterials@smu.edu

Paper transcripts should be sent to:
Graduate Application Processing
PO Box 518
Dallas, TX 75275-0518

Principal Certification

Any candidate seeking TEA certification must complete required coursework for the program along with the completion and passing of the required TEA exams (268 and PASL).

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