Information on Online Courses for Principals
There are plenty of online courses that can certify educators to become school principals, but all of them require at least one semester or quarter of an on-site internship, which the candidate will be required to coordinate with a local school. If an online program that's being considered doesn't require such an internship, the applicant should check with a local school district to see if that program's certification is recognized by the school district and by the state. Most students who enroll in a principal certification program are currently teachers who make arrangements through the school in which they already teach.
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Identification
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Online education is a practical alternative if you're a working professional who wants the convenience of being able to work from home. Some online certification programs are offered by universities that exist only in cyberspace (e.g., Walden University or Capella University); there are other online programs that are offered by an established brick-and-mortar university, such as the State University of New York. The brick-and-mortar variety might be a better choice if you're looking for serious career advancement because they usually command more respect: Their faculties are made up of full-time, tenure-track professors who are well known in their fields of research; the online-only universities are mostly staffed with faculty members who are part-time and aren't conducting research.
If you ultimately want to get a Ph.D. in education and teach at the college level, or if you want to be a big player in your educational community (e.g., become a superintendent or help shape district policy), you should take online courses offered by a brick-and-mortar university. If you're just looking for certification, the online-only programs would be adequate. Either way, confirm that the program you choose is being offered by an accredited institution by visiting the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) website.
Features
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Online principal certification programs are a minimum of two years, sometimes longer because of the required internship. The resulting degree is usually a Masters in Education (M.Ed. or M.S.) in Educational Leadership. The two years of coursework generally consists of classes in educational administration, school law, curriculum development, statistical analysis and, of course, the internship. Confirm that the program leads to certification; if the program is being offered by an out-of-state institution, make sure the state you're living in and working in recognizes and accepts that state's certification. This can be confirmed at the NCATE website.
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What You'll Need
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To participate in an online program, you'll need high-speed Internet access because you'll be required to log in to classroom discussions; some of these discussions are live (synchronous), while others aren't (asynchronous). You'll also need to download materials and upload papers and stream video and audio. You'll also need access to a local school whose principal would be willing to let you intern at his school.
Admission Requirements
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Most programs will require you to be a certified teacher to enter a principal-certification program (i.e., you'll need a bachelor's degree and a teaching certificate). In addition, many programs require that you already have a master's degree as well. For instance, the University of South Dakota requires a master's degree for admission and a completion of 32 semester hours in educational leadership beyond your original master's degree. Most schools also require that you take the GRE (Graduate Record Exam). Each school has its own minimum requirements, so confirm with the program you're interested in.
Cost
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Cost varies depending on the school (based on whether it's a public or private institution and if you're paying in-state or out-of-state tuition). Generally speaking, tuition is in the neighborhood of $30,000 for a two-year program at a private school like Drexel University; a state school like the State University of New York at Stony Brook costs just over $21,000 for out-of-state residents. Confirm with your school's bursar's office for procedures in applying for financial aid.
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