Superintendent of Schools Certification Program

 
This certification program is designed to produce highly competent superintendents who are able to provide vision and leadership, to exercise skill in managing people and resources, to plan for the future, to personify the ideals of education in the community, and to resolve conflicting demands of many constituencies. The applicant must hold a master's degree with a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or better at the post-baccalaureate level; hold or be eligible to hold an initial, provisional, or professional educator certificate for intermediate administrator/supervisor; be serving in, or have a minimum of one year's experience in a full-time administrative or supervisory position requiring the intermediate administrator certificate; and submit a writing sample explaining prior leadership experience, three letters of recommendation, and a written statement detailing his or her personal vision for education.

Admission to this certification program is selective and limited. Each candidate is interviewed by the Faculty Admissions Committee.

REQUIREMENTS

The department offers a variety of courses pertaining to the administration of public education. In addition to coursework, each student will take an internship and enroll in a companion culminating seminar. Currently, the internship requires 250 hours distributed throughout the calendar year. Interns work in a school district with a faculty advisor, as well as under the guidance and direction of a mentor superintendent. Interns, mentors, and faculty members participate in the culminating seminar.

Transfer credits from other colleges are not accepted for the sixth year program. The program requirements can be met by enrolling in SCSU's Educational Leadership core only.

CERTIFICATION

To obtain SCSU's recommendation for initial Educator Certification as Superintendent of Schools, the student must have three (3) years experience working under the intermediate administrator certificate and a total of eight (8) years experience as a teacher/specialist/intermediate administrator. The program on which the institutional recommendation is based will aggregate no fewer than 30 semester hours of graduate study with the master's degree and will include no fewer than 21 semester hours in SCSU's preparation program for the superintendency.


Certification Program Requirements

Total 24 Credits

Superintendent Sample Planned Program