Online Graduate Certificate in School Administration

Next Start

Online

6
Courses

18
Months

Overview

Accelerate your career. Impact your world.

As an educator, you understand the importance of lifelong learning more than anyone – and you can use your passion for growth to change the future of education. In the School Administration Certificate Program, you’ll be equipped to serve in leadership roles in public, private, and even international learning environments.

  • 100% online program with built-in flexibility
  • Internship opportunities that offer real-world, applicable experience
  • Builds on your master’s degree to accelerate your career

Indiana & Ohio Candidates – This certificate program meets the academic requirements for recommendation for building administration licensure in Indiana and Ohio. Additionally, candidates must complete other requirements of the Indiana or Ohio Departments of Education before a principal’s license will be issued, including receiving a passing score on the related state assessment test, evidence of a proficient practitioner license, and at least two years of experience as a teacher or school counselor on a standard practioner's license.

Other Candidates – Applicants who seek building administration licensure in states other than Indiana or Ohio should expect to contact their respective state licensing agency to review necessary requirements for using this program to obtain a Building Level Administrator's (Principal's) license in their state.

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You’ll Learn To…

  • Apply Christ-like leadership principles that build the spiritual foundation critical to your success and that of your staff and students.
  • Facilitate a collaborative vision and a culture of continuous improvement in the schools you lead.
  • Leverage school operations, manage resources, and provide a safe learning environment for student growth and achievement.

Career Options

  • School Principal
  • Assistant Principal
  • Dean of Students
  • Athletic Director
  • Director of Career Technical Education

TUITION

CREDIT HOURS
18 Total
TUITION
$499/ Credit Hour *

Applicable fees for resources and services will be assessed throughout the program. Tuition and fees for prerequisites and required elective courses are in addition to the charges shown on the program cost sheet. Your tuition rate will remain the same as long as you remain continuously enrolled in the same program. Cost sheets may be requested from an enrollment counselor by calling 866.498.4968 or emailing iwuenroll@indwes.edu.

FINANCIAL AID

Financial aid is available in the form of grants, loans, scholarships, veterans benefits, and employer reimbursement.

COURSES

Here is the list of courses required to complete the program. Full course descriptions may be viewed by clicking on the course titles. For further information, feel free to contact us.

6 Core Courses

These courses contain the program-specific knowledge. Upon completion, you should have the tools to conquer your new career with confidence.

EDL-657,EDL-616,EDL-618,EDL-610,EDL-612,EDL-625

REQUIREMENTS

Click on each section to expand the different requirements for this program. If you have any questions about the admissions process, feel free to contact one of our admissions representatives at 1-866-498-4968.

  • Have completed a master's degree from a college or university that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The degree must be verified on official transcripts and sent directly to Indiana Wesleyan University.
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above in graduate level courses.
  • Be currently employed in or have access to a P-12 public or non-public school in which the principal is willing to serve as a mentor for the internship phase of the program. Submission of a completed internship agreement with a building principal will be required prior to the start of the internship phase.
  • Submit a signed SILD FERPA Release Form.
  • Indiana Licensure Candidates:
    • Hold an initial, standard, provisional, proficient, or accomplished practitioner Instructional or School Counselor license. (Non-licensure candidates may have a private, state, international, ACSI, or charter school license).
    • Have two years of full-time teaching experience on one of the licenses listed above in an approved and accredited public, private, or parochial elementary, secondary, or postsecondary school in the United States or abroad. *Please note that in keeping with Indiana Department of Education licensure policy, experience gained by a teacher holding only an Emergency Permit, Provisional Permit, Transition to Teaching Permit, Career Specialist Permit, Charter School License, Substitute Permit, or Workplace Specialist II license is not acceptable as licenses of these types do not meet the prerequisite license requirements.
    • At least two years of teaching experience on one of the licenses listed above in an approved and accredited public, private, or parochial elementary, secondary, or postsecondary school in the United States or abroad. Please note that in keeping with Indiana Department of Education licensure policy, experience gained by a teacher holding only an Emergency Permit, Provisional Permit, Transition to Teaching Permit, Career Specialist Permit, Charter School License, Substitute Permit, or Workplace Specialist II license is not acceptable as licenses of these types do not meet the prerequisite license requirements
    • Obtain recommendations from two school leaders (superintendent, principal, or assistant principal) who are qualified to judge the applicant’s knowledge, skills, and dispositions in relation to pursuing the Graduate 4.B.3.j Packet Pg. 74 Attachment: MPO_SA Grad_Cert_IN_5.9.23 (10971 : SILD_Updated Licensure MPOs) Revised: EE-9/28/22 Certificate Program and/or a Building Level Administrator’s license. (Non-licensure candidates may acquire letters from school, church, or mission leaders.)
  • Ohio Licensure Candidates:
    • Be currently employed in or have access to a P-12 public or non-public school in which the principal is willing to serve as a mentor for the internship phase of the program. Submission of a completed internship agreement with a building principal will be required prior to the start of the internship phase.
    • Hold a standard or professional educator license. (Non-licensure candidates may have a private, state, international, ACSI, or charter school license.)
    • Have two years of full-time teaching experience as a lead classroom teacher or teacher of record under a standard or professional educator license (or two years of work experience under a professional pupil services license) for the ages and grade levels for which the principal license is sought. *Please note that in keeping with Ohio Department of Education licensure policy, experience gained by a teacher holding a substitute license or any alternative license, certificate, or permit is not acceptable as these do not meet the prerequisite requirements.
    • Obtain recommendations from two school leaders (superintendent, principal, or assistant principal) who are qualified to judge the applicant’s knowledge, skills, and dispositions in relation to pursuing the Graduate Certificate Program and/or an Educational Leadership license. (Non-licensure candidates may acquire letters from school, church, or mission leaders.)
  • Non-Licensure Candidates:
    • Be currently employed in or have access to a P-12 public or non-public school or international school.
    • Hold a teacher or school counselor license (private, state, international, ACSI, or charter).
    • Have at least two years of teaching experience in one of the settings listed above.
    • Obtain recommendations from two school, church, or mission leaders who are qualified to judge the applicant’s knowledge, skills, and dispositions in relation to school leadership.

Applicants to any program within the School of Educational Leadership will be required to sign a disclosure of information waiver giving any prior institutions the applicant may have attended permission to supply IWU representatives all information relevant to the applicant's fitness for teacher training or licensure recommendation, including but not limited to his/her conduct, standing, or reputation while attending said institutions. Any information obtained may be considered by IWU in its decision whether or not to admit an applicant, to permit his or her continuance in a program, or to recommend him/her for licensure.

NOTE: Applicants who seek administrative licensure in states other than Indiana and Ohio bear the responsibility to determine whether completion of the IWU School Administration certificate program will meet the academic and assessment requirements of the state in which licensure is sought.

  • Successfully complete the SA curriculum.
  • Possess a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above in all graduate work and a minimum grade of "B-" in each course.
  • Satisfy admission, mid-program review, and program completion gateways.
  • Payment of all tuition and fees is required to receive a certificate.

Indiana Candidates - Successful completion of the Graduate Certificate School Administration program meets the academic requirements for recommendation for licensure. Additionally, candidates must complete other requirements of the Indiana Department of Education before a principal’s license will be issued, including receiving a passing score on the related state assessment test, evidence of at least two years teaching or work experience as a teacher or school counselor on one of the following license types: initial, standard, provisional, proficient, or accomplished practitioner instructional or School Counselor license.

Ohio Candidates - Successful completion of the Graduate Certificate School Administration program meets the academic requirements for recommendation for licensure. Additionally, candidates must complete other requirements of the state of Ohio before the appropriate PK-6, 4-9, or 5-12 principal’s license will be issued, including receiving a passing score on the related state assessment test.

Other Candidates Applicants who seek administrative licensure in states other than Ohio bear the responsibility to determine whether completion of the IWU Graduate Certificate School Administration program will meet the academic and assessment requirements of the state in which licensure is sought.

Field Experience Requirements

All SA candidates must complete two three-credit hour internships, six credits total, over a eight-month period with a qualified, onsite mentor. Candidates should anticipate paying additional clinical experience fees during EDL 612 and EDL 625 to remunerate the services of a mentor.

All candidates must secure a principal-mentor for each internship course at the school in which they are currently leading or teaching. The mentor administrator must have a principal's license and be able to attend scheduled video conferences with the internship professor. The principal-mentor will work with the candidate throughout each course.  

START DATES

The Graduate Certificate in School Administration at Indiana Wesleyan University has many convenient starts throughout the year. Listed below are the next available starts. If you don’t see a start that fits your schedule, connect with our enrollment team to see more future starts.

Accreditation

Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), www.hlcommission.org, 312-263-0456. Other accreditations and associations of Indiana Wesleyan University are available at www.indwes.edu/about/iwu-profile/accreditation.

Education programs at Indiana Wesleyan University are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), 1140 19th Street, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20036, 202-223-0077.

*Effective 07-01-2023 through 06-30-2024