The Advanced Certificate program in School District Leader (SDL) provides students with an intellectual environment that enables them to refine existing knowledge and develop new knowledge, practices, and skills in the areas of administration, assessment, and curriculum. Graduates of this innovative program earn New York State certification to become a school district leader in central offices. The SDL Advanced Certificate in Educational Administration program is nationally accredited and designed to prepare school principals to assume roles in the district office.
Admission requirements include a master’s degree from an accredited college or university; graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher both in the general average and in the major field; a minimum of three years of successful teaching, administration, or supervisory or pupil personnel experience; and New York State Permanent Teaching Certification (when applicable).
The program consists of 31 credit hours beyond an initial master’s degree in educational leadership or a closely related field. This includes a three-credit internship and a one-credit intensive NYS exam preparation course. Upon admission, the candidate is assigned a faculty academic advisor who assists in developing a course plan in accordance with the program requirements. All 30 credits are transferable to the doctoral program.
Candidates typically enroll part-time (two courses per semester) for the majority of their program. Courses are offered on the Queens campus (weekday evenings). Courses are also offered online.