About the Program
Description
The Educational Leadership programs are for candidates who hold a New York State (NYS) teaching certificate (professional or permanent) and are seeking NYS certification at the school building, or school building and school district level. They are also designed to provide high-quality and innovative standards-based educational experiences for ethical future educational leaders.
The programs use an integrated approach by combining theory, authentic case studies, class discussions, candidates’ experience, and field-based internships to address current and emerging issues impacting the quality of education. This integrated approach infuses theory with practice to support the acquisition of the skills, knowledge, and values necessary to create optimum school conditions that promote a high-quality learning environment for all students. The case studies and field experiences both teach and measure candidate competence against national and state standards.
The Educational Leadership programs require 24 credits of coursework and 8 credits of internship for a total of 32 credits. The programs are designed around a weekend format. Each semester’s studies constitute a module, and each module is comprised of two three-credit courses and one two-credit internship experience. Each three-credit course will meet on alternate weekends for a total of four weekend sessions. Candidates take two courses and an internship each semester including the summer session. Most candidates complete the program in 18 months.
The field-based clinical internships are crucial elements of the programs' curricula. The programs have four internships of two credits each that are taken concurrently with the courses offered each semester. Each internship requires a minimum of 160 hours per 16-week semester, plus one full week (40 hours) sometime during the program. The internships will total 680 clock hours (four internships of 160 hours each plus one full week). Through the internship experiences, candidates define and analyze problems of practice, acquire the skills and knowledge needed to deal effectively with such problems, and integrate their theoretical studies with practical applications. At least one internship is in a diverse setting. At least one internship needs to be at the building level and one at the district level. Internship assignments and times are arranged by the College in collaboration with the candidate and the candidate’s home school district or partnering district.
Weekend Format
The Educational Leadership courses meet in an every-other-weekend format. Classes meet on Fridays from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a working lunch.
Faculty
Our faculty members are committed to providing the highest level of preparation for candidates participating in the program. All full-time faculty members have extensive and successful experiences as administrators in a variety of educational settings and possess New York State administrative certificates and doctoral degrees.