The 21-hour Principal Certification Only option is for those students who have already earned a Master's degree from an accredited institution. Whether a student pursues the 30-hour online Master's Degree in Educational Administration with Principal Certification or the 21-hour online Principal Certification Only plan, EDAD 515 must be taken during the first semester of course work. Principal Certification admission is a two-step process. Students must meet the Graduate Studies admission requirements as well as the Principal Certification Program admission requirements below for certification.
The Principal Practicum shall include a minimum of 160 clock-hours of field-based practicum. The EDAD 510 Leading Learning Communities Reflective Practicum is a 3-credit hour course that lasts for the entire semester.
Principal Certification Admission Requirements
The Texas Examination Educator Standards (TExES) is required of all students seeking administrator certification. Senate Bill 50 requires that persons seeking educator certification in Texas perform satisfactorily on state certification exams.
Students seeking approval to take the Principal TExES 268 and PASL exams must meet all requirements specified in the TExES 268/PASL registration bulletins. All principal certification students who are also pursuing a master’s degree in educational administration must have an approved degree plan on file, have completed the department’s comprehensive examination for the master’s degree successfully, be enrolled in the final semester of their certification program, and have completed the prerequisite coursework. Principal certification only students must have an approved certification plan on file, be enrolled in the final semester of their certification program, and have completed the prerequisite coursework to receive approval to take the Principal TExES 268/PASL exams. Students must complete all premediation and remediation as determined by the EDAD department.
The program is designed for students to progress through cohort groups and be completed within approximately one calendar year, after initial enrollment. Courses leading to completion of the graduate degree will expire within 6 years for non-completers, however all principal certification coursework will expire within five years for non-completers.
Individuals who are issued the Standard Principal Certificate on or after September 1, 1999, are subject to Certificate Renewal and Continuing Professional Education requirements, which are elaborated in Title 19, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 232. Additional renewal information specific to Standard Principal Certificates can be found in Title 19, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 241.
| EDAD 515 | Leading Effective Schools | 3 |
| EDAD 519 | Designing Curriculum | 3 |
| EDAD 526 | Using Law in Educational Practice | 3 |
| EDAD 569 | Instructional Leadership | 3 |
| EDAD 507 | Using Evaluation and Data to Improve Learning | 3 |
| EDAD 554 | GLB/Leading the Learning Community | 3 |
| EDAD 510 | Leading Learning Communities Reflective Practicum | 3 |
| Total Hours | 21 | |
