Contacts

Rhonda Zajac, Assistant Teaching Professor, rjzajac@syr.edu 

Faculty

George Theoharis, Courtney Mauldin-Jones, Rhonda Zajac

Program Description

This online program prepares school leaders who have the deep knowledge, practical skills, and a passionate commitment to ensure that every student has full and equal access to a high-quality education and attains exemplary levels of learning and personal development.

Coursework is offered fully online, synchronously, with classes meeting in the late afternoon during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Students may arrange appropriate in-person internships in school districts in their own locations. 

The program in educational leadership is approved by New York State as meeting the academic requirements for dual certification of its graduates as School Building Leaders and School District Leaders, qualifying candidates to serve in any school leadership position in New York State. NY State also requires examinations for certification.  Prospective students from other states may also apply to the program, but are encouraged to check requirements and reciprocity possibilities within their own states.

Accreditation

The School of Education is accredited for teacher preparation, leader preparation and other professional school personnel programs by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP),

Admission

Applications are accepted for the fall semester, with a deadline of no later than June 1. 

Applicants must:

• Write an essay detailing their professional experiences
• Submit undergraduate and graduate transcripts (A master’s degree with at least 30 semester hours is a prerequisite.)
• Submit three letters of references
• Submit a resume

Applicants will be contacted for an admissions interview.

Applicants must also be available to attend online classes in real time (synchronously) from 4:30-7:30 as well as varying times in the summer, [Eastern Time Zone]

Financial Support

Scholarship opportunities are available.  Consult the program website for more details.

Total Credits Required: 

30 credits in educational leadership

Transfer Credit

With prior approval, candidates with a master’s degree from Syracuse University may transfer a leadership course from another institution, provided it covers substantially the same content as the course required by the program. No more than three credits of the total thirty credits required for program completion may be transferred from another institution.

Part-time Study

Although full-time study is possible, most candidates pursue the CAS program as part-time students, typically taking one course each fall, one course each spring, and one each summer.

Satisfactory Progress

The faculty reviews each candidate’s progress and dispositions on an annual basis and notifies the candidate if it has any concerns that require attention. Candidates’ progress is assessed using the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL).

Student Learning Outcomes

Professional Standards for Educational Leaders

1. Mission, Vision, and Core Values: Effective educational leaders develop, advocate, and enact a shared mission, vision, and core values of high-quality education and academic success and well-being of each student.
2. Ethics and Professional Norms. Effective educational leaders act ethically and according to professional norms to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
3. Equity and Cultural Responsiveness: Effective educational leaders strive for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
4. Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Effective educational leaders develop and support intellectually rigorous, culturally relevant and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to promote all students’ academic success and wellbeing.
5. Community of Care and Support for Students: Effective educational leaders cultivate an inclusive, caring, and supportive school community that promotes the academic success and well-being of all students.
6. Professional Capacity of School Personnel: Effective educational leaders develop the professional capacity, cultural competence, and practice of school personnel to promote the love of learning, academic success, and well-being of all students.
7. Professional Community for Teachers and Staff: Effective educational leaders foster a professional community of teachers and other professional staff to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
8. Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community: Effective educational leaders engage families and the community in meaningful, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial ways to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
9. Operations and Management: Effective educational leaders manage school operations and resources to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
10. School Improvement: Effective educational leaders act as agents of continuous improvement to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

Certificate Requirements

The 30-credit Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership requires completion of the eight online three-credit courses listed below and an intensive six-credit internship (with accompanying online seminars) extending over two or three semesters. Students are required to attend classes online during the specific class time. 

In order to graduate, candidates must also have successfully completed or complete during the program:

• master’s degree of at least thirty credits in a subject other than educational leadership to meet a requirement of 60 graduate credits;
• NY State approved workshops on identifying and reporting child abuse, violence prevention and intervention (SAVE), and DASA (Dignity for All Studies Act); 
• a Group Leadership Exercise before commencing their internship;
• a successful preparation and presentation of a professional portfolio.  

New York certification also requires passing exams in both School Building Leadership and School District Leadership, as well as fingerprinting/background checks.

Candidates are discouraged from beginning their administrative internship until they have completed all other required coursework, and may not commence the internship until they have completed at least 15 credits of coursework.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
EDA 712	Leadership for Diverse Learners and Communities	3
EDA 722	Curriculum and Instructional Leadership for Equity and Excellence	3
EDA 732	Leadership for Adult Development	3
EDA 752	Leadership for Organizational and Institutional Development	3
EDA 762	Leadership for Inclusive Schooling	3
EDA 772	Issues and Practices in Building Leadership	3
EDA 782	Issues and Practices in District Leadership	3
EDA 792	Legal Basis of Education	3
EDA 899	Internship in School District and Building Leadership	6