Principal Certification - Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professioal Studies

Principal Certification in Educational Leadership
(Administrative Level I)

The Penn State Principal Certification program is ranked fourth nationally in the recent U.S. News & World Report of America's Best Graduate Schools!

The Principal Certification in Educational Leadership (Administrative Level I) program prepares teachers and supervisors to take administrative positions and helps candidates meet Pennsylvania certification requirements in K-12 educational administration. An educator holding a valid Pennsylvania certificate as a K-12 Principal is qualified for the following positions:

Principal
Assistant Principal
Director of Pupil Services
Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction
Supervision of an instructional or pupil service area where 5 years of professional service while holding a certificate in that area can be documented by the superintendent

The program is offered at:

The Penn State Great Valley campus in Malvern
The Penn State Lehigh Valley Corporate Learning Center in Bethlehem
Penn State’s Lancaster Center in Lancaster

Admission requirements

Valid state-issued certificate related to education;
Schedule an interview with the program adviser prior to submitting application materials;
Submit all necessary forms, documentation, and fees.
For information on how to apply, click here.

Program requirements

30 credits of course work (9 credits may be taken on a nondegree basis). To see the curriculum and course schedule, click here.
By the completion of the program, you will need 5 years of professional school experience on a state-issued certificate.
Qualifying score for the PRAXIS Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision test (code 10410).
An e-Portfolio by completion of program.

Special Note: Up to three courses may be transferred into the program upon approval by the Educational Leadership department. Upon adviser approval, if you currently hold a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis area in Instructional Leadership from Penn State University, up to five of your courses may transfer into the Principal Certification program. Please see your adviser for additional details.

Principal Certification course schedule

The Principal Certification Program offers courses in 7 week formats, one or two days a week, depending on the course. You may begin at the start of any session. Up to three courses may be transferred into the program upon approval by the Educational Leadership department.

Education faculty

Faculty from a variety of fields integrate intellectual and practical perspectives into the study of educational administration. You will gain an outstanding education that relates real-world issues to fundamental theories.