Principal Certification Program in Education Administration (ELPS)

Program Description:

The administrative certification programs, which are approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, qualify professionals to serve in line or staff administrative positions. The principal certification program, which prepares individuals to serve as principals and assistant principals, provides insight into the purposes and processes of schools, as well as the expertise necessary to lead and administer a school community.

The principal certification program at Temple is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. When a student has successfully completed all requirements for the program at Temple, and successfully passed the Praxis test, he/she will have satisfied the academic requirements for a Principal Certificate in Pennsylvania. Temple University will endorse the successful candidate for certification.

Persons who complete the program will be certified to serve as a school principal (K-12). To be eligible for a principal´s certificate, one must first be certified as a professional educator, and acquire (5) five years of satisfactory experience.

Required Core Courses:

Specific Program Requirements include:

Administrative Core:

• ED ADM 500: Introduction to Administration & Supervision
• ED ADM 503: The Principalship
• ED ADM 513: Supervision
• ED ADM 891: Field Experience (elementary) (the above three courses are perquisites)
• ED ADM 892: Field Experience (secondary)

Specialization Courses: (two courses from among the following):

• ED ADM 615: Gender Studies
• ED ADM 630: Educational Reform
• ED ADM 641: Finance and Business Management
• ED ADM 651: Planning and Utilization of Facilities
• ED ADM 661: Personnel Administration
• ED ADM 671: Public Relations
• ED ADM 681: School Law
• ED ADM 715: Instructional Leadership
• ED ADM 746: Management of School Fiscal Affairs
• ED ADM 785: Collective Negotiations

General Electives:

• SUP CER 601: Assessment of Curriculum and Instruction

Candidates must complete both field experiences as part of the program. Candidates must receive a satisfactory evaluation from the supervisor or administrator most familiar with performance demonstrated during the field experience.

Five years of satisfactory professional experience (under proper certification) must be completed in teaching. (This is a Pennsylvania Department of Education requirement).

Students must pass the Praxis test. It is the student´s responsibility to schedule him / herself for this test and arrange to have the results reported to Temple and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Admission Requirements:

The criteria for admission to the Principal Certification program include:

• A Bachelor´s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum grade point average of 3.0.
• A Pennsylvania Teaching Certificate.
• Master´s degree (or Master´s equivalency) from an accredited institution.
• Presentation of either Miller´s Analogy Test or Graduate Record Examination scores at or exceeding Temple Graduate School standards for admission to the Master´s degree program.
• A satisfactory recommendation on a Temple University form from the applicant´s immediate superior (administrator or supervisor).

The applicant shall secure, complete, and send in the following to the address listed below:

One copy of the form "Applicant Information Sheet."
One copy of "Certification Questionnaire."
One official copy of all undergraduate transcripts.
One official copy of all graduate transcripts.
One photo copy of teaching certificate.
A recommendation from an administrator or supervisor using a Temple University Evaluation Form.
Results of MAT or GRE taken within the past 5 years of date of admission.

Marcia Whitaker
Phone: (215) 204-8063
Email: marcia.whitaker@temple.edu
Office location: Ritter Hall 238
Department of Education Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS)
College of Education
Temple University 003-00
1301 Cecil B. Moore Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19122