Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership

Become a public school leader and embrace a challenge that was once thought to be impossible: ensuring that every student in your school system succeeds. School leaders shape school cultures and create conditions that make it possible for every teacher to teach and every student to learn. Graduates of Syracuse University's school leadership programs cite three reasons most often for having chosen school administration as a career:

School leadership offers opportunities to be a catalyst for change.
School leaders have more opportunities to support the learning of all students.
School leaders inspire adults to improve and grow professionally

We invite you to join the ranks of graduates of Syracuse University's Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) program in educational leadership who are making a difference in the lives of countless students, adults, and communities.

Syracuse University's Educational Leadership C.A.S. program is registered with New York State to lead to dual certification of its graduates as School Building Leaders and School District Leaders, qualifying them to serve in all school leadership positions in New York State (with the exception of School District Business Leader). The program prepares school leaders with the deep knowledge, practical skills, and 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.

The program has recently been redesigned based on two principles: School leaders serve all students best when they practice student-centered leadership and when they place students who have been historically marginalized at the center of the educational mission and practice. The program has retained its long-standing emphasis on preparing school principals and district administrators to be curriculum and instructional leaders, with a new, sharper focus on ensuring that all students succeed.

With accreditation from the National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Educational Leadership Constituent Council, the program draws on the School of Education's distinctive mix of world-renowned educational researchers and outstanding clinical practitioners. In addition, its history of close collaboration with school systems in the region and its tradition of leadership in areas such as inclusive, special education, literacy education, social justice, youth culture, school renewal, teacher mentoring, and professional development contribute to the strength of the program.

Program Overview and Requirements

The C.A.S. program requires 30 credits in educational leadership (nine courses and an administrative internship), 30 additional graduate credits (typically from a prior master's degree). and successful completion of a state-administered examination in School District Leadership. Completion of a second examination, in School Building Leadership, is required for certification but not for program graduation. An applicant must have a master's degree in a teaching or school specialist field, must demonstrate leadership potential and deep knowledge of issues related to curriculum, instruction, and/or student learning, and must have completed three years of teaching or school specialist experience.

Program Goals

The program prepares candidates to support the continuous learning of all students and adults, and the continuous improvement of systems that make learning possible. Emphasis is placed on the relationships between curriculum and instructional development, supervision of instruction, professional development, and organizational development, and the ways in which information on student learning can be used to improve teaching and learning.

The program ensures that candidates develop a detailed understanding of the ways in which school leaders support the development of children's interest and skills in reading, writing, and oral expression across all parts of the curriculum, along with an in-depth understanding of leadership issues in other subject areas.
Candidates enhance their understanding and skills as leaders responsible for systems that support learning by students who struggle or who have traditionally been marginalized, but who learn most effectively when given full access to the same learning opportunities available to others.
The program assists candidates in developing their ability to resolve conflicts, ethical dilemmas, and political challenges faced by educational leaders, and sharpen interpersonal communication skills while enhancing group decision making, and promoting collaboration and community building. In addition, candidates increase their ability to work effectively with parents and caregivers of students and the communities in which the students live.

Candidates gain a basic understanding of the institutional, legal, policy, fiscal, and external political contexts of public education and the technical and organizational systems that determine how those contexts affect teaching and learning. Candidates also gain a practical understanding of the roles they will play as building leaders and school district leaders in the 21st century schools.

Program Requirements

The program consists of 30 credits.

EDA 712 Leadership for Diverse Learners and Communities (Introduction)
EDA 722 Curriculum and Instructional Leadership for Equity and Excellence
EDA 732 Leadership for Adult Development
EDA 742 Leadership for Literacy Development
EDA 752 Leadership for Organizational and Institutional Development
EDA 762 Leadership for Inclusive Schooling
EDA 772 Issues and Practices in Building Leadership
EDA 782 Issues and Practices in District Leadership
EDA 792 Legal Basis of Education
EDA 899 Internship in School and District Leadership

While each of these courses is required of all C.A.S. candidates, some courses offered by other departments in the School of Education may be substituted for particular courses listed above. Contact the Department of Teaching and Leadership for further details.

The first required course, EDA 712, is offered every summer and fall. All other courses, except the internship, may be taken in any order. To accommodate the schedules of our candidates, all academic year courses are taught in the late afternoons in one of several public schools throughout the Syracuse area.

Once students have completed at least 15 credits, they may register for their administrative internship in any semester. An internship must be a full-time assignment for a full semester or a half-time assignment for two semesters; must provide experience with various building and district functions; and must allow students to exercise genuine leadership in important areas affecting teaching and learning. Most candidates complete the program in three or four years. Those wishing to accelerate the time to completion may enroll in coursework during the summer. Most courses are offered in the summer, one year out of every three, but the program can be completed without any summer coursework.

For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit our website at http://www.syr.edu/financialaid/gainful-employment/education/ge_educational_leadership.html