Principal and Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction PK-12 Doctoral Certificate

The Principal and Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction PK-12 Certificate is a standalone doctoral-level certificate delivered through existing coursework in the Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Educational Leaders (IDEPEL).

This certificate allows non-IDEPEL students who wish to complete only the six doctoral-level courses required for the Principal PK–12 and/or Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction PK–12 certificate (with fieldwork) to enroll as standalone certificate students. In addition, standalone certificate students who later wish to matriculate into the IDEPEL EdD program may do so, with the six certificate courses counting toward EdD degree completion.

Overall, the program aims to meet several goals:

• Address the significant and growing demand for highly qualified K–12 educational leaders holding PDE-approved Principal and Supervisor credentials;
• Provide strategic career advancement opportunities for professionals who already hold a master’s degree and seek advanced 3 doctoral-level credentials without the immediate commitment to a full EdD program;
• Create opportunities for external partnerships with school districts through cohort-based offerings;
• Increase doctoral enrollment through both standalone certificate enrollment and subsequent transition into the IDEPEL EdD program; and
• Provide students with opportunities to earn Pennsylvania Department of Education Act 48 credits and Act 45 credits under the category of PA Inspired Leadership (PIL). 

In order to obtain the P & CS Certificate from SJU, students must complete all required courses and fieldwork in good academic standing. Importantly, this does not satisfy the full requirements of certification from the PA Department of Education. Candidates who wish to earn certification from PDE in Principle and or Curriculum Specialist must follow the PDE compliance requirements, which, in addition to the required coursework, includes:

• Submission of Verification of Program Completion by the Assistant Dean of SEHD
• Signed approval of logs of fieldwork hours (totaling 360 hours)
• Completion and passing score on the PRAXIS exams - Principal K-12 School Leadership Licensure Assessment (#6990) and Curriculum & Instruction Supervisory: Educational leadership: Administration and Supervision Licensure Assessment (#5412)

The P &CS Certificate aligns with IDEPEL Student Learning Objectives for Goal #2, 3, and 4.

IDEPEL SLO Goal #2: Our graduates will develop a strong foundation in their field’s theoretical and empirical literature, as well as the capacity to apply theory to practice-based problems.

Objective 2.1: Students will develop a strong foundation in their field’s theoretical and empirical literature. 

Objective 2.2: Students will demonstrate the ability to apply a theoretical framework or empirical study to a problem of practice, as well as the capacity to reflect on the efficacy of their decision-making. 

IDEPEL SLO Goal #3: Our graduates will develop a strong foundation in leadership focused on inclusive cultures, social justice, and equity-minded change.

Objective 3.1: Students will develop the capacity to participate in and lead inclusive cultures in their field. 

Objective 3.2: Students will develop critical analysis skills and practices around the role of social justice in equity-minded change.

IDEPEL Goal #4: Our graduates will develop mastery of specific skills that they can apply to their professional fields.

Objective 4.1: Students will develop an understanding of the impact of historical, political, and contextual perspectives on their professional practices. 

¹

PDE requires one special education course with the P & CS certifications, which can be waived if a prior graduate-level SPE course was taken (with a course grade of 3.0 or higher) and/or the applicant has had prior work experience within special education. A SPE course is not listed as a requirement for SJU’s P & CS certificate; however, compliance will be tracked by the IDEPEL program director to ensure students have met this requirement for PDE.