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It’s been said that there are no good schools without good principals.
That’s because principals set the tone for a building’s learning and professional environment. Do teachers feel empowered and appreciated? Are policies consistent and fair? Is there a sense of community among staff, students, teachers and families? Are students thriving?
If you are ready for school building leadership and passionate about fostering a healthy school environment, you can prepare to become that kind of principal through UW’s experiential school principal certificate program.
Offered online, UW’s school principal graduate certificate program allows you to acquire the knowledge and experience necessary to earn a Wyoming's Professional Teaching Standards Board endorsement as a K-12 principal while maintaining your current teaching position.
About the School Principal Program
UW’s 24-credit hour, online school principal certificate program is designed for licensed teachers who hold a master’s degree in education or related area from an accredited college or university. Utilize your coursework towards further degrees in educational leadership.
Emphasizing the study of educational leadership and an in-depth principal internship, the program qualifies you for a Wyoming state K-12 principal endorsement, while also equipping you with skills you can use to drive positive change at the building level.
As a University of Wyoming educational leadership student, your program isn’t simply about how-to manage K-12 schools, it’s also a deep dive into leadership ideas that will broaden your ideas of what a school can be.
From incorporating community values into what students are learning to fostering deeper ties with families, you will come to see the role of principal as one with the potential to reimagine schools as centers for community cohesion and reinvention.
Here are some reasons to choose UW for your school principal endorsement studies:
Accredited. Choose an accredited certificate program. The UW College of Education is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The educational leadership program standards set by the National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP).
Faculty. Learn from people like former superintendent Barbara Hickman, who have worked as leaders in the field.
Internship. Complete a 435-hour principal internship that encompasses elementary, middle and high school experiences.
Special Education Director Endoresement. You can gain the Special Education Director endorsement from the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board (PTSB) if you have earned a masters from UW in either educational leadership or special education AND at least a graduate certificate from UW in either educational leadership or special education.
Travel grants. Apply for travel funding to help cover some of the costs involved with attending and presenting at education-related conferences.
Scholarships. Apply for potential scholarship funding. UW offers graduate education students access to scholarships such as:
The UW school principal graduate certificate program provides you with the training to become a principal leader and change agent at the school building level. It also qualifies you for K-12 principal endorsement from the Wyoming state Professional Teaching Standards Board.
School Principal Careers
A school principal graduate certificate can prepare you for careers such as:
“Due to the rural nature of Wyoming, the online format was very beneficial. I was able to connect with professors and classmates easily and efficiently. I feel that the knowledge gained in the program has allowed me a specific skill set to be prepared for the position I am currently holding.”
– Josh Mink, ’19
These are just some of the classes you might take as an educational leadership/principal certificate student at the University of Wyoming:
View the full graduate principal certificate program curriculum.
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