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Cornish Hall, Room D-220
(607) 753-2444
E-mail: eatonj@cortland.edu
www.cortland.edu/edleadership

School

Education

Faculty

Mary Kinsella (Chair)

Adjunct Faculty

For a listing of adjunct faculty see the Faculty and Administration section of this catalog.

Programs offered

Certificate of Advanced Study: Educational Leadership

The Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) program prepares students to become school administrators. The program requires 30 to 36 credit hours, depending on the student’s area of interest, including an administrative internship. Students and their advisors develop programs to fit the student’s career goals.

Career Potential

• Subject and content area supervisors
• Building administrators
• Directors of athletics and physical education
• Business officials
• Central office officials

Mission Statement

The SUNY Cortland Educational Leadership Department prepares educational leaders by integrating theory and practice to develop schools and other learning communities effectively.

A Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) will be given to students who have been accepted and satisfactorily completed all program requirements. Candidates must hold an earned master’s degree.

Candidates for school building leader (SBL) and school district leader (SDL) must hold a permanent teaching certificate and complete a minimum of 60 credit hours of approved graduate study above the bachelor’s degree. Candidates for the school district business leader (SDBL) must complete 66 credit hours of approved graduate study (a maximum of 30 credits may be transferred in from a previously earned master’s degree).

The New York State Education Department requires for the initial certificate as a school building leader that the candidate shall have successfully completed three years of classroom teaching service and/or pupil personnel service experience in public or non-public schools. The New York State Education Department requires for the professional certificate as a school district leader that the candidate shall have successfully completed three years of classroom teaching service and/or educational leadership service and/or pupil personnel service experience in public or non-public schools N-12.

The school building leader (SBL) certificate issued by the State of New York enables holders to qualify for positions at the building level such as principals and assistant principals.

The school district leader (SDL) certificate issued by the State of New York enables holders to qualify for positions at the district level such as superintendent and many assistant superintendent positions.

The school district business leader (SDBL) certificate issued by the State of New York enables holders, those without teaching credentials, to qualify for positions having professional responsibilities for the business operation of a school district.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for the Educational Leadership program, applicants must include, in addition to the completed graduate school application, the following materials:

1. Certification and Degree: Proof of permanent or professional New York State teaching certification for those applicants in school building leader (SBL) and school district leader (SDL) programs and an official transcript showing the master’s degree already conferred.
2. Resume: An updated resume with a minimum of three references with current phone numbers.
3. Recommendations: Three completed, signed and dated Candidate Recommendation Forms, which are available at cortland.edu/edleadership/appinfo.html. These recommendation forms must be completed by practicing school leaders who support the applicants’ candidacy. Once completed by the reference person, the forms should be returned to the applicants in a signed and sealed envelope to insure confidentiality. They should be included in the submitted packet. Please note the following:
   1. Applicants from the teaching field must have one form from an administrator in their district’s central office, a second form from the immediate supervisor and a third form from a practicing educational administrator of their choice.
   2. Applicants from a non-teaching, non-traditional background, must have one recommendation form from their current organization’s chief executive officer, one form from their immediate supervisor and a third form from an educational supervisor/administrator of their choice.
4. Essay: A written essay (one-to-two pages, double-spaced with 12-point type) that addresses the following question: What is your vision of the school leader in American public schools of the 21st century?
   1. This essay is due at the time of all other application materials and becomes part of the application file; this paper should not be handed in at a separate time.
   2. This paper should be well written, word processed and in the form and quality that a future school leader would proudly provide a superintendent and/or board of education for review. A rubric for this essay may be downloaded at cortland.edu/edleadership/appinfo.html.

This completed packet, along with the graduate studies application, is to be returned to the Graduate Studies Office. Once the completed application packet is received, it will be scheduled for review by the Educational Leadership Department faculty committee.

Administrative Internship

All students must complete the requirements for an administrative internship under the supervision of a practicing school administrator and a representative of SUNY Cortland. Several options for satisfying the internship requirement are available and must be approved by the department chair.

The internship for the SDBL must be conducted in a business office environment. Students must complete at least 21 credit hours of course work before beginning the internship experience. At least six of the core courses must be completed with the 21 credit hours.

Advisement is available from the full-time faculty, handouts and the catalog available in the department office. For more information, call (607) 753-2444.

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