Ed.D. Plus New Jersey Principal/School Administrator Certification

    Program Overview

    The Ed.D. Plus New Jersey Principal/School Administrator Certification pathway allows students to combine the EdD in PK-12 Educational Leadership with the New Jersey Principal Certification. There is also an option to continue on to receive the New Jersey School Administrator Certification (superintendent certification).
    The PK-12 Educational Leadership EdD concentration helps educational leaders—including school-level, district-level, and teacher leaders—develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to act as equity-oriented change agents in their schools and communities. Students will be challenged to understand and use research effectively to address problems of practice, and to use data to lead and support others in various improvement efforts focused on equitable teaching and learning.  Current and aspiring classroom, school, and district PK-12 educators are encouraged to apply for admission into this concentration option.
    The New Jersey Principal Endorsement Program leads to New Jersey Department of Education certification as a principal within an elementary or secondary school setting. This 32-credit endorsement program is available only to individuals who hold a New Jersey Standard Instructional Certificate or Educational Services Certificate, or its out-of-state equivalent. Five years of full-time teaching experience is also required. All 32 credits in the endorsement program must be completed at Rutgers University. No transfer credits will be accepted. This endorsement includes 2 credits/300 hours of site-based internship.
    The New Jersey School Administrator Certification requires an additional 1 credit and 150 hours of site-based internship. Graduates of this program are eligible to serve as New Jersey school district superintendent.

     For more information about this program:

    Program Details

    Application Deadline

    January 15

    Entry Term(s)

    Summer

    Program Level

    Doctoral

    Program Type

    Degree

    Format

    Hybrid

    Credits

    75

  • What You’ll Learn
    Students who complete this 75-credit program will exit having developed theoretical frameworks and critical perspectives needed to use research to both address issues, and effectively influence change in the educational communities they serve. The core courses of the Ed.D. program will explore topics including the sociocultural foundations of education, the history of educational reform, and educational leadership as it relates to communities and organizational change, amongst others. Courses required for the Educational Leadership concentration will prompt deeper inquiry into subjects such as organizational theory, leadership and social justice, and assessment, data, and analysis. Through shared exploratory learning and problem-solving exercises, students will gain common knowledge, form a supportive network of scholarly practitioners concerned with similar issues, and develop real-world, research-backed skills to address the challenges of the 21st-century educator.
    Furthermore, the coursework in this pathway prepares candidates for principal certification and leadership positions in New Jersey public and private K-12 schools and higher education institutions. According to the State of New Jersey Department of Education, these positions may include assistant principal, vice-principal, principal, director, or assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. Principal certification authorizes candidates to provide educational leadership and direction as it pertains to the objectives, policies, and budgets of the school systems they serve. Principal certification holders may also participate in supervising and developing school operations and education programs, evaluating school staff, and providing strategic guidance to school leaders and practitioners to promote high-quality, culturally-competent instruction.

    For more information about the courses in this program, please visit the course catalog and online schedule of classes.

  • Program Requirements
    This program typically takes just 4-5 years to complete and requires:
    • 75 Graduate Course Credits
      • 6 Credits – Completed in the 1st Summer
      • 6 Credits – Completed in the 1st Fall
      • 6 Credits – Completed in the 1st Spring
      • 6 Credits – Completed in the 2nd Summer
      • 6 Credits – Completed in the 2nd Fall
      • 6 Credits – Completed in the 2nd Spring
      • 6 Credits – Completed in the 3rd Summer
      • 4 Credits – Completed in the 3rd Fall—one course plus a 1 credit 150 hour internship
      • 4 Credits – Completed in the 3rd Spring—one course plus a 1 credit 150 hour internship
      • 6 Credits – Completed in the 4th Summer (Dissertation)
      • 6/7 Credits – Completed in the 4th Fall (Dissertation) 6 credits of dissertation plus a 1 credit 150 hour internship if pursuing a school administrator certification
      • 6 Credits – Completed in the 3rd Spring (Dissertation)
      • 6 Credits – Completed in the 4th Summer (Dissertation)
    • Dissertation
      • The Ed.D. culminates with a yearlong dissertation experience. The dissertation requires students to identify and investigate a problem of practice systematically using current literature, and inquiry methodology. Students are to write a final report that is presented publicly that may include a conference presentation, journal article or book chapter, or presentation to a local community. Students will have the option of working on their dissertation projects individually or in groups organized around key topics of interest. Students may also choose to pursue more traditional dissertations.
  • Faculty
  • Careers and Outcomes

    Graduates of the Ed.D. program who pursue the Educational Leadership concentration are prepared to be change agents in the educational communities they serve. Educators working in traditional K-12 school settings who complete the program may go on to pursue roles including school superintendent, school principal, and other leadership roles at the school, district, or state level. The program may also position graduates for advanced roles in higher education, such as professor, provost, dean, or school executive. Other opportunities exist outside traditional school settings, including nonprofit, government, and private consultant or advisory roles.

  • Admissions Requirements
    • Electronic copy of a New Jersey Standard Instructional Certificate.
    • Verification from the applicant’s current or previous supervisor or HR department, on school district letterhead, certifying the completion of five years of successful, full-time employment under a New Jersey Instructional Certificate.
    • Personal statement
    • Current Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    • Academic writing sample
    • Undergraduate and graduate transcripts
    • (Optional) 1-2 letters of recommendation

    Applicants must have a master’s degree from an accredited college or university.

  • How to Apply
    Applications are submitted online at the Graduate Admissions website: http://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/
    1. Click on “Create Account or Login” and follow the instructions given.
    2. Under “Start an application today!”, click Apply Now
    Application Selection
    3. For “Level of Application”, select Graduate
    4. For “Applicant Type”, select Degree
    5. Continue filling out the application, following the on-screen instructions.
    Program of Study
    6. Under “Program Information”, make sure Degree is selected for “Applicant Type”
    7. For “Degree Type”, select Doctoral’s (e.g. PhD, EdD, DNP)
    For “Area of Study”, select Education
    9. For “Location/Instructional Method”, select New Brunswick
    10. For “Program Selection”, select Education – Educational Leadership (EDD) New Brunswick
    11. Complete the rest of the application by providing the requested information.
    12. Enter payment information for the non-refundable application fee.
    13. Submit your application.
    14. Once you have been admitted to the EdD in Ed Leadership program, contact the EdD K-12 Ed Leadership concentration coordinator melinda.mangin@gse.rutgers.edu and the GSE Office of Student and Academic Services (OSAS) at academic.services@gse.rutgers.edu and let them know your intention to participate in the EdD Plus Principal Certification pathway so that they can guide you through the steps to simultaneously enroll in the principal/superintendent endorsement program.
  • Tuition & Financial Assistance

    Tuition

    For tuition and fees information please visit the tuition landing page.

    Financial Aid:

    While students are encouraged to apply for federal student aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), there are a number of other merit- and need-based support options, including loans and college work-study programs within and external to Rutgers. For more information, please visit the Office of Financial Aid website.

    Scholarships, Fellowships & Assistantships:

    Generous GSE alumni, friends, and community members have established and continue to donate to more than one dozen fellowships and scholarships to help deserving students reach their goals. These awards are granted on the basis of academic achievement and or financial need. While these awards are competitive, interested students are encouraged to apply for consideration and submit the required materials. Students must also submit a FAFSA application to be eligible.  

    To review all current awards and learn more about the donors that established them, please click here.

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