Non-degree Teacher Leader Endorsement Program
- Degrees & Programs
- Download the program guide (includes course list and application requirements)
- Contact Marie Pavelchak, Senior Student Program Coordinator in the Office of Student and Academic Services
Program Overview
NOTE: The non-degree Teacher Leader endorsement program is not currently accepting new applications.
The non-degree Teacher Leader Endorsement Program offered at the GSE is designed to prepare teacher leaders to work in diverse educational settings with a comprehensive understanding of how collaborative culture supports educator development and student learning. Through research-driven coursework and guidance from expert faculty, students will develop knowledge about the use of data, assessments, and research to facilitate improvements in instruction and learning. Upon completion of the program, they will be fluent in the range of teacher leader roles and practices and how they contribute to improved outreach, family and community collaboration, and educational advocacy.
This 12-credit endorsement program is available only to individuals who hold a New Jersey Standard Instructional Certificate and have at least 4 years of full-time teaching experience. Students already enrolled in a degree program at the GSE, who also already possess a Standard Instructional Certificate, may complete the endorsement program in conjunction with their degree program.
For more information about this program:
Program Details
Application Deadline
Aug 15 / Dec 15 / May 15
Entry Term(s)
Fall / Spring / Summer
Program Level
Non-degree
Program Type
Certificate
Format
Hybrid
Credits
12
-
What You’ll Learn
Students enrolled in the non-degree Teacher Leader Endorsement Program will explore the theoretical foundation and research that surround the practice of teacher leadership. Coursework will introduce students to school-community relations, prompting them to analyze the political basis for community support to schools and the influence of community groups on school administration. The curriculum will also dive deep into topics including the models for professional development and change, the development of practice-based strategies for doing research, and the importance and value of taking an “inquiry stance” on educational practice. Graduates exiting the program can expect to be knowledgeable about the use of data, assessments, and research to facilitate improvements in instruction and learning and be fluent in the range of teacher leader roles and practices and how they contribute to improved outreach, family and community collaboration, and educational advocacy.
For more information about the courses in this program, please visit the course catalog and online schedule of classes.
-
Program Requirements
12 Graduate Course Credits
- 3 Credits – School-Community Relations: The Politics of Education
- 3 Credits – Models of Professional Development and Change
- 3 Credits – Teacher Leadership Inquiry or Teacher as Researcher
- 3 Credits – Teacher Leadership: Theory & Practice
- 0 Credits – Clinical Practice in Teacher Leadership (taken each semester)
Students are expected to maintain a “B” or better average as a non-degree student. Accepted students will have 5 years to complete the program. After completing all of the required courses in the program, students should contact the Office of Academic Services at the GSE to notify them and to secure an application for the state endorsement. GSE personnel will then forward the completed application to Trenton along with a recommendation that the certification be awarded.
-
Careers and Outcomes
Graduates of the non-degree Teacher Leader Endorsement Program can function in various capacities in a range of educational settings. Certified teachers that complete the program may take up consulting or advisory roles in their school or learning community, serving as coaches, professional development coordinators or providers, peer mentors for new or struggling teachers, parent or community outreach specialists, or leaders for school personnel development initiatives. Students who successfully complete the Teacher Leader Endorsement program will also be positioned to transfer all 12 credits into the Teacher Leadership concentration of the Ed.D. Program offered at the GSE if they wish to advance their study.
-
Admissions Requirements
- Photocopy or Electronic Copy of a New Jersey Standard Instructional Certificate
- 1 Letter of Recommendation
- Proof of Employment as a Teacher for a Minimum of 4 Years
- Photocopies or Electronic Copies of Annual Summative Teaching Evaluations Rated Effective or Highly Effective for No Less Than 2 of the Previous 3 Years
- Official Transcripts
- Applicants are not usually admitted with a GPA less than 3.0 in their most recent degree
Applicants are responsible for reviewing and confirming that they meet all requirements before the application is submitted. Rutgers Graduate School of Education will not refund the application fee if an applicant is not accepted.
-
How to Apply
Current Rutgers University Students:
All applicants who are currently enrolled in a program at Rutgers University and wish to begin the certificate program while continuing their current program should contact the GSE Office of Student and Academic Services (OSAS) at academic.services@gse.rutgers.edu.
Non-Rutgers University Students:
- Collect the materials required for admission
- Submit your application online at http://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/
- Submit supporting materials online
- Any supporting materials that cannot be submitted electronically should be mailed to Graduate Admissions’ New Brunswick office. Their mailing address can be found here: https://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/about/contact-us
-
Tuition
Tuition:
Click here for the New Brunswick Graduate tuition rates.