TCNJ Today || Parents || Alumni

TCNJ Home

About

Academics

Admissions

Athletics

Campus Life

Library

A-Z | Directory | Map | Offices

The College of New Jersey

Apply     Visit     Give     |     Alumni     Parents     Offices     TCNJ Today     

Educational Leadership Programs

School principals and leaders must understand and successfully confront the multiple educational challenges posed by twenty-first century conditions and contexts. Our fully accredited programs for certification are designed for college graduates who are already working in an education setting. Graduates are actively recruited across the state and the nation.

About the Programs

Topics of study include: excellence in leadership practice; knowledge and awareness in social justice, diversity, and inclusion; administering in multiple contexts and communities; and providing direction and advocacy. The College offers flexible and accelerated programs which yield an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, as well as a post-master’s certificate in educational leadership, a certificate in supervision, and a Teacher Leader certificate.

Flexible and Accelerated M.Ed. Program Tracks

Our flexible and accelerated principal licensure programs offer a combination of face-to-face and blended courses along with hands-on administrative internships to prepare effective school leaders. These 36-credit programs fulfill the program requirements for a NJ Principal Administrative Certificate and culminate with a master’s degree in Educational Leadership.

36 Credit Degree Program

Flexible Program Coordinator: Dr. Donald Leake, leake@tcnj.edu

Accelerated Program Coordinator: Dr. Linda Mayger, maygerl@tcnj.edu

Post-Master’s Certificate in Educational Leadership

Our post-master’s certificate pathway is designed for candidates who have already obtained a master’s degree. This program provides the educational leadership courses and internship experiences required for a NJ Principal Administrative Certificate.

33 Credit Degree Program

Program Coordinator: Dr. Donald Leake, leake@tcnj.edu

Supervisor Certificate

Our supervisor course sequence involves four 3-credit courses in supervision and curriculum for teachers who wish to step into supervisory roles and obtain a NJ Supervisor Standard Administrative Certificate. As NJ DOE requires candidates for supervisor certification to hold a master’s degree, this program is typically embarked upon as a post-master’s program or parallel with the pursuit of a master’s degree.

12 Credit Certificate Program

Program Coordinator: Dr. Donald Leake, leake@tcnj.edu

Teacher Leader Certificate

Through an integrated and thoughtfully sequenced 15-credit series of five courses, the Teacher Leader Certificate Program prepares teachers for non-supervisory leadership roles, such as facilitator, coach, and professional developer.

15 Credit Certificate Program

Program Coordinator: Dr. Linda Mayger, maygerl@tcnj.edu

Program Info

» Educational Leadership M.Ed. Program Planner, PDF Document

» Schedule of Courses for Educational Leadership, Word Document

Professional Standards 

Program coursework is rooted in the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC), the Professional Standards for Education Leaders (PSEL) from the National Policy Board for Educational Administration, and the Teacher Leader Model Standards from the Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium.

Requirements for NJ Principal Certificate

This degree is one element in the requirements for a New Jersey principal’s certificate. The other elements currently required by the State of New Jersey include: a passing score on the state-approved exam that is aligned with the Professional Standards for School Leaders as defined in N.J.A.C. 6A:9-3.4 and completion of a one-to two-year Mentored Internship. Candidates for admission to The College of New Jersey program must possess a valid teaching certificate and the appropriate years of teaching experience.

Application Requirements

  • Application
  • Essay
  • Official transcripts
  • Application fee
  • 2 letters of recommendation
  • National standardized admission test requirement (waived for post-master’s certificate program)
  • Resume/CV
  • Copy of teacher certification
  • Additional documents needed from international applicants seeking to study in the U.S.

» View Application Details for Educational Leadership Programs

Application Deadlines

Applicants need to make sure all materials are completed by either the Priority Consideration Deadline or the Final Deadline in order for an application to be considered complete.

 TermPriority ConsiderationFinal Deadline
Fall MatriculationFebruary 1August 1
Spring MatriculationOctober 1December 1

» View Application Deadline Details

Tuition & Costs

The College of New Jersey provides a high quality education at a lower than average cost than other schools of similar quality.

Tuition TypeRate
In-State / Nearby Tuition*$938.17 per credit
Out-of-State Tuition$1,368.05 per credit

*Includes nearby Pennsylvania zip codes in a 40 mile radius of TCNJ.

» View Tuition & Fees Details

The College Board of Trustees is responsible for establishing tuition, fees, housing and board plan rates. Tuition and fees schedules are subject to change without notice and upon action of the Board of Trustees.

Assistantships & Aid

Graduate Assistantships

TCNJ offers graduate assistantships that provide meaningful learning experiences while also supporting TCNJ’s educational mission. These assistantships require 15 hours of work per week during the fall and spring semesters while the college is in session. Only those full-time (minimum 9 credits/semester), matriculated graduate students in good academic standing with a minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 are eligible for selection.

Graduate Assistants are awarded a tuition waiver of $10,000.00 per academic year ($5,000 per semester for fall and spring only) and are hired on an annual basis for a maximum of two years.

» Learn more about Graduate Assistantships

Financial Aid
Students pursuing a graduate degree at TCNJ may be eligible for some types of student financial assistance, including but not limited to student loans and assistantships. Graduate students must follow the same steps as undergraduates in applying for federal loan assistance.

Graduate students must be enrolled in at least five credit hours at the 500 level or above in order to be eligible for student loan assistance and for TCNJ to certify enrollment for a loan repayment deferment.

Semester Enrollment Requirements for Graduate Students
Full-time status = 9 or more credit hours
Half-time status = 5 credit hours
The enrollment requirements pertain to individual summer session enrollment as well.

» Learn more about Financial Aid at TCNJ

Top