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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 fully online and 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 programs which yield an MEd in Educational Leadership, as well as a post-master’s certificate in educational leadership, a certificate in supervision, and a Teacher Leader certificate. All of our programs are offered online to accommodate busy working professionals with synchronous video meetings to create a sense of community among students and faculty.

MEd in Educational Leadership Program

Our principal program combines online courses with hands-on administrative internships to prepare effective school leaders. This 36-credit program fulfills the program requirements for an NJ Principal Administrative Certificate and culminates with a master’s degree in Educational Leadership.


36 Credit Degree Program

Flexible 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 fully online program provides the educational leadership courses and internship experiences required for an NJ Principal Administrative Certificate.


30 Credit Degree Program

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

Supervisor Certificate

Our supervisor course sequence involves four fully online 3-credit courses in supervision and curriculum for teachers who wish to step into supervisory roles and obtain an 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. Linda Mayger, maygerl@tcnj.edu

Teacher Leader Certificate

Through an integrated and thoughtfully sequenced 15-credit series of five online 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

Educational Leadership Certificate

This 15-credit series of five online courses are designed for early career teachers interested in developing their skills as educational leaders. (Candidates with three or more years of experience seeking principal licensure should enroll in the MEd or Post-Master’s certificate programs.)


15 Credit Certificate Program

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

Program Info

» Graduate Programs in Educational Leadership Handbook

» Department of Educational Administration and Secondary Education Comprehensive Exam Handbook

Last Updated on 4-10-23

» Educational Leadership MEd Program Planner, Word Document

» Post-Master’s Educational Leadership Program Planner, Word Document

» Supervisor Certificate Program Planner, Word Document

» Teacher Leader Certificate Program Planner, Word Document

 

Last Updated on 6-15-20

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 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 are 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.

 Term Priority Consideration Final Deadline
Fall Matriculation February 1 August 1*
Spring Matriculation October 1 December 1*

*Applications will be considered on a space-available basis up to and including the first day of the semester.

» 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 Type Rate
In-State $916.66 per credit
Out-of-State $916.66 per credit

» View Tuition & Fees Details

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


Assistantships & Aid

Graduate Assistantships

TCNJ offers graduate assistantships that provide meaningful learning experiences while 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 annually 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 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

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