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Advanced Graduate Certificate in
Professional School Administrator
Online or On Campus

Gain the skills and knowledge you need to work in K–12 leadership

With a Professional School Administrator Advanced Graduate Certificate from UAlbany, you can advance your career while making an impact on student success and school improvement in your community.

In this program, you’ll learn strategies that enhance instruction, increase family engagement, support teacher collaboration and promote inclusion in K–12 schools. You’ll develop skills essential to school board, government and community relations, and become adept at working with senior school district personnel to manage district affairs, create and implement policies and allocate resources.

By completing this certificate, you’ll gain administrative expertise and credentials that qualify you for positions of greater responsibility, including administrative leadership roles at the K–12 school or district level.

Additional Program Information

Graduate Bulletin   |   Course Index   |   Contact: Michael Johnson

Program of Study

program-of-study

This graduate certificate program covers the organizational, quantitative, communication, leadership and legal areas relevant to school administrator roles in school buildings and districts. 

Throughout the curriculum, you’ll learn in-demand skills through both classroom instruction and hands-on experiences designed to help you grow your career in education.

UAlbany’s professional school administrator graduate certificate program is 36 credits and can be completed fully online, part- or full-time. You may apply credits from this program to the educational policy and leadership PhD requirements.

Course topics include:

  • Introduction to Law and Education  
  • Introduction to Organizational Leadership  
  • Family and Community Partnerships  
  • School Board and Community Relations

 

You'll complete a full year internship with leadership activities aligned to Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL).

 

 

This program is approved for licensure or certification in New York State. 
For more information on Professional Licensure Disclosure, please see the Graduate Bulletin.  

Research and Experiential Learning


This program requires 600 internship hours over the course of a year, through which you’ll apply concepts, knowledge and skills to actual problems and day-to-day administrator duties at the building and district level. After this extensive experience, you’ll be prepared to tackle the real-world challenges that arise in your future career as a school administrator.


 

Standards to Guide your Success


This program adheres to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) and incorporates research on mindfulness, builds expertise in collaborative continuous improvement strategies and enhances your ability to manage conflict and develop positive relationships with school and community stakeholders. It is approved by the New York State Education Department to meet the education requirements for the Professional Administrator and Superintendent Extension certificates.

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Career Outlook


With the administrative expertise and credentials gained in this program, you’ll be prepared for a leadership role in a school building or district, helping to impact instruction strategies, family engagement, teacher support and collaboration, business affairs and more.

Potential job titles with Professional School Administrator Advanced Graduate Certificate include:  

  • Superintendent
  • Principal
  • Assistant Principal
  • Academic Administrator
  • Dean of Students  
  • Director of Student Services
  • Curriculum Director 

 

 

 

Two educators sitting at a table with laptops and a projection screen.

 

career

Accreditation

The University at Albany is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.


 

Logo for the AAQEP - Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation
Accreditation Details
Accreditation Details

The programs listed below have been awarded full accreditation by AAQEP through June 30, 2028. Full accreditation acknowledges that a program prepares effective educators who continue to grow as professionals and has demonstrated the commitment and capacity to maintain quality.


AAQEP-Accredited Programs and Annual Reports at the University at Albany


Advanced Graduate Certificate Programs


Master of Science Programs


Bachelor of Science Programs

Admissions Requirements

Deadlines
Deadlines

Fall: Rolling
Spring: Rolling
Summer: Rolling

There is no departmental assistantship consideration for this program.

Required Application Materials
Required Application Materials
  • Transcripts from all schools attended
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Resume
  • Statement of goals
  • Master's degree in education or related area
  • Permanent or Professional Certificate in teaching or pupil personnel services
  • Leadership essay
    • Please type one essay of no more than 800 words each from among the three possible topics below:
  1. Summarize the leadership activities in which you have been involved in recent years and explain how these experiences reflect your vision of and capacity for leadership.
  2. Identify a problem or challenge in a school, school-related organization or your professional life generally and write an analysis in which you assess the issue(s), describe effective strategies for addressing the issue(s), and make clear the implications for the exercise of effective leadership in the situation.
  3. Describe a problem of educational policy decision-making, policy content or policy implementation, and explain how a deeper understanding of policy or the policy process could improve the situation. 


Available information for applicants.


Please note: This program requires an internship, field experience, study abroad component or clinical experience requirement. Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or meet licensure requirements for certain professions. If applicants have concerns about this matter, please contact the Dean's Office of the intended academic program. 

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Student Learning Objectives


Learning objectives that UAlbany students are expected to attain through their course of study within their academic program.

Advanced Graduate Certificate
Advanced Graduate Certificate

Students who successfully complete the Professional School Administrator Advanced Graduate Certificate are able to:

  • Develop, advocate and enact a shared mission, vision and core values of high-quality education and academic success and well-being of each student;
  • Act ethically and professionally and according to professional norms to promote each student’s academic success and well-being
  • Strive for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to promote each student’s academic success and well-being of all students
  • Develop and support intellectually rigorous, culturally relevant and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction and assessment to promote the academic success and well-being of all students
  • Cultivate an inclusive, caring and supportive school community that promotes the academic success and wellbeing of all students
  • Develop the professional capacity, cultural competence and practice of school personnel to promote the love of learning, academic success and well-being of all students
  • Foster a professional community of teachers and other professional staff to promote each student’s academic success and well-being
  • Engage families and the community in meaningful, reciprocal and mutually beneficial ways to promote each student’s academic success and well-being
  • Manage school operations and resources to promote each student’s academic success and well-being
  • Act as agents of continuous improvement to promote each student’s academic success and well-being

 

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Careers and Advisement

The Pathways Into Education (PIE) Center is the central office on campus serving undergraduate, graduate, and prospective students interested in pursuing careers in education and programs leading to teacher certification.

Graduate Advisement:
Email Graduate Advisement
518-442-3529

Please call or email to schedule an appointment.

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