This program is designed for educators interested in moving into school leadership positions. The College of Education offers an “approved principal certification program” from the Department of Education in the State of Pennsylvania. In order to receive principal certification in Pennsylvania, students must fulfill the course requirements listed below and follow the additional guidelines required by the State.

Course Work (34 Credit Hours)
Section A: Organizational Behavior                           (Min of  6 credit hrs)
Section B: Leadership Function                                 (Min of 12 credit hrs)
Section C: Curriculum & Supervision                          (Min of  9 credit hrs)
Section D: Research                                                   (Min of  3 credit hrs)
Section E: Addressing Needs of Diverse Leaders    (Min of  3 credit hrs)
Section F: Field Experience                                        (Min of  4 credit hrs)

          Click here for detailed Principal Certification course descriptions.

Guidelines for applying for Principal Certification

1. All applicants must have earned a master's degree from an accredited college or university.
2. Students with a master's degree in education may take as few as 15 credits to fulfill certification requirements. The number of credits required will be determined from prior course work reviewed by submission of prior transcripts to the Director of International Programs.
3. All students are required to take EdL 400 and Educ 493 through Lehigh University.
4. Pennsylvania requires that all applicants must be a U.S. citizen.
5. All students must hold a state-side teaching certificate.
6. All applicants must have 5 years of successful school experience at an accredited school.
7. All applicants must pass the PRAXIS test #410, Education Leadership: Administration and Supervision. (Please visit www.ets.org for details).
8. All applicants must fill an application for certification form obtained from the Office of Educational Leadership at Lehigh University.

It should be noted that students may apply for certification through other states once they have completed the required course work. This process is called certification through transcript review. For details, please contact the specific state that you are interested in.

Academic Guidelines
Courses can be taken at our on-site locations during the summer, and
on-line during the fall and spring semesters.