The following is specific information and admission requirements for the Administrative Services Credential and/or MA in Educational Leadership program.
Master of Arts in Educational Leadership
Santa Clara University offers a relevant and high-quality Master of Arts in Educational Leadership degree. This degree is for individuals working in schools, and other educational organizations. The MA degree can be completed with an additional 15 quarter units beyond the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential or as a stand-alone degree program (45 quarter units). Completing an MA allows for deeper learning and expertise in educational Leadership in distinct contexts.
Our MA degree will also provide a foundational knowledge base and research skills to pursue an Ed.D. or Ph.D. degree in the future if desired.
Preliminary Administrative Services Credential
The Preliminary Administrative Services Credential program is the first step for individuals who want to advance their career and become school principals or central office administrators in public schools. Our high quality Preliminary Administrative Services Credential prepares students for leadership positions in a variety of diverse school settings including public, charter and Catholic schools within the context of California’s Local Control Funding Formula and Local Control Accountability Plan.
Our region is one of the most diverse and dynamic regions in the United States. This program is focused on leadership development centered around questions of social justice and educational equity to transform opportunity, learning and outcomes for school communities with multilingual, multicultural and students in poverty. This program addresses the California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders and is accredited by the California Commission of Teacher Credentialing.
Clear Administrative Services Credential
The Clear Administrative Services Credential Induction Program (CASC) provides administrators with comprehensive leadership development support through candidate assessment, individualized coaching, and professional development based on the California Professional Standards for Educational Leadership (CPSEL).
The Santa Clara University program provides candidates an opportunity to earn a Clear Administrative Services Credential through a two-year program. The program is accredited through the California Commission on Teacher credentialing (CCTC) and is based on CCTC guidelines. The program aims to advance knowledge and skills and help candidates to become effective administrators. The program includes one-on-one coaching by an experienced administrator/leadership coach.
Program Features:
- A customized plan
- E-portfolio
- Online support
- Individual coaching
- Professional development
Our Graduates do the following with this degree:
Graduates of this program are currently employed as principals, assistant principals, education program directors, and deans of students. Our graduates are employed in high quality public and Catholic school districts locally, as well as outside of the Bay Area.
Length and Cost of Program
The Preliminary Administrative Service Credential Requires 30 quarter units (10 courses) to complete the program and 45 quarter units (15 courses) to complete MA in Educational Leadership degree. The PASC can be completed in 12 months and the PASC with an MA in 18 months. The administrative service Credential total cost is $18,900 and $28,350 with an MA degree.
High Quality Program Tailored for Working Professionals
- Course taught by renowned research faculty
- High touch and personalized learning and mentoring
- Gain access to outstanding networks, resources and facilities
- Classes are offered in the evening
- Classes are offered in person
- Classes are conducted on SCU campus and satellite locations
- Administrative Credential can be completed in 12 months
- MA in Educational Leadership can be completed in 18 months
- Flexible start date: Fall, Winter, Spring or Summer
Preliminary Administrative Services Credential (PASC) Course Requirements
Requirements:
EDUC 360: School Leadership (3)
EDUC 361: Instructional Leadership (3)
EDUC 363: Ethics, Law and Governance (3)
EDUC 364: L.F.L.: Using Data to Inform School Improvement and Promote Equity (3)
EDUC 365: Human Resource Development (3)
EDUC 366: Community Leadership and Public Relations (3)
EDUC 367: L.F.L. Facilitating Community of Practice (3)
EDUC 370: L.F.L.: Supporting Teacher Growth (3)
EDUC 371: Trauma Informed Leadership (3)
EDUC 428: Financial Management (3)
Students may select from any educational leadership course offering to add 15 quarter units to
their program and earn a master’s degree
Clear Administrative Services Credential (CASC) Program Requirements
The CASC program has no coursework and is assessed through mentoring and a student
portfolio which takes 6 quarters to complete. The SCU program requires a minimum of sixty
hours of mentoring, the completion of a student portfolio, three meetings with the candidate, site
supervisor and the university supervisor, and the completion of three student self-assessments.
Candidate expectations in the program are: The candidate's performance expectations will be
assessed through multiple measures including the following:
• Self-assessments with input from the coach and site administrator site supervisor to
assess proficiency on the CPSEL, as documented in the e-Portfolio.
• An examination of the candidate's success in reaching goals on the Individualized
Induction Plan, assessed by the coach and using data, artifacts and reflections.
• Participation in the coaching process. (Coaches logs are used to verify coaching
sessions).
• A record of artifacts, evidence and documents providing examples of the candidate's
efforts and accomplishments, as filed in the e-Portfolio.
• Record of completion of at least 20-30 hours of professional development activities per-
year (i.e., 40-60 hours total).
• e-Portfolio review and presentation.
1. Statement of Purpose
Your statement of purpose must be a clear and legible draft focusing on the specific guidelines of the program and the chosen emphasis you are applying for at the School of Education and Counseling Psychology. Your statement must include evidence of your commitment to Social Justice, Multiculturalism and Diversity. Please limit your statement to two pages – typed and double-spaced. You must not receive any assistance writing or editing the personal statement; it must be your own original work.
Prompts:
Educational Leadership (without the Preliminary Admin Credential):
Explain how your personal and/or academic experiences have contributed to your desire to pursue an M.A. in Educational Leadership at SCU. Describe how your personal and professional goals align with the program and what you hope to gain as a result of completing this degree.
Preliminary Admin Services Credential (with or without M.A.):
Please write a statement focused on your recent experiences as a teacher, school counselor or as another certificated position in a school or district office, including: (a) Relevant background information about the context and the specific work you do; (b) A description of the aspects of the work you find most engaging and/or meaningful; and (c) A thoughtful discussion of the impact of your experiences on your personal and professional learning goals for the administrative services credential program, the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership degree program, or the SCU certificate in Catholic School Leadership.
2. Current Resumé or CV
All applicants are required to submit a resumé or curriculum vitae to provide information about relevant job experience and education. Your resumé should include educational background and relevant experiences, including jobs, internships, community service, activities, languages (if applicable), and research projects. Writing a resumé for a graduate school application follows the same principles as writing a resumé for a job. Please include dates of attendance for education, job titles and years of employment and explain any gaps in employment exceeding 6 months.
3. One copy of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
You must send one official transcript from each institution you have attended. Transcripts can be delivered by mail in a sealed envelope, or electronically by the school or other third-party service. Applicants with a Bachelor's degree from outside of the United States are required to have their official transcripts evaluated by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Our preferred member is WES, ICAP version. We require course-by-course, cumulative GPA, and U.S. degree equivalency evaluation.
4. Two letters of recommendation
Letters of recommendation should be from individuals who have served in supervisory or evaluative roles with you. This may include professors, instructors, bosses or managers, job supervisors, clinical supervisors, volunteer coordinators, supervisors of volunteer work, or similar. Letters of recommendation should not be from personal friends, family members, or personal therapists. We realize that letters from such individuals may not be possible for some applicants. If you will be requesting a letter from someone that does not fit these guidelines, please briefly explain why; the expectation is that the people writing letters for you should still be able to comment on your professional capacity as a practitioner.
5. Proof of your valid CA Teaching Credential (prior to enrolling in Administrative Services Credential program)
Applicants interested in pursuing the preliminary administrative services credential must submit proof of their valid California Teaching Credential. The teaching credential must be cleared prior to completing the Educational Leadership program.
6. Employment verification letter (prior to enrolling in Administrative Services Credential program)
Applicants interested in pursuing the preliminary administrative services credential must submit an employment verification letter written on official letterhead and signed by their employer.