Certificate Offered: Public School Leadership

Program Description

The MSA and Public School Leadership Certificate programs are designed to go beyond minimal standards for compliance and licensure. Our intention is to take you on a personal journey to the heart of leadership. Through self-reflection, critical examination and application, candidates will become reflective leaders, conscious of their responsibility to serve others and committed to uplifting the human condition through virtuous action.

Required Standardized Test

GRE General Exam or Millers Analogy Test (MAT)

Admission Requirements: 

• Graduate School Admission Requirements
• Program Admission Requirements
  • Hold or be eligible to hold a North Carolina Class A teaching license or a comparable license from another state.
  • Satisfactory GRE scores on the verbal and math portions and the writing portion (preferred 800 and above). Alternatively, applicants may submit a Miller’s Analogy Test score (preferred 30^th percentile). There is no expiration date for when the test was taken.
  •  Have three years of successful teaching or equivalent experience in the public school setting. Pre-school teachers may include private sector experience. 
  • Three letters of recommendation (preferred at least one recommendation from your current supervisor –principal or superintendent)
  • CERTIFICATE ONLY - Hold a Master’s Degree in education or a related field, OR
    MSA ONLY - Satisfactory undergraduate GPA, preferably 3.0 or higher
  • District Verification of licensure, employment for 3 years, health certificate and background check

Candidates not meeting preferred criteria may be admitted on a case by case basis and must meet additional criteria for provisional admission. Provisionally admitted candidates can expect to take a special topics seminar prior to full admission.

The District Verification Form must be completed by the county personnel director or his/her representative. After completion, the form should be printed, signed by the official, returned to the candidate, and uploaded as a PDF file to Apply Yourself in the “Additional Documents” section.

After completing your application process in Apply Yourself, please contact the admissions coordinator, Pam Buskey, at pbuskey@email.wcu.edu.

Application Deadline

Cut-off dates for completed application to be considered for admission:

Fall - July 1

Spring - November 15

Summer - April 15

Prerequisites: None

Apply Now!

Number of Graduate Faculty: 12

Number of Students: 60 MSA students and 90 Certificate students 

Location of Course Offerings: Online

Graduate Program Director:

Mrs. Wilma Nations
MSA/Principal Add-On Pre Admissions Coordinator
Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations
828-227-7415
mailto:pbuskey@email.wcu.edu

Dr. Ann Allen
MSA Program Director
Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations
828-227-3311
alsundstrom@email.wcu.edu

Departmental Website: School Administration - M.S.A.