Alternative Pathway to Florida Principal Certification

Alternative Pathway to Certification Overview

fgcu student teaching a high school student

This pathway provides applicants access to a Florida Educational Leadership Certificate without conferring a degree. It is intended for students who already have a master’s degree who may have taken some courses or may have started a degree program in Educational Leadership with approved courses that fulfill the FLDOE requirements that qualify for state DOE certification in Educational Leadership.

The state of Florida requires all certification programs meet all state standards for Educational Leadership. In order to determine which courses need to be taken, applicants must contact the FLDOE (by applying for the Educational Leadership certification) with their transcripts and receive a Statement of Eligibility from FLDOE that outlines the courses required to earn state certification. The program of study will be individualized based on previous completed coursework, and selected from those courses required in the M.Ed. program in Educational Leadership that provide the student with the required state competencies. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm that the recommended courses at FGCU toward certification meet FLDOE certification requirements.

This program of study must be approved by the program coordinator. The candidate must pass all sections of the Florida Educational Leadership Exam (FELE) and apply to FLDOE for certification on their own. Candidates will NOT earn a degree from FGCU.

Candidates seeking this pathway to certification should apply as non-degree seeking in the 16 week traditional program only and take the prescribed classes.

Student Resources:

Guide to the Internship In Educational Leadership (M.Ed.)

Student Handbook

Admissions Requirements
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Program Admission Requirements

The Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership explores the functions of educational leaders and stress the relationship between tested practice and applied theory. The program prepares students for leadership positions in educational settings and improves the performance of current leaders. Graduates are prepared for Educational Leadership certification by the Florida Department of Education.

The program faculty bases decisions for regular admissions on a holistic review of credentials in which the criteria listed below are used to assess the potential success of each applicant:
- FGCU graduate application
- Immunization history form
- Official academic transcripts from every college or university attended
- Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) official scores
- Three letters of recommendation from professionals in the field. Candidates for the M.Ed. program should include a letter of recommendation from their school principal.
- Performance in courses taken post-baccalaureate will be taken into consideration for admission
- International graduate applicants are required to submit a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based test) or 213 (computer-based test) or 79 (internet-based test), or a minimum IELTS score of 6.5, unless otherwise specified by the program.
  
  FGCU Regulation 3.005 also allow students to prove their English proficiency by completing “English Composition I and II (ENC 1101 and ENC 1102, or equivalent) with a grade of C or better” (these courses should be completed prior to admission into the graduate program).
- Grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 semester hours attempted accruing to the undergraduate degree
- Principal Certification of Instructional Expertise and Leadership Potential
Additional M.Ed. Specific Requirements
- Professional teaching certificate or eligibility for a Florida professional teaching certificate
- At least two years of successful K-12 teaching experience
Satisfaction of minimum University and program requirements does not guarantee admission to a graduate program. Applicants should check with the program for the most up to date admission requirements prior to commencing the application process.

For additional program details, please review the Educational Leadership Program Overview.
Program Requirements
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Program Progression and Additional Graduation Requirements
- Students must satisfactorily complete the minimum number of credit hours specified by the graduate degree program.
- Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher in all work attempted.
- A cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all coursework taken in program.
- Students must pass all portions of the Florida Educational Leadership Examination.
- Final program completion is assessed through portfolio assessment.
- The College of Education limits the transfer of coursework into all its graduate programs to a maximum of 18 credits.. To be considered, courses must have been completed with a minimum grade of B and no more than seven years prior to the date of entry into the graduate program and no more than ten years prior to graduation from the graduate program.
Program Requirements

Required Courses in the Major (39 credits)
EDA 6061 Principles of Ed Leadership (3)
EDA 6192 Organizational Development (3)
EDA 6232 School Law (3)
EDA 6242 School Finance (3)
EDA 6945 Internship I - Educ Leadership (3)
EDA 6946 Internship II - Educ Leadership (3)
EDF 6432 Foundation of Measurement (3)
EDG 6326 Learning, Account & Assess (6)
EDG 6391 Instructional Leadership (3)
EDG 6627 Found. of Curriculum & Instr. (3)
EDS 6050 Human Resources Development (3)
EME 6425 Technology for School Leaders (3)

TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED: up to 36 HRS*

*Based on the applicant's FLDOE SoE that is submitted prior to admission.
Learning Outcomes
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Academic Learning Compact
Consistent with its mission and guiding principles, Florida Gulf Coast University is committed to academic excellence and continuous quality improvement, as supported by a sound teaching-learning process. Within this process, students and instructors share responsibility for learning that is a movement from the simple to the complex, the concrete to the abstract, and the dependent to the independent. The Academic Learning Compact (ALC) initiative supports the teaching-learning process by clearly identifying expected core student learning outcomes in the areas of content/discipline knowledge and skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills; aligning curricula with expectations; and using assessment to guide continuous improvement.

Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills
- Work collaboratively to develop and implement an instructional framework that aligns curriculum with state standards, effective instructional practices, student learning needs and assessments.
- Manage the organization, operations, and facilities in ways that maximize the use of resources to promote a safe, efficient, legal, and effective learning environment.
Content/discipline knowledge and skills are assessed at the program level through assignments in the following courses: EDG 6326 Learning, Accountability, and Assessment (Curriculum Development Project) and EDA 6242 School Finance (School Budget Project). They are also assessed on the EDA 6999 Educational Leadership Learning Portfolio and the Florida Educational Leadership Examination.

Communication Skills
- Practice two-way communications and use appropriate oral, written, and electronic communication and collaboration skills to accomplish school and system goals by building and maintaining relationships with students, faculty, parents, and community.
Communication skills are assessed at the program level through assignments, projects, and senior research project in every course and in the EDA 6999 Educational Leadership Learning Portfolio- Community and Stakeholders Partnership Integrative Essay. Communication Skills are also assessed on the Florida educational Leadership Examination.

Critical Thinking Skills
- Employ and monitor a decision-making process that is based on vision, mission and improvement priorities using facts and data; specifically, use critical thinking and problem solving techniques to define problems and identify solutions.
Critical thinking skills are assessed at the program level through assignments in EDG 6326 Learning, Accountability (School Improvement Plan Project).

Getting Started

Applicants must submit an application online per the individual program’s instructions. Please contact Graduate Admissions at 239-745-GRAD or graduate@fgcu.edu for additional information about the application process. Satisfaction of minimum University and program requirements does not guarantee admission to a graduate program. Applicants should check with the program for the most up to date admission requirements prior to commencing the application process.

GRADUATE Admissions

Alternative Pathway to Certification Overview

Getting Started

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