UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls

Principal Licensure

Master of Science in Education - Professional Development

Director of Instruction Certification

Who Should Enroll

Educators and current administrators who want to be school principals in private or public schools in Wisconsin
Anyone interested in a leadership role in school administration

Key Features

Earn a master's degree, required for certification as a principal in Wisconsin.
With one additional course, earn certification as a Wisconsin Director of Instruction.
Curriculum is based on the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards and the Wisconsin Administrator standards for successful principals.
Includes both theoretical and practical experiences based on a reflective practice model.
Approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI).
Classes meet online, evenings and weekends.

Degree Program Curriculum

Students will complete 33 credits together in cohort fashion, finishing their degree in two years. Candidates who already hold a master's degree may complete 30 credits to be eligible for the Wisconsin licensure. In some cases, previously completed courses may count toward licensure requirements.

Degree Requirements

First Summer:
PLP 761 Leadership Development Seminar I, 4 credits

First Fall Semester:
PLP 762 Oral & Written Communication, 1 credit
PLP 763 The K-12 Principalship, 3 credits

First Spring Semester:
PLP 764 Politics of Education, 1 credit
PLP 765 School Law, 3 credits

Second Summer:
PLP 766 Leadership Development Seminar II, 4 credits
TED 760 Methods of Research, 3 credits

Second Fall Semester:
PLP 767 Finance/Budget, 1 credit
PLP 768 Professional Development and Supervision, 3 credits
PLP 771 Internship/Seminar/Project I, 3 credits

Second Spring Semester:
PLP 769 Student Services, 1 credit
PLP 770 Curriculum K-12 , 3 credits
PLP 772 Internship/Seminar/Project II, 3 credits

In the final phase of the program, a portfolio providing evidence of the skills needed to meet National Policy Board and Wisconsin Administrator standards is presented to a review panel of faculty and an area administrator.

Transfer Credits

Students may request that previously completed courses count toward licensure requirements.

Director of Instruction Certification

Students also have the option to take an additional three-credit course that is offered during the summer term. This course, in combination with the coursework required for the Principal Licensure degree, will qualify graduates to earn the Wisconsin Director of Instruction licensure. If students have previously completed a Wisconsin Principal Licensure certification program, they should contact the program director for details about additional coursework that may be required to receive the certification.

TED 768 Curriculum of the Secondary School, 3 credits

Additional Admission Requirements

In addition to the graduate student Admission Requirements, applicants must submit the following additional materials:

At least three years of experience in an educational setting
A minimum Miller Analogy Test (MAT) score of 388
A resume
Two letters of support describing leadership abilities
One-page personal letter of intent indicating the reasons for your interest in this program