School Administrator: Central Office Endorsement, Certificate

Overview

The Michigan Department of Education requires all school administrators to hold a valid School Administrator Certificate, and many school districts require their central office leaders to also have a Central Office Endorsement. Students can obtain the Central Office endorsement by completing WMU’s Ed.S. or Ph.D. in Educational Leadership: K-12 Leadership concentration.

This certificate is for individuals who already have a master’s degree, and are seeking to obtain the state’s Administrator Certification: Central Office Endorsement by taking the 21 required credits beyond the master’s degree.

However, not all students want to obtain an additional graduate degree. Instead, they can obtain the Central Office endorsement by completing at least 21 credits post-MA (with such credits approved by the Michigan Department of Education). All required courses are offered fully online.

williams

Meet Lisa

Lisa Williams, an alumna of the program, serves as a high school principal and as a member of the WMU Board of Trustees.

Attend an informational session!

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Learn more about the program by attending one of our virtual information sessions. These sessions offer the opportunity to meet with a faculty member—and occasionally a current student—to gain a deeper understanding of the program structure, coursework, and application process. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and engage in conversation about how the program can support their professional goals.

The curriculum equips aspiring administrators for district-level leadership through specialized coursework in strategic finance, organizational change, and personnel management, culminating in a valuable supervised field experience.

Students complete coursework focused on the knowledge and skills required for effective district-level leadership. Topics include organizational change, strategic finance and operations, personnel and human resource management, policy and ethics, governance and community relations, and instructional leadership. The program also includes a supervised field experience that provides opportunities to apply learning in real-world educational settings.

To learn about admission requirements, please visit the Graduate College's webpage.

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