Educational Leadership/School Building Leader

The Advanced Certificate in Educational Leadership/SBL Program aims to prepare candidates who already hold a Master’s degree in education or related field for positions as School Building Leaders (SBL), with an emphasis on social justice and racial equity in urban leadership, and to fulfill the New York State licensure requirements for SBL. The program unites both the development of schools and the development of educational leaders by preparing individuals who can be catalysts for school change and improved student performance.

The program prepares students for positions of leadership (e.g., principals, assistant principals, department chairs, etc.) in urban schools with diverse populations. The curriculum is aligned with the New York State content-area requirements for programs preparing educational leaders, leading to certification as an SBL. The pedagogical content of the courses integrates practice with theory. Extensive field-based experiences, in collaboration with school and community agencies, are a central component throughout this program. Candidates develop their skills and capacities as leaders through both on-campus and school-based experiences with current educational leaders, teachers, counselors, other educational staff, parents, and students. The courses emphasize critical thinking, reflection, and problem solving.

The Advanced Certificate in Educational Leadership/SBL program is committed to preparing candidates who demonstrate the nine essential characteristics of effective leaders, promoted by the New York State Education Department, and are based, in part, on the School of Education's Lehman Urban Transformative Education conceptual framework, whose mission is to facilitate the development of competent, caring, and qualified educators.

Students wishing to do so may complete the degree program entirely online. Please see Options One and Two listed below. The fully online option provides greater flexibility for candidates while maintaining the same rigorous academic standards as our hybrid/campus-based program. Both options of the Advanced Certificate program can be completed in approximately four semesters.