Principal Certification Programs
Eastern Washington University offers two program options which end in candidates being recommended for a Principal Certification in the State of Washington:
Master of Education
with Principal Certification
The Master of Education program is designed for candidates who currently hold a Teaching Certification and wish to earn recommendation for the Principal Certification in the State of Washington.
Candidates in this program complete core and specialization courses.
Principal Certificate Only Option
The Graduate Certificate is a graduate level program, designed for candidates who currently hold a Teaching Certification and wish to earn recommendation for the Principal Certification in the State of Washington.
Candidates in this program complete specialization courses only.
Curriculum
The Principal Certificate and MEd with Principal Certificate Programs include a curricular and internship experience.
The most accurate way to stay on top of your program requirements it to check your Degree Audit. A degree audit is an online advising tool that allows you to view degree and certificate requirements and track your completed coursework towards completion of a chosen degree, major, or certificate.
Here’s a video for how to run a degree audit.
Run a Degree Audit.
If applying for Financial Aid, please register for sessions 1 and 2 at the same time.
Please contact the School of Education Online Program Coordinator at 509-359-4807 or jwieck@ewu.edu with questions
Program & University Resources
It is important for students to review the dates and deadlines for the Online Accelerated program as they are different from posted university dates and deadlines. Deadlines for the Online Accelerated program are extremely strict and exceptions are not made. Please contact the School of Education with questions.
The textbook list shows texts required for all courses in your program. This list will be updated as new book information becomes available.
An online master’s student has full access to Eastern Washington University resources. Click here for quick access to:
- Bookstore
- Library
- Financial Aid
- Writers’ Center
- Veterans Resource Center
- Disability Support Services
- and more
Internship & Portfolio
Internships provide an opportunity for professional growth. The internship meets the requirements for both: (1) Eastern Washington University and (2) the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction – Department of Certification.
Before Your Internship
- Internship Information – Internship location must be identified by student.
- EWU does not place students in internship locations.
- Must cover the majority of the academic year and see the opening and closing of school.
- Must complete 540 hours of internship of experiences/activities: 50% (270 hours) must be completed during the academic school year when students and/or staff are present. 50% (270) can be completed doing such activities as scheduling, serving on interview teams, curriculum evaluation, data analysis for program improvement, etc.
- All interns are required to identify a certificated administrator with at least 3 years of experience to serve as mentor and supervise the candidate.
- FBI and WA state clearance or valid, current Teaching Certificate in WA State required.
- Candidate should hold or have previously held a regular teacher, educational staff associate (ESA), or initial/continuing CTE Certificate.
- Must meet Washington state competencies through internship and portfolio activities.
- Internship expectations and activities will be outlined further in your canvas course.
- Internship and Portfolio Enrollment Courses – Students will enroll in a combination of internship and portfolio courses occurring in separate six-week sessions. You must complete the courses as outlined in the table below.
Internship Sequence
Beginning in Fall 1
| Term | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 1 | EDUC 660 – Principal Internship and Portfolio I | 2 |
| Fall 2 | EDUC 661 – Principal Internship and Portfolio II | 2 |
| Winter 1 | EDUC 662 – Principal Internship and Portfolio III | 2 |
| Winter 2 | EDUC 663 – Principal Internship and Portfolio VI | 2 |
| Spring 1 | EDUC 664 – Principal Internship and Portfolio V | 2 |
| Spring 2 | EDUC 665 – Principal Internship and Portfolio VI | 2 |
- Internship Application Process
- Once you have decided upon your internship location, please complete (must complete all of the following):
EWU Education will email a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) directly to the district/facility of your choice. The MOA will be filled out and signed by a district/facility representative. The MOA is a legal document that allows EWU students to complete coursework within a district/facility.
- If your district/facility requires additional information, please have them contact educgrad@ewu.edu.
- This step does not require action by the EWU student.
If you have questions regarding internship requirements or placement please email Jeff Wieck jwieck@ewu.edu .
During your internship:
- Internship Expectations: Complete course requirements noted above as outlined by instructor.
- Submit plan for internship to EWU instructor of internship course – Part of first module.
- Logging Internship Hours – Log your hours on the electronic timesheet provided by th Program Coordinator.
Portfolio
EDUC 643 – This course is designed for MEd candidates to assemble a portfolio of work from graduate education courses to demonstrate the candidate has met program outcomes. Candidates will identify written assignments from their courses to revise. Candidates are also required to explain, through a reflection, how these written assignments align with program outcomes. The portfolio class is accessed through Canvas modules.
Comprehensive Exam
The Comprehensive Exam is only required for students in the full MEd Program.
EDUC 667 – The purpose of the Comprehensive Examination is to assess knowledge and understanding of specified core courses and evaluate whether students are academically prepared for their role in education. The Comprehensive Examination requires students to demonstrate the ability to synthesize knowledge gained from courses in the Master of Education degree program and write an academically appropriate response.
This exam consists of three (3) academic papers to be submitted during weeks 2, 3, and 4 during a 6-week session. Students will receive one question each week and have one week to complete each paper. Questions are not made available until the time of the exam.
The expectation for writing is 12-15 pages per question (not including the title and reference pages). Any writing over 15 pages will not be read. The expectation is a scholarly writing piece, using clear, concise words, with correct use of academic language, and APA citations (including a reference page).
Students will receive notification of pass/fail result via email by the Wednesday following the end of the session. This exam is pass/fail, but candidates must pass all three questions to receive a ‘Pass.’ If it is deemed that the candidate did not pass one or more questions, they will have one opportunity for a retake in a subsequent session. Each question not passed is retaken at one additional credit. In this event, the School of Education will contact the candidate with information on registration for any additional comprehensive exam sessions.
Steps to Apply for State Certificate
For candidates holding a Washington State teaching certification:
NOTE: Candidates will not be eligible for recommendation for certification until they have completed three (3) years of P-12 teaching.
- Complete coursework
- Complete candidacy form (linked above) and send to Graduate Programs
- Complete the graduation application through EagleNET (steps outlined below)
- Internship Instructor emails Certification Officer at EWU Education with verification of completed internship requirements
- DO NOT APPLY TO OSPI UNTIL YOU HAVE HEARD FROM THE CERTIFICATION OFFICER
- Upon completion of above:
- Certification Officer – sends a recommendation to OSPI
- Certification Officer – sends notice to candidate to apply for administrator certificate (now you may apply to OSPI)
- Candidate applies on OSPI website ($)
- The Graduate Programs Office will send out the student diploma.
For those who hold a P-12 Teaching Certification Outside the State of Washington:
Graduates of Eastern Washington University’s programs complete requirements to be recommended for endorsement in the state of Washington. Except for Washington State, EWU has made no determination if this program will lead to licensure in your state or the state in which you are seeking licensure. Please use the link below to the Certification Office webpage and reference the “Out-of-State Certification and/or Reciprocity Information” section to determine licensure requirements and/or transfer policies in your state.
https://inside.ewu.edu/education/certification/
For questions regarding certification please contact the Educational Leadership Program Director, Brock Taylor at btaylor2@ewu.edu
Graduation
The final step in completing the program is submitting the Graduation Application Form. All graduate students are required to complete a Graduation Application. This form is used by EWU’s Graduate Studies Office to ensure completion of all coursework necessary for the master’s degree or graduate certificate. Deadlines for Graduation Applications are as follows:
| Spring Sessions February 1 | Summer Session April 1 | Fall Sessions June 1 | Winter Sessions November 1 |
