The Department of Educational Leadership has compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions by prospective students for the Online MA in Educational Leadership. If you are unable to find the answer to your question(s) please contact Montclair Online at online@montclair.edu.
- Does this program lead to Supervisor and Principal certification? (Yes. Additionally, completion of the 150-hour district fieldwork course, which is embedded in the program, satisfies the requirement for a School Administrator certificate, which allows one to hold a Superintendent or District Director position.)
- Is this program fully online? (Yes, you never have to set foot on campus.)
- What is the cost of the program? (The Online option for Educational Leadership is at a reduced graduate tuition rate. In addition, district reimbursement and/or financial aid options may be available. Eligibility will vary, so we encourage you to learn more about Graduate Financial Aid and speak with your individual schools for policies and options. Montclair State University also offers interest free payment plans designed to help break your tuition into more manageable installments.)
- Does living out of state affect my tuition rate? (No, not for the Online option. In-state and out-of-state students are charged the same reduced tuition.)
- Do I need to take time off from my full time job to complete the internship? (No, you can complete the internship at your school before and after work hours or during designated periods of the school day with permission from your building principal.)
- Can I take less classes during one semester and more during the summer? (As a cohort-based program students follow a pre-determined schedule provided at the start of the program. This schedule includes taking one course at a time in shorter, 7-week sessions. This keeps you on track to complete the program in as little as two years!)
- What if I don’t have three full-time years of teaching experience – can I still apply? (We strongly encourage applicants to obtain three years of teaching experience to better comprehend the course content and evaluate issues through the lens of an experienced educator. That said, exceptional applicants with less than three years of experience will be considered for admission.)
- The state of New Jersey requires three years of experience for the Supervisor certificate and five years of experience for the Principal certificate. What counts as “experience?” (The State of New Jersey specifies that applicants seeking the Supervisor certificate must document “at least three years of successful, full-time teaching or educational services. Experience completed in a New Jersey public school must be completed under the appropriate certificate. The New Jersey Department of Education will make the final determination as to whether or not the experience meets NJ regulations.” Experience as a substitute teacher or a paraprofessional will not count towards the requirement.)
- If I become an Online Program student, can I participate in the commencement ceremony once I graduate? (Yes. The commencement ceremony for Graduate School students is held in May following completion of the program in August or December. )
- If my experience is from another state, can I apply? (Yes. We welcome out-of-state students to our program. However, we cannot guarantee successful completion of the program leads to certification in another state. Students who successfully complete the Educational Leadership program will have satisfied the coursework required to earn a State of New Jersey certificate. Students seeking a certificate from another state must contact their own state to determine what the requirements are for reciprocity.)
- I completed my NJ Supervisor Certificate. Can I complete the program to earn my full Master’s Degree? (Yes. Students who earned their Supervisor Certificate can apply to the online Post-Supervisor Certificate Program to complete the remaining 24 credits for the master’s degree to earn their Principal and School Administrator certification.)
- When will I hear back about my application? Our university makes decisions on applications in a timely manner. Although applications are accepted up until early August for the fall semester and early December for the spring semester, applications are also acted upon in the preceding months.