Certificate in Principal Preparation
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TOTAL COST
$5,925*
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NEXT START DATE
Apr 07, 2025
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COMPLETION TIME
12 Months†
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AVG. SALARY PREMIUM
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SEMESTER CREDITS
21
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- Program Details
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- Courses
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- Admission Requirements
Certificate in Principal Preparation
Designed for aspiring principals, directors or administrators, our fully online Certificate in Principal Preparation prepares you to become an education leader and earn your administrative or principal certification. You’ll engage with current scientific research, pedagogy and instructional technology while improving your supervision and leadership skills. Understand how to create an effective school-wide vision and use data to inform decision-making in P-12 school settings. Advance your career while maximizing your impact in the field of education.
Why ACE?
Low-Cost, High Quality
You deserve a great return on your educational investment, and we deliver master’s degrees at a total average cost of $9,500. Our graduates enjoy an average pay increase of over $21,000.¹ We also award over $1.1M in scholarships and grants each year.
Quality You Expect
We are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Our faculty work in the industries where you work and are committed to your success, contributing to our 86% graduation rate.¹ Our curriculum equips you with practical strategies you can apply right away, as well as skills to help you advance your career.
Flexibility You Need
Our virtual campus and convenient start dates provide you the flexibility you need to achieve your goals at a time and place that works with your busy schedule. Our student support services are available 24/7 and tutoring is included at no additional cost.
1Source: Student Right to Know
Tuition
We believe in full transparency with our total cost of attendance. No hidden fees. No surprises along the way.
Total Cost Certificate in Principal Preparation |
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Total Tuition 21 semester credits x $235 per credit |
$4,935 |
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Fees $50 Application Fee$100 Conferral Fee $840 Technology and Library Fee (21 Semester Credits X $40 per Credit) |
$990 |
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Total Program Cost |
$5,925* |
Find a plan that fits your budget.
Program Details
The Certificate in Principal Preparation is designed for educators who hold a master’s degree and are interested in adding administrative certification. The certificate-only program prepares aspiring school administrators with current scientific research, pedagogy, and instructional technology through a series of seven educational leadership courses. Students are empowered to maximize school effectiveness and improve supervision and leadership skills in diverse P-12 school settings. Students will develop the strategies required to lead for learning, including creating a school-wide vision and using data to inform decision-making. The program is aligned to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) for effective leadership and is designed to create culturally aware and competent administrators.
Program Outcomes
- Collaboratively lead, design, and implement a school mission, vision, and process for continuous improvement that reflects a core set of values and priorities that include data use, technology, equity, diversity, digital citizenship, and community.
- Understand and demonstrate the capacity to advocate for ethical decisions and cultivate and enact professional norms.
- Develop and maintain a supportive, equitable, culturally responsive, and inclusive school culture.
- Evaluate, develop, and implement coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, data systems, supports, and assessment.
- Engage families, community, and school personnel in order to strengthen student learning, support school improvement, and advocate for the needs of their school and community.
- Improve management, communication, technology, school-level governance, and operation systems to develop and improve data-informed and equitable school resource plans and to apply laws, policies, and regulations.
- Build the school’s professional capacity, engage staff in the development of a collaborative professional culture, and improve systems of staff supervision, evaluation, support, and professional learning.
- Conduct, synthesize, and apply research to promote the current and future success and well-being of each student and adult in the school.
Start Dates
With flexible start dates, you can begin your program when it’s best for you.
April 07, 2025 Term
Apr 04, 2025
Payment Due
Apr 04, 2025
Application Due
Apr 07, 2025
Term Start
Apr 11, 2025
Unregister/Cancel Deadline
May 11, 2025
Term End
May 19, 2025 Term
June 09, 2025 Term
July 07, 2025 Term
August 18, 2025 Term
September 08, 2025 Term
September 29, 2025 Term
November 10, 2025 Term
January 12, 2026 Term
February 23, 2026 Term
Courses
Here are just some of the courses you’ll take when working towards this program. Visit the College Catalog to see all courses.
EL5623 |
Developing Teachers |
3 Semester Credits |
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EL5703 |
School Improvement |
3 Semester Credits |
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EL5723 |
Resource and Fiscal Management |
3 Semester Credits |
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EL5753 |
Law and Policy |
3 Semester Credits |
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EL5023 |
Instructional Leadership |
3 Semester Credits |
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EL5123 |
Equity-Centered Leadership |
3 Semester Credits |
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Featured Faculty
Our real-world coursework is taught by experienced faculty.
Admission Requirements
ACE General Admission Requirements
Program Admission Requirements
Illinois Admission Requirements
Ohio Admission Requirements
International Transcript Requirements
English as a Second Language Applicants
*This is an estimated value of the cost for tuition and fees. Amounts may vary depending on number of transfer credits applied to the selected program hours, the pace and satisfactory completion of the selected program, receipt of institutional scholarship and/or grant amounts, or adjustments to tuition or fees as described in the Catalog Right to Modify Tuition section. State sales and use tax will apply where required by law.
State of California Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF)
It is a state of California requirement that a student who pays his or her tuition is required to pay a state-imposed assessment of zero dollars and zero cents ($0.00) per one thousand dollars ($1,000) of institutional charges, rounded to the nearest thousand dollars, for the California Student Tuition Recovery Fund. For more information and to see if you must pay the state-imposed assessment for Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) click here.
†This is an estimated time to completion. Actual completion time may vary depending on the number of transfer credits applied, availability of courses, a satisfactory pace, successful course completion, and meeting program milestones as required.A Note About Licensure:
Graduates of programs which are approved to lead to licensure, endorsement, or certification may be subject to additional requirements for the receipt of initial licensure, endorsement, or certification in the state in which they intend to teach or administrate.
Students are strongly encouraged to check licensure requirements in the state in which they intend to teach or administrate to determine whether they are eligible for licensure, endorsement, or certification.
It is vitally important that students know and be continually aware of the requirements for licensure in their state. State licensing requirements and licensing agency information may be found here.