So, you are in a classroom, gym, on a field or maybe around a pool and pondering the jump to school leadership. The questions that arise are many and demand an answer and a plan before going forward.
- Can I afford to go back to school?
- How can I balance my time between the classroom and coaching responsibilities?
- How long will it take me to complete a leadership course of study?
- How far will I have to travel to attend classes and seminars?
- Will I have to take a leave of absence to return to school?
- If I only go during the summer, how long will it take to complete the course of study?
- How will I balance working full-time with family responsibilities?
These are but a few of the questions one will have to answer before considering the jump to a degree in educational leadership. Other questions arise also.
- Will the financial compensation increase be worth the responsibility?
- Will I actually have more or less time with my family?
- Will I miss the classroom or the coaching venue?
Plotting your course is the next logical step in the process if all of these questions can be answered in the affirmative. With the advent of online certification programming, logistics have become much more maneuverable than in the past. In fact, online coursework has greatly changed many options in the pursuit of advanced degrees. So, with that in mind, researching online leadership programs is a logical path to pursue.
What is An Online Principal Certification Program?
An online Principal/administrative program is just what the title suggests. This program enables a person to take some or all of their course work online. With the high demands of career and family, educators have struggled to create enough time to gain the extra certification/degree that administration requires.
As mentioned above, many educators went to school for years in the summer to finally obtain the desired degree. Online programs allow an educator to seek higher degrees within the comfort of their home. With technical advances especially in the area of online multi-media, a person can literally attend class without ever leaving their home.
Some courses posted online even allow completion of coursework without even meeting a class. Others allow you to attend a pre-recorded class at your leisure. Still others meet at convenient times for students to attend via virtual media. Researching the program you are entering is important to ensure it will fulfill your needs.
Also, know whether any of the coursework is required to be taken on campus or if everything can be done online. Additionally, make sure the state you will be seeking licensure in will accept the course work you are embarking on from the collegiate program you are pursuing. Finding out after the fact that you have not met all the criteria, can cause much frustration, time and money. Just make sure all the T’s and I’s are crossed before starting the program. But rest assured that plenty of programs will give you the desired degree.
As a person completes coursework, the grade and credit are added to their transcript. By following the plan, a person can finally complete the requirements for their degree. Regarding administration, the degree awarded is usually a master’s degree. Yes, a person can obtain a master’s degree from an accredited program online.
Once this degree is earned, the educator then submits their updated transcript, takes any state-required licensing tests, and, upon completion, will be awarded an administrative degree. Most of these degrees are provisional or like apprentice until a certain amount of work-time experience or some other professional development hours are logged. At some point, which varies from state to state, the person is issued a full administrative endorsement.
Career Advancement Opportunities
A great question to ask here is why do you want to pursue an administrative degree? This is especially a great question if you are happy with the teaching, coaching, or counseling that you are doing right now.
The main reason for pursuing an advanced degree is to reach students effectively in a way that you cannot reach in your current employment. If your primary motivation is to help more students and to do so more effectively, then your answer is valid and maybe you should pursue this course of action.
Another huge motivation is the opportunity to advance in your career. Who doesn’t want to advance themselves in the career they feel they are called to work in? So, if you are plugging along but have the desire to move up the ladder, upgrading to that degree into administration might just be your ticket for advancement. If you don’t have the degree to move up, you will not be able to do so. Just remember an advanced degree will increase your salary whether you use the degree or just have an advanced degree on record.
Other Benefits
Most of us will not readily admit this is important, but there is prestige with an advanced degree. There is something nice about letters after your name in the signature of a letter. Granted prestige should not be our primary motivation, but we would not be human if we did not admit it does feel good to have that listed as an accomplishment.
To state a real fact, at the end of the day, a substantial increase in our income is a benefit that cannot be denied. The prestige is nice, but the larger bank account, a little more financial security is nice to have as well. Not to mention the fact that a bigger income means a larger retirement one day.
Additionally, depending on the situation, one might have more quality free time to spend with family and friends due to the fewer demands outside of standard school hours. Yes, there are meetings, games, and events to attend. But there is also some free time or shared time that comes with this territory.
Basically, the pursuit of a higher degree in administration is more obtainable today than ever before. The quality of the education you receive is good, and the flexibility is better than ever. But, still the main question to ask is why I want this degree. If the first and foremost answer is to make a greater positive difference in the students you work with then research it and go for it. The ease with which a person can receive an administrative degree is better than ever before. If you know you are destined for administration and you know the students you work with will benefit from it, then get busy and get certified! And go for it ONLINE!
A graduate degree in administration prepares you to lead as a school administrator and help shape the future for generations of students. Check out our available leadership and administration graduate degrees and get started today!
