The following terms are defined to assist prospective and current students.

Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in Educational Administration
A professional diploma issued by the University upon completion of 60 hours of graduate work in an approved program.

Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in School Business Administration
A professional diploma issued by the University upon completion of 66 hours of graduate work in an approved program.

Certificate of Internship
A two-year, non-renewable certificate issued by the New York State Education Department. This certificate allows a student currently enrolled in an Educational Administration program and making satisfactory progress to serve in an administrative position that would normally require SBL, SDL, or SDBL certification while they finish their program of study leading to SBL, SDL, or SDBL certification. A Certificate of Internship is district-specific and is only requested after a student has been hired with an appropriate Board motion. It is not a generic certificate that is issued while a student is seeking an administrative position

Certification
A process by which the New York State Education Department authorizes individuals to hold specific positions in the public schools upon the completion of requirements established by the state to qualify for administrative positions.

DASA
Dignity for All Students Act is a required training for certification and graduation. Please see the Certification Office link for availability and times.

Institutional Endorsement/College Recommendation
Persons who complete (graduate) the CAS program must apply through the University’s Certification Office for the SBL, SDL, and SDBL certificate. Certificates issued on this basis bear the words, “institutional endorsement;” that is, they are issued on the recommendation of the University.

Matriculation
The formal process by which a student applies to and is admitted to formal graduate study leading to a degree. Full matriculation in the Department of Educational Administration includes:

  • Sending a completed Application for Matriculation to the Office of Graduate Admissions, which must include the appropriate fees and official college transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work;
  • Attending a regularly scheduled EDA program information session for orientation and to meet with an assigned faculty advisor to develop a course of study; and
  • Having the course of study approved and filed in the Department.

Non-degree (non-matriculated) status
Non-matriculated students are those individuals who:

  • have earned a baccalaureate degree and fulfilled the prerequisites for the courses in which they wish to enroll;
  • do not wish to pursue a degree but who, for their own interest, wish to enroll in graduate-level courses; and
  • intend to seek admission to a graduate program, but have not yet completed admissions requirements.

Information about this process may be found on The Graduate School website.

School Building Leader (SBL)
A class of certification for school administrators that includes building level positions such as principal, housemaster, supervisor, department chair, assistant principal, coordinator, unit head and any other person serving more than 10 periods per week of the assignments in an administrative or supervisory position, except school district leader or school district business leader. This certification requires an earned master’s degree, a permanent or professional certificate in the classroom teaching service or pupil personnel service, and successful completion of a program of study approved and registered with the New York State Education Department leading to SBL certification.

School District Leader (SDL)
A class of certification for school administrators that includes superintendent of schools, district superintendent, deputy superintendent, associate superintendent, assistant superintendent and any other person having responsibilities involving general district-wide administration, except those responsibilities defined for school district business leaders. This certification requires an earned master’s degree, 60 graduate credits (which would include the earned master’s degree), a permanent or professional certificate in the classroom teaching service or pupil personnel service, and successful completion of a program of study approved and registered with the New York State Education Department leading to SDL certification.

School District Business Leader (SDBL)
A class of certification for the position of deputy superintendent of schools for business, associate superintendent of schools for business, assistant superintendent of schools for business and any other person having professional responsibility for the business operation of the school district. This certification requires an earned master’s degree, 60 graduate credits (which would include the earned master’s degree), and successful completion of a program of study approved and registered with the New York State Education Department leading to SDBL certification. Teaching or pupil personnel services work is not required.