Program Application
All candidates for entry to the program must have a minimum of three years’ experience as a teacher or other school professional prior to matriculation.
Apply to the program through the Graduate Admissions Office.
Program Information and Requirements
Students may take up to three classes (9 credits) before matriculating. All other courses require matriculation.
Courses are divided into three main categories:
- Foundational (Law, Finance, and Curriculum)
- Practical (Organizational Leadership, Special Programs Administration, and/or Principal Leadership/ District Leadership)
- Clinical (Internship and Culminating Seminar)
The program offers only the Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) leading to SBL, SDL or SDBL certification. The program does not lead to a “degree” (Masters or Doctoral).
The SBL (School Building Leader) and SDL (School District Leader) programs may be completed concurrently with 10 courses (30 total credits). This includes the internship requirement.
The SDBL (School District Business Leader) is considered a separate program and application to it must be made separately. It is currently listed as a 36 credit hour program with several specific course requirements complemented by courses required for SBL or SDL certification.
There is no required sequence of courses, although some courses are only available to matriculated students and a very few are reserved for students in their final semesters.
Students may take up to 9 credits per fall and spring semester, and up to 16 credits during the summer depending upon course availability during summer semester.
Students may transfer into the program up to 6 credits from other accredited NYS programs. Transfer credits require approval of the Program Coordinator.
Currently employed administrators with valid licenses from other states may be eligible for a review of records for consideration of a reduced residency requirement for courses to be taken at SUNY Cortland.
Class Schedule
Since most students in the program work full-time, all classes are scheduled for hours beyond the regular school day (5 to 8:45 p.m.) and around the regional school calendar (school breaks and summer vacation times.)
All classes are offered in an online format with scheduled synchronous meetings. Travel to campus is not needed.
There is no official starting point for the program; students may begin in any semester.
This is a personalized pathway program to meet your individual needs, schedule, and pace. We do not use a cohort model, although many students end up taking the same set of classes together based on the course matrix.
Internship
Students must have completed 21 credits before they may begin an Internship.
Internship proposals are due by Nov. 1 for spring term and June 1 for summer and fall term. One application allows students to choose from four Internship options (see Internship Guide.)
Apply to serve as an administrative intern.
Financial Aid
Students may be eligible for financial aid while pursuing their CAS. This is typically available in the form of loans. Students must take six credits or more per semester to qualify for financial aid.
Additional Information
Students are encouraged to, and generally enroll in, all of the courses offered for the SBL and SDL programs in order to complete both programs concurrently. For students opting to complete only one program, elective options are: one of the three SDBL-specific courses, Principal Leadership (for students completing the SDL alone), or District Leadership (for students completing the SBL alone).
Students in the SDBL Program will need to take classes during the summer sessions.
Core courses offered in the program include the following abbreviated titles:
* denotes courses that can be taken without matriculation into the program.
- EDL 613 Financial Leadership *
- EDL 615 School Law *
- EDL 616 Curriculum Leadership *
- EDL 657 Organization Change *
- EDL 678 Supervision *
- EDL 680 Principal Leadership
- EDL 683 Special Programs
- EDL 690 District Leadership
- EDL 696 Internship
- EDL 699 Culminating Seminar
Additional courses for SDBL (36 credit requirement) include:
- EDL 618 Human Resources / Personnel
- EDL 656 School Finance
- EDL 685 Facilities
- EDL 698 Internship (in place of EDL 696 above)
More detailed information is available in the EDL Program Handbook. Contact Carly DiPietro, FSA Department Administrative Assistant, or Joseph Menard, EDL Program Coordinator, with questions.