In Michigan, school administrators are required to hold a School Administrator Certificate. The process to attain this credential is guided by the Michigan Department of Education.
Who needs school administrator certification?
School administrators whose primary role is to supervise instructional programs must hold a valid School Administrator Certification.
Please see Michigan Department of Education’s explanation.
School Administrator Credentials
There are various pathways outlined in Michigan’s School Administrator Certification Code for individuals to earn a School Administrator Certificate, including traditional routes and alternative routes.
School Administrator Certificate
Currently, there are two types of programs leading to endorsements on a School Administrator Certificate:
- Elementary & Secondary Administrator PK-12 (ES) Endorsement program:
- Complete a master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university that includes an approved elementary and secondary school administrator preparation program; or
- Possess a master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university and complete a non-degree, approved elementary and secondary school administrator preparation program.
- Central Office (CO) Endorsement program:
- Possess a master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university. and
- Complete an approved central office school administrator preparation program at the postmaster’s degree level.
There are various pathways outlined in Michigan’s School Administrator Certification Code for individuals to earn a School Administrator Certificate, including traditional routes and alternative routes.
MSU K-12 EAD Master’s Degree Pathway to the School Administrator Certificate
Educators who earn a Master’s degree in K-12 Administration from Michigan State University may apply for School Administrator Certification.
Individuals who hold a Master’s degree in education or a related field, can participate in the Certification Pathway Program. To be recommended to the State of Michigan for School Administrator Certification students must have completed the Certification Pathway Program, be free of any incidence of academic dishonesty, and have the recommendation of the faculty based on satisfactory performance across the program.
Application and Registration
Students who wish to complete the MA program complete the online application. Upon admission to the program, students will be assigned to an academic advisor who will guide the students’ elective choices.
Students pursuing the Certification Pathway Program do NOT apply to the MA program. Please register under Graduate Certification status by completing the Lifelong application and checking the box that indicates coursework is taken for certification. Graduate certification status allows the student to avoid paying matriculation fees. Students should understand that they cannot transfer more than 9 Graduate Certification credits into any MSU degree program. Students who decide to earn credits under the Graduate Certification status must still register with the Department. To do this, please contact k12adm@msu.edu.
Certification students should not register for classes that are not approved by the advisor.
Go to Schedule of Courses
Central Office Endorsement
The Doctor of Educational Leadership program is designed to qualify students to demonstrate that they meet the Michigan Standards for Central Office Administration. The Michigan Department of Education is currently in the process of updating these standards. When these are final, the K-12 Unit will apply to MDE to become an approved program so that our graduates earn this certificate.
To Apply for School Administrator Certification
Graduates with a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from MSU may print out the application for the School Administrator Certificate located at:
Learn more information regarding the School Administrator Certification application process. For additional questions, you can contact Carey Ommen at commen@msu.edu .
Time Limitation
The Michigan Department of Education will no longer process applications of educators whose degrees or qualifying credits were earned prior to 2006. Educators who completed qualifying degrees or credits since then may apply using the link below. Educators currently earning degrees or qualifying credits may apply at the time of their completion.
MSU graduates who completed their programs prior to 2006 will work with K-12 faculty to assure their knowledge, skills, and performances meet current MDE school administrator standards. Doing so will require taking additional courses and submitting a portfolio of performance assessments, narratives, and reflections on the experiences