Admission Requirements
To be eligible for the Superintendent Preparation licensure program, students must hold a master’s degree from an accredited college or university. They must have a GPA of 3.25 or higher at the graduate level and 3.0 at the undergraduate level. Students must also possess at least two years of full time administrative or supervisory experience in either a public school district or a non-public school, hold a valid Illinois Professional Educator License (endorsed General Administrative). Out of state candidates must have the requisite experience while holding the appropriate certificate or license that is comparable to the Illinois credential.
To apply, please submit the following items to The Office of Graduate Admission:
- A completed graduate application with online application fee
- A copy of valid Illinois Professional Educator License (endorsed in General Administrative)
- Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
- Four letters of recommendation (at least two of which should be from faculty in the applicant's Master's program or from faculty for Master’s level course work taken at other institutions).
- Résumé or curriculum vitae.
- Statement of purpose indicating why you want to be a superintendent. It should also articulate an issue or problem of interest or concern.
- A writing sample, preferably a course paper from the applicant's Master's program.
- An admissions portfolio including but not limited to
- Evaluations of the candidate's administrative abilities from supervisors that attest to school and district improvement;
- Evidence of leadership roles held and descriptions of the impact the candidate has had on the classroom, school or district, or the constituents served;
- An analysis of school or district data (e.g., student scores) that describes how the data is used to inform instructional planning and implementation, including an explanation of what standards were addressed, the academic achievement or school improvement outcomes, and steps taken when expected outcomes did not occur;
- Information about the candidate's work with families and/or community groups and a description of how this work affected school or district operations, policies and procedures;
- Examples of the candidate's analytical abilities as evidenced by a description of how he or she used the results from student assessments to improve student learning; and
- Evidence of curriculum development, student assessments or other initiatives that resulted from the candidate's involvement with school committees.
Upon initial review, the process will include a required interview. Candidates will be expected to complete an on-site writing sample during the interview and submit a teaching portfolio.
Course Requirements
Licensure Only
The superintendent licensure program at DePaul University is an approved Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) program. It is a rigorous program preparing superintendents for work service in public and private schools in the state of Illinois.
This is a 40 quarter hour program, which leads to the State of Illinois’ superintendent licensure.
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses: 8 quarter hours required, grade of C or better required in all courses | ||
| A&S 801 | LEADERSHIP: THEORY AND PRACTICE | 4 |
| A&S 811 | ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY | 4 |
| Concentration Courses: 28 quarter hours required, grade of C or better required in all courses | ||
| A&S 803 | THE SUPERINTENDENCY: PROGRAMS, SYSTEMS, AND STRUCTURES | 4 |
| A&S 823 | COMMUNITY AND CONSENSUS BUILDING FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT | 4 |
| A&S 824 | ADVANCED HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| A&S 834 | THE SUPERINTENDENT AS INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER | 4 |
| A&S 843 | THE POLITICS OF SCHOOLING | 4 |
| A&S 873 | CURRENT TRENDS IN BUDGETING AND FINANCE | 4 |
| A&S 883 | SCHOOL LAW | 4 |
| Internship: 4 quarter hours required, grade of C or better required in all courses | ||
| A&S 898 | SUPERINTENDENT INTERNSHIP SEMINAR - THEORY INTO PRACTICE | 1 |
| A&S 899 | SUPERINTENDENT INTERNSHIP (TOPIC I, Fall quarter) | 1 |
| A&S 899 | SUPERINTENDENT INTERNSHIP (TOPIC II, Winter quarter) | 1 |
| A&S 899 | SUPERINTENDENT INTERNSHIP (TOPIC III, Spring quarter) | 1 |
Specific requirements for entrance into the superintendent licensure program may be obtained from the office of graduate admissions or the LLC department office.
Individuals seeking the superintendent licensure must:
- Complete an approved superintendent licensure program at an Illinois institution
- Complete all state-mandated training and examinations
- Have successfully completed the internship experiences
- Hold a master's degree
Upon successful completion of all superintendent licensure program requirements and any additional requirements, students must apply for their license. Students are to work with the College of Education's Licensure Officer when applying for the license.
Note: Courses in this program leading to the superintendent licensure are designed for practicing educators and are not open to students and any other program without the specific permission of the educational leadership program director.