Principal, Certificate

Program Description

The Principal Certificate may be obtained 100% online beyond the master's degree upon completion of additional course work of 24 semester hours selected with the adviser's approval. The Principal Certificate also requires that the student obtain a passing score on the TExES examination for Principalship, hold a Texas teaching certificate, and a minimum of two years of creditable teaching experience.

The 100 % online Master's Degree in Educational Administration from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi also fulfills the TEA course requirements for the Principal's Certificate.

For Additional Information

Website:
https://gradcollege.tamucc.edu/degrees/education/certificate_principal.html

Campus Address:
Faculty Center, Room 224
Phone (361) 825-2992
bernadine.cervantes@tamucc.edu

Mailing Address:
Department of Educational Administration and Research, Unit 5818
College of Education and Human Development
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
6300 Ocean Drive
Corpus Christi, Texas 78412-5818

Program Requirements

The following requirements must be met in order to take the TExES principal exam:

Principal Practice Examination

At Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi an individual must participate in a faculty approved review workshop and be permitted by the faculty and the department chair to take the state TExES Principal Examination. 

A student has seven years to complete all course work to earn a Principal Certification and have the approval to take the Principal (268) TExES exam. Please note that no course may be older than seven years at the time a student attempts the Principal (268) TExES exam. Students not completing the program within this time period will not be approved to take the Principal (268) TExES exam and may be required to complete additional coursework or satisfy other requirements to receive such approval.

In the event a candidate fails the principal exam, there is a state mandated wait period before a retest is available.  Students who do not pass a state exam will be required to complete an assigned remediation activity (such as repeat a review session or similar) before test approval will be granted.  Program faculty will determine the remediation activity after an assessment of the individuals' test results has been completed.

Candidates who have not taken and passed the certification exam and/or applied for certification within 7 years of program completion date will be required to repeat or complete additional coursework, pass practice exams and engage in the services of outside test preparation programs.  Failure to complete all requirements in the certification process within this time frame may render the candidate ineligible to continue testing or be recommended for certification by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.  Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi reserves the right to deny certification recommendation beyond 7 years of candidate program completion without any further consideration.  Appeals related to any portion of this program policy must be made in writing to the Dean of the College of Education and Human Development of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, with information copies of the appeal provided to the appropriate department chair and program coordinator.

For Students with a Prior Master’s Degree

For students with a prior Master’s Degree in Education who are seeking State Board for Educator Certification as a Principal, the following conditions will apply:

The department advisor will review the previous master’s degree coursework, practical work experience, and academic history of the student, and then prescribe 24 hours of coursework from the current list of required courses for the EDAD master’s degree or in certain instances from the EDLD doctoral degree.

No transfer hours accepted for principal certification.

The Principal Certificate also requires the student obtain a passing score on the Principal’s TExES examination.