University of Houston-Downtown / Academics / College of Public Service / Urban Education / Foundations of Educational Leadership Certificate

Foundations of Educational Leadership Certificate

Online Program - Cohort Approach

Compressed Classes - No more than 1 class at a time

Professional Networking - Leadership Fellows & Leadership Huddle Days

Admission Requirements
1. Minimum GPA of 2.5 overall or in the last 60 hours of college courses
2. All official transcripts including the one which depicts an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited university and any graduate credit earned. If you attended a college or university outside the United States, your transcripts must be evaluated by a credential evaluation service recognized by UHD prior to applying for admissions to the university.
3. Current resume
4. Letter describing why you desire this certificate, how you anticipate it will support your professional growth and development, and why you are a good candidate for such a certificate. 300-word minimum.

Prefix/ Number	Title	Description
EDL 5310	Introduction to School Leadership	Leadership matters. This course introduces aspiring school leaders to the role, primary responsibilities, and challenges of modern school leadership, especially in high-need environments. To meet those challenges, candidates will explore, develop, and communicate personal and school-wide mission and vision processes and statements that will serve as a compass for cohesively leading educational organizations, leading people, and leading learning.
EDL 5320	School, Family, & Community Engagement	Leaders and schools cannot succeed alone. This course provides aspiring school leaders with a research-based understanding of family, community, and stakeholder engagement with the primary aim of improving student learning. This course will expose aspiring leaders to the practical and theoretical foundations necessary to: build authentic partnerships with student caregivers; build authentic partnerships with a diverse range of community stakeholders; and, develop partnerships via the collaborative creation of goals and objectives.
EDL 5330	School Law & Ethics	Fair and equitable leadership includes legally-sound and ethical decision-making. This course explores significant legal issues that arise in public elementary and secondary schools and their implications for school leaders. The course also examines evolving legal standards on a variety of issues, including school safety, discipline, and student well-being; free speech; services for students with disabilities and English language learners; and harassment, bullying, and cyber-bullying. Students will analyze educational, political, ethical, and financial questions that these legal issues often generate. The course will draw on real cases and legal/policy/ethical dilemmas that practitioners face, and focus on preventive law - providing aspiring school leaders with the knowledge and skills they will need to make ethical and sound decisions, advance important educational objectives, and minimize legal problems.
EDL 5340	Educational Systems & Talent Management	Effective leadership and management are intertwined. This course explores how management is an essential instructional leadership tool. Aspiring school leaders will learn how to evaluate, develop and maintain communication, technology, governance, and other operational systems to promote the school’s mission and vision and support teachers’ and students’ needs. Aspiring leaders will also learn how to optimize teacher talent through effective recruitment, selection, hiring, development, supervision, and retention strategies that support school improvement and student development.

Contact Us

Kory Kilgore
Assistant Director of Graduate Studies
kilgorek@uhd.edu
713-221-2714

Dr. Natasha Perez
Graduate Program Director
perezn@uhd.edu
713-221-5761

Last updated 5/13/2021 5:59 PM