Aspiring PrincipalsAspiring Principals By: University of Michigan-Flint

Path

For Aspiring Principals

Once you know you want to be a school principal or other school administrator, you should follow this path to get the education you need to prepare yourself:

Get Information

By visiting this site, you’re already doing this step.  Go one step further and inquire with us so that we can begin our communication with you.  We’ll send you a program packet and follow up with reminders of application deadlines, scholarship opportunities, and open house invitations.  This only takes a minute!

Select a Program

The University of Michigan-Flint offers a “WebPlus” online/weekend program in Educational Administration. Consider these features:

  • Quality: Program is offered through the University of Michigan’s Rackham School of Graduate studies and approved by the Michigan Department of Education for Principal Preparation.
  • Practicality: Coursework and a clinical experience in your own school district provide the tools and concepts necessary for successful administration and an informed perspective on the range of issues confronting K-12 schools.
  • Convenience: Online coursework is combined with Saturday classes once a month.
  • Cohort: Students progress through the program as a cohesive group, supporting each other and finishing in two years.
  • Location: The UM-Flint campus is conveniently located within minutes of I-75, I-69, and I-475 making the  Saturday classes a short commute from most of southern Michigan.

Apply

  • Submit an application by the deadline of August 1.
  • Write a statement of purpose describing your motivation for applying to this program.
  • Get your transcripts from all your previous colleges and universities sent to us.
  • Get three recommendations.

Accepted

You need to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (although a highly motivated student with a lower GPA could be considered).

Enroll

The program begins a new cohort every September. You progress through the program in a prescribed sequence:

  • Fall, Year 1 (6 Credits)
    • Politics, Policy, and Public Administration
    • The Principalship
  • Winter, Year 1 (7 Credits)
    • Schools and Communities
    • Introduction to School Law
    • Leadership Theory and Practice
  • Spring/Summer, Year 1 (7 Credits)
    • Grant Research and Writing
    • Curriculum Development
    • Leadership Theory and Practice
  • Fall, Year 2 (6 Credits)
    • Evaluation of Services and Programs
    • School Finance
  • Winter, Year 2 (7 Credits)
    • Clinical Practice in School Administration
    • Instructional Practice and Evaluation
    • Leadership Theory and Practice
  • Spring/Summer, Year 2 (6 Credits)
    • Practicum in Research Design
    • Administrative Organization and Behavior

For complete information on the UM-Flint WebPlus program in Educational Administration, visit UM-Flint’s Educational Administration pages.