Master of Education in Public School Building Leadership
The Summer Principals Academy (SPA) at Teachers College, Columbia University is a transformative graduate program that is committed to promoting equity and excellence in education and overcoming the gap in educational access and achievement between the most and least advantaged groups in this country. To achieve this goal, our aspiring school leaders are encouraged to construct transforming possibilities for student learning, school improvement, social equity, and opportunity. While some principal preparation programs are content to prepare school leaders to perpetuate schools as they currently exist, SPA strives to prepare leaders to create the innovative schools that our nation and world need.
Our cohort model allows courses to be delivered over two consecutive five-week summer sessions and the Administrative Internship takes place during the intervening school year, where our graduate students are already place allowing them to maintain their jobs in their current schools while earning their degree.
Students’ studies in SPA conclude with the New School Design Project which serves as the capstone to the degree.
New York State Education Department (NYSED) has teacher certification requirements that are needed for program completion and graduation which are listed in the Office of Teacher Education.
The Master of Education (Ed.M.) program is an advanced masters degree for aspiring urban principals who have a minimum of 24 credits of previously earned graduate work. Those credits are transferred into the program, reducing the credit load to 36 credits.
Admission Information
Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.
Master of Education
- Points/Credits: 60
- Entry Terms: Summer
- Enrollment Formats: Full-Time Cohort
Certification
View Public Disclosure Notification
- NY State School Building Leadership (SBL)
Application Deadlines
| Entry Term Available | Priority Deadlines | Final Deadlines | Extended Deadlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Summer | January 15, 2025 | April 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 |
| Fall | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines, such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.
Application Requirements
| Requirement | |
|---|---|
| Online Degree Application, including Statement of Purpose and Resume | |
| Transcripts and/or Course-by-Course Evaluations for all Undergraduate/Graduate Coursework Completed | |
| Results from an accepted English Proficiency Exam (if applicable) | |
| $75 Application Fee | |
| Two (2) Letters of Recommendation | |
| Master's degree required | |
| GRE General Test is optional | |
| Supplemental application required (included in online application) | |
| Interview (phone, video, or in-person) required | |
| Must hold Master's degree or twenty-four (24) graduate level credits (with a grade of B or better) |
For admission-related inquiries, please contact ORLadmission@tc.columbia.edu.
Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2024-2025)
Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025 terms.
THE SUMMER PRINCIPALS ACADEMY
Degrees Offered: M.A. & Ed.M.
Certification Offered: Recommendation for NY State School Building Leadership (SBL) Certificate
Code: ELBL
Program Director: Dr. Brian K. Perkins
Website: https://www.tc.columbia.edu/organization-and-leadership/spa-nyc/
The Summer Principals Academy (SPA) at Teachers College, Columbia University is a transformative graduate program that is committed to promoting equity and excellence in education and overcoming the gap in educational access and achievement between the most and least advantaged groups in this country. To achieve this goal, our aspiring school leaders are encouraged to construct transforming possibilities for student learning, school improvement, social equity, and opportunity. While some principal preparation programs are content to prepare school leaders to perpetuate schools as they currently exist, SPA strives to prepare leaders to create the innovative schools that our nation and the world need. Through the Summer Principals Academy, leadership development is fostered through an integrated set of experiences that include sound theoretical and "best practice" knowledge, problem-based coursework, and field-based experiences, including an intensive and extended internship.
SPA is a cohort program enrolling graduate students from all over the country and abroad in a rigorous 14-month, 36-credit program. Courses are delivered Monday – Friday, from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, over two consecutive five-week summer sessions. The 450-hour Administrative Internship takes place during the intervening school year, thereby enabling students to complete the internship requirements while maintaining their jobs in their current schools. The schedule supports the reality of aspiring leaders who are currently working as teachers, team leaders, department chairs, or supervisors who do not wish to leave their schools to attend a full-time program.
Students’ studies in the Summer Principals Academy conclude with the New School Design Project. Serving as the capstone project, candidates integrate the knowledge and skills they have developed while preparing for leadership service in schools across the nation. The New School Design teams are challenged to develop a new school that reflects the domains of knowledge, skill, and habits of mind and that is relevant to the challenges faced by children seeking a 21st-century education in a public school setting. The event offers the larger educational community of leaders the opportunity to share their insights and expertise regarding how to close achievement gaps effectively through the design of innovative and high-performing schools.
The Summer Principals Academy (SPA) offers two cohort locations – New Orleans, LA, and New York City, NY – to educators who aspire to become school leaders. The two cohorts provide the same course content, instruction, assessment, and high-quality education experience, but each caters to a different school calendar. SPA New York (SPA|NYC) delivers courses for five weeks beginning in July and ending in August.
Curriculum: Master of Arts: 36 points; Master of Education 60 points
Summer I:
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ORLA 4001: Introduction to School Leadership and Decision Making
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ORLA 5018: School Leadership for Adult Development
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ORLA 5029: Supervision of Teaching & Learning
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ORLA 5100: Conflict Resolution for School Leadership
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ORLA 5532: Curriculum Development: Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
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ORLA 6025: Leadership Through Self-Awareness
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ORLA 6029: Social Emotional Learning
Fall:
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ORLA 5532: Curriculum Development: Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
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ORLA 6460: Internship in School Leadership
Spring:
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ORLA 5532: Curriculum Development: Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
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ORLA 6027: Cultural Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice as Leadership Imperatives
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ORLA 6460: Internship in School Leadership II
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ORLA 5199 (Special Topic): New School Design I
Summer II:
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ORLA 5017: Team Building and Organizational Development
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ORLA 4025: Resource Allocation for Student Achievement
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ORLA 5025: Ecology of Data-Driven Leadership
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ORLA 4033: Ethical and Legal Issues in Education Leadership
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ORLA 6026: Leadership Through Self-Awareness II
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ORLA 6028: Cultural Diversity II
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ORLA 5199 (Special Topic): New School Design II
ACCREDITATION
SPA|NYC is a fully accredited Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) principal preparation program that culminates in a Master's Degree in Public School Building Leadership and is registered with the New York State Education Department.
CERTIFICATION
SPA|NYC leads to an institutional recommendation for New York State School Building Leader (SBL) certification. If you plan to work in a state other than New York, prospective students are advised to determine if the program meets the educational requirements for certification in any other state, Washington, DC or Puerto Rico. If you intend to work in another state, we recommend that you review the state’s teacher certification website for that state’s qualifications.