Announcement: CU Denver is Celebrating 50 Years
Whether you’re an alumnus, current student, member of the faculty and staff, donor, or neighbor, you’re a valuable part of the CU Denver community. Help us celebrate the last 50 years and a future that works for all.
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Explore CU Denver Programs
Use the search tool below to discover degree and certificate programs offered by CU Denver. If you are unable to find a program that is right for you, please contact Admissions or a school or college for more information.
Program Overview
Designed for individuals whose next career goal is to become a school principal. It is well-suited for individuals who already have a master's degree plus a teaching license or a master's degree with a special services license. Graduates receive the skills critical to success as a leader and to encourage diversity, equity, and social justice at elementary, middle, or high schools.
What you'll learn
CU Denver’s EdS in Leadership for Educational Organizations with principal licensure is designed for individuals who wish to become school principals. Our program curriculum is designed to build your knowledge, skills and dispositions as a powerful and successful leader.
CU Denver prepares you with the wide breadth of knowledge necessary to create a school learning environment that is cooperative, safe, welcoming and reflects a growth mind-set. You will learn how to:
- Collaborate across communities and stakeholder groups
- Become well-versed in current educational issues and how to address them, and
- Gain a deep understanding of the legal, financial and political dimensions of schools and school districts.
You’ll learn all of this with a focus on equity and social justice, ensuring that all students have equal opportunities for an excellent education.
There has never been a more important time to have great leadership in public schools. The demands of the job require personalized instructional development with practitioners and successful leaders. There are multiple options below for you to enroll and complete the 41-credit hour Leadership for Educational Organizations (LEOs) Principal Licensure program.
While earning the principal license, students will be placed in cohorts. Typically, cohorts are comprised of 25 principal candidates who move through the four-semester principal licensure program together. We welcome applicants from all districts into our principal licensure cohorts. However, we partner with metro-area districts to prepare leaders specifically for their schools.
Choose CU Denver's School of Education & Human Development
You can trust CU Denver to provide an education that will prepare you for excellence in your career as a school principal. We have a name that is recognized for preparing leaders of excellence who value equal opportunities in education. Additionally, CU Denver’s School of Education and Human Development is counted among U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools,” making us one of the top education schools in the country.
Courses
The 32 credit hour principal license is offered in four consecutive semesters. The additional nine credit hours for the EdS (for a total of 41 credit hours) are taken after the principal licensure coursework. Program content and clinical practice experiences are integrated throughout. Principal candidates generally use their own school as a clinical-practice site. Program credits are organized in four learning domains as outlined below.
Principal Licensure Courses
EDUC 5751: Principal/Administrator Licensing I
EDUC 5752: Principal/Administrator Licensing II
EDUC 5753: Principal/Administrator Licensing III
EDUC 5754: Principal/Administrator Licensing IV
Additional nine credits for the EdS Degree
Please consult with your faculty advisor when selecting these courses.
The LEO program requires a capstone final presentation, as well as the placement of major assignments on an electronic, web-based data management service.
Upcoming Cohorts
Spring 2023
Boulder Valley School District
- Application Deadline November 15, 2022
Jefferson County School District
- Application Deadline November 15, 2022
- Meets Thursdays, 4:30pm to 9:00pm, January 2023 through May 2024
Summer 2023
Distance Learning #25 Cohort
- Remote four-semester cohort with synchronous virtual Zoom meetings at pre-scheduled meeting times
- Three daytime virtual meetings in Summer 2023 (6/7-6/9)
- Two weekends in Fall 2023 (Friday evening and Saturday daytime, 9/8 & 9/9 plus 12/1 and 12/2)
- Two weekends in Spring 2024 (Friday evening and Saturday daytime, 2/2 & 2/3 plus 4/12 & 4/13)
- One Friday daytime in Summer 2024 (7/12)
Program Description
What you'll learn
CU Denver’s EdS in Leadership for Educational Organizations with principal licensure is designed for individuals who wish to become school principals. Our program curriculum is designed to build your knowledge, skills and dispositions as a powerful and successful leader.
CU Denver prepares you with the wide breadth of knowledge necessary to create a school learning environment that is cooperative, safe, welcoming and reflects a growth mind-set. You will learn how to:
- Collaborate across communities and stakeholder groups
- Become well-versed in current educational issues and how to address them, and
- Gain a deep understanding of the legal, financial and political dimensions of schools and school districts.
You’ll learn all of this with a focus on equity and social justice, ensuring that all students have equal opportunities for an excellent education.
There has never been a more important time to have great leadership in public schools. The demands of the job require personalized instructional development with practitioners and successful leaders. There are multiple options below for you to enroll and complete the 41-credit hour Leadership for Educational Organizations (LEOs) Principal Licensure program.
While earning the principal license, students will be placed in cohorts. Typically, cohorts are comprised of 25 principal candidates who move through the four-semester principal licensure program together. We welcome applicants from all districts into our principal licensure cohorts. However, we partner with metro-area districts to prepare leaders specifically for their schools.
Choose CU Denver's School of Education & Human Development
You can trust CU Denver to provide an education that will prepare you for excellence in your career as a school principal. We have a name that is recognized for preparing leaders of excellence who value equal opportunities in education. Additionally, CU Denver’s School of Education and Human Development is counted among U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools,” making us one of the top education schools in the country.
Courses
The 32 credit hour principal license is offered in four consecutive semesters. The additional nine credit hours for the EdS (for a total of 41 credit hours) are taken after the principal licensure coursework. Program content and clinical practice experiences are integrated throughout. Principal candidates generally use their own school as a clinical-practice site. Program credits are organized in four learning domains as outlined below.
Principal Licensure Courses
EDUC 5751: Principal/Administrator Licensing I
EDUC 5752: Principal/Administrator Licensing II
EDUC 5753: Principal/Administrator Licensing III
EDUC 5754: Principal/Administrator Licensing IV
Additional nine credits for the EdS Degree
Please consult with your faculty advisor when selecting these courses.
The LEO program requires a capstone final presentation, as well as the placement of major assignments on an electronic, web-based data management service.
Upcoming Cohorts
Spring 2023
Boulder Valley School District
- Application Deadline November 15, 2022
Jefferson County School District
- Application Deadline November 15, 2022
- Meets Thursdays, 4:30pm to 9:00pm, January 2023 through May 2024
Summer 2023
Distance Learning #25 Cohort
- Remote four-semester cohort with synchronous virtual Zoom meetings at pre-scheduled meeting times
- Three daytime virtual meetings in Summer 2023 (6/7-6/9)
- Two weekends in Fall 2023 (Friday evening and Saturday daytime, 9/8 & 9/9 plus 12/1 and 12/2)
- Two weekends in Spring 2024 (Friday evening and Saturday daytime, 2/2 & 2/3 plus 4/12 & 4/13)
- One Friday daytime in Summer 2024 (7/12)
CU Denver graduates earn more, build community, and make connections. Take the first step toward your future and join an inclusive community of learners while gaining the skills of tomorrow, today.