Coordinator:
C. Suzanne Klein
480C Pawley Hall
(248) 370-3142
csklein@oakland.edu
Program description
The Post-Master’s Graduate Certificate in Central Office Administration is designed to be a 24-credit non-degree program meeting the standards for state certification. It may also serve as part of the course sequence for the Education Specialist in Leadership program and the Ph.D. in Education: Education Leadership program.
This standards-based program reflects the best of what we know about preparing superintendents and other central office administrators to meet the educational challenges of the 21st century. Based on a strong theoretical foundation, it is a program designed for practitioners by practitioners, and it will be a valuable addition to the current graduate programs that prepare teacher leaders and principals.
Program delivery
Using the design model of an executive school leadership academy, candidates will proceed through the 16-month, 24-credit program as a cohort. To accommodate busy practitioners, courses will follow a hybrid format with monthly Saturday classes and weekly online discussions. The required internship experience, designed as a complement to formal coursework, will begin the first semester and continue throughout the program. Using state and national leadership standards as a guide, Oakland University’s Central Office program of study will strive to balance the explanatory power of theory with the relevance of practice.
Admission terms and application deadlines
Before an applicant’s file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning by the semester deadlines listed below. Incomplete applications will not be sent to departments for admission review.
- July 15 for fall semester
- November 15 for winter semester
Readmission and program transfer
Requests for readmission and program transfers must be completed and approved prior to the beginning of a semester.
International application deadlines
International applications are reviewed for fall and winter admission only. To ensure adequate time for review, international applications must be completed at least six months before the desired date of intended enrollment in the University. All international application materials must be submitted by May 1 for fall admission and by September 1 for winter admission. International applicants are not eligible for Special Graduate classification.
Special Graduate classification
Applicants who are seeking a graduate degree or graduate certificate, but are unable to meet the deadline for filing all required application materials or credentials for graduate admission, may contact the department and request Special Graduate temporary admission. The applicant must submit an Application for Admission to Graduate Study, plus a copy of a transcript providing evidence of a bachelor’s degree awarded and any specific evidence concerning their qualifications for graduate study as required by the department. Up to 12 credits may be earned in the Special Graduate classification. Admission as a special graduate student in no way assures subsequent admission to a degree or graduate certificate program.
Students may request special graduate classification beginning with the dates below.
- August 1 for fall semester
- December 1 for winter semester
Note: Special Graduate classification will not be granted after the first week of classes in a semester.
Application requirements
To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all of the following university and program application documents by the published application deadlines.
University graduate application requirements
- Online Application for Admission to Graduate Study
- Official transcripts providing evidence of an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. institution, OR a degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from a college or university of government-recognized standing.
- Official transcripts for all post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned a degree (beginning with the first baccalaureate) and for all enrollment in graduate-level coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree. International university transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation service.
- As part of the admission requirements, graduate programs may require official transcripts from post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned an associate’s degree and all enrollment in coursework both pre- and post-bachelor’s degree.
- Two official and original Recommendation for Graduate Admission forms.
(Note: Some programs require more than two recommendation forms. Refer to the program application requirements listed below for the total number of recommendations and specific requirements for the recommendations.)
- Proof of English language proficiency
- International supplemental application and supporting documentation must be submitted before international applicants can be issued the Certification of Eligibility (I-20). This certificate is required to apply for a student visa from the U.S. embassy or consulate.
Program application requirements
- Evidence of a master’s degree in education or related field from a regionally accredited institution
- Requirements for recommendations
The recommendation forms must be from supervisors familiar with the applicant’s current position.
- Applicants may be interviewed by the program coordinator.
- Curriculum vitae or resumé
Admission review and assessment
Admission to graduate study at Oakland University is selective. In making admission recommendations to Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning, each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, goal statement, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses and any other admission requirements established by the academic department.
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