This program is designed to support the advancement of professional educators into school principals and administrative leaders, specifically those interested in obtaining PreK–12 Principal Certification in the State of Arizona. This educational leadership program offers an opportunity for qualified candidates to obtain the required knowledge, skills, and abilities through academic and hands-on practicum experiences in their work environment. The program includes 15 practicum hours per course for a total of 150 practicum hours that are required for graduation.

The program culminates in a Capstone e-Portfolio that demonstrates (a) quality coaching in the field via carefully selected mentors; (b) experienced faculty engagement; and (c) documentation that chronicles learning gains and thoughtful reflections for future actions. This three-area approach is designed to enhance the candidates’ meaningful experiences supported by the campus mentor, faculty, and district expectations.

Program Outline

Study with education leaders in this 10-course Master’s degree program that leads to Arizona PreK-12 Principal Certification. The program can be completed in a year and as an AZ State Board of Education-approved program, candidates can pursue the certification process after successful program completion. Candidates will take all courses online and design their practicum experience through their Arizona school. Candidates will receive hands-on experience with eLearning tools to create an ePortfolio and are required to complete 15 hours of practicum per course.

The Arizona State Board of Education has approved this program as an Educator Preparation Program leading to educator certification. Upon program completion, AIU will submit its Institutional Recommendation to the Board; it is the candidate’s responsibility to complete the certification process with the state.

AIU's Master of Education (M.Ed.), is programmatically accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP)