If You Currently Hold a Principal License...
Depending on where you completed your Principal Licensure requirements, you may have
already completed the Prerequisite Courses (listed in the Eligibility & Transfer Credit
tab) and ELPS 654, 660 and 670 (listed below). Those three required courses may be
waived if you took them (or equivalent courses) within the past eight years or can
demonstrate the knowledge and skills for a Colorado Administrator License. Those who
already hold a Principal Licensure can finish in one year.
Required Courses (21 Credit Hours)
To see the upcoming courses, visit this program's Current Students page.
Licensure Courses (18 hours)
Field-Based Learning (3 Credit Hours)
- ELPS 606 Internship in Educational Leadership (3) – Satisfactory performance on a concluding activity approved by division faculty,
in accordance with Graduate School policy, must be demonstrated (minimum 2 hours at
central office and 1 hour with other agencies).
For full details, see the official program listing in the UNC Graduate Catalog.
Admission Requirements
Possess (or be in the process of finishing) a master's degree from a regionally accredited
college or university, or a comparable degree from a foreign institution.
Have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better (on a 4.00 point scale) for the most recent
degree earned or current degree in progress. If you are still completing your master's
degree at the time you apply, admission will be based on your current cumulative GPA,
and you will need to re-submit your official transcript (showing your conferred degree
and final GPA) during your first semester. If your final GPA fell below 3.00, you
will be given additional requirements as defined by the academic program that must
be met within one calendar year to remain enrolled at UNC.
- You must have two years experience related to educational leadership (required) and
it is preferred that you hold a valid Principal Licensure.
Prerequisite Courses – Leadership Core
Eligibility by State
At this time, UNC can serve online education to students from every state, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We are not able to offer distance
education in American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the
Republic of Palau.
Certain programs may have additional state approval processes for some experiential
learning activities, such as practica, internships and clinicals. Please check the
State Authorization page for additional information on UNC’s ability to offer distance education across
state lines and a list of those programs and states where additional state approval
is required. For additional information or questions, please contact jake.henderson@unco.edu.
International Student Eligibility
International students residing outside of the United States are eligible to apply
to our online programs. Applicants for online programs must demonstrate English proficiency,
or enroll in the UNC Intensive English Program, in order to be considered.
Students in completely online UNC programs are not required to come to the United
States. You will not need a student visa or receive any immigration documentation,
and do not need to provide financial documentation.
Please visit the International Students Admission Requirements page for details about English proficiency requirements and applying as an international
student.
Transferring Credit
UNC graduate school accepts applicable graduate credit with a grade of C or higher
from accredited institutions. Please note that if your chosen program has a higher
grade minimum for any program coursework, that minimum would apply to transfer requests
for those courses. Graduate program faculty are responsible for reviewing any proposed
transfer credit to ensure that course content and objectives match program content.
- Students must complete at least 50% of their graduate program credits at UNC, not
including research, capstone, seminar, internship/externship/practicum, thesis, dissertation
proposal, dissertation and any credits graded with S/U (P/F).
- Courses requested for transfer cannot have been used to fulfill requirements for a
previously awarded degree. See the full Graduate Transfer Credit Policy.
If you are combining this program with a degree program, please see the transfer information
for that program for any time frame limitations for courses applied to the degree.
Tuition
This is an Extended Campus program, which means:
- A flat per-credit tuition rate for all students (in-state or out-of-state)
- There are no student fees – they are incorporated into our flat tuition rate
- Certain courses may carry specific course fees for additional services and materials
Program tuition for the 2023-24 academic year (which runs Fall, Spring, and Summer
terms) is $662 per credit hour. Tuition for the 2024-25 academic year will be determined
mid-June 2024.
Estimates of additional costs: For the purposes of determining financial aid, UNC
follows Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) and federal guidelines to develop
an estimated, average Cost of Attendance (budget) for different student classifications.
For your personal tuition estimates, we recommend using the program-specific tuition
information above. But UNC's official Cost of Attendance/Student Budgets page can help you identify other estimated expenses for which you may be responsible while
completing your program.
Financial Aid
Licensure-only (non-degree seeking) students aren't eligible for aid through the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Your program coordinator may be aware
of your eligibility for any discipline or campus-based aid if available.
For more specific help, contact the Office of Financial Aid: ofa@unco.edu, 970-351-4862 or via the UNC Financial Aid website.
Students can also find helpful information such as the Guide to Federal Student Aid
at https://studentaid.gov/resources. Most of the resources are available in English, Spanish, and Braille.
