This program is 39 credit hours, which can be completed online in as few as 7 or 8
academic terms (less than 3 years). You will earn dual licensure as a Principal* and
Special Education Director, and either an Master of Arts (MA) or Educational Specialist
(EdS) degree.
*Note: this program will prepare graduates for Principal Licensure in Colorado. Residents
of other states may be eligible for reciprocal recognition or your advisor will work
with you on state-specific licensure requirement needs.
Synchronous Online Sessions
Each online course will include synchronous learning sessions where the professor
and students meet online at the same time approximately one weeknight per week during
the academic terms.
Required Coursework (39 Credit Hours)
To see a typical list of courses by term, visit an example Current Students page.
Educational Leadership Courses (21 Hours)
Special Education Administration Courses (9 Hours)
Research (3 Hours)
Field-Based Learning (6 Hours)
Field-based learning experiences will involve 360 hours of internship experience in
your home school to expand your leadership and help you apply principles learned in
your academic coursework.
Comprehensive Exam
Students must obtain a passing grade on a final comprehensive exam, which is a “take
home” essay that requires students to apply the knowledge gained in coursework from
both disciplines to address a practical educational leadership organizational dilemma.
For full details, see the official program listings in the UNC Graduate Catalog:
Admission Requirements
Master of Arts Applicants
Possess (or be in the process of finishing) a baccalaureate 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 bachelor'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.
If you have completed a master's degree, or at least 18 credit hours towards a master's
degree, the GPA of your master's work will be used.
All Applicants
-
Valid teaching certificate (required for principal/special education director licensure)
-
At least one year of experience as a licensed teacher or special service provider,
three or more years preferred. One year required for Principal/Special Education Director
License.
Note: the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is NOT required for this program.
Educational Specialist Applicants
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.
-
Prerequisite: completion of SRM 600 Introduction to Graduate Research (3) or equivalent.
Eligibility by State
At this time, UNC can serve online education to students from every state, the U.S.
Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. We are not currently accepting students to our online
programs who reside in the CNMIs.
Because some states may have additional requirements or limitations for certain programs,
please check the following page to verify your eligibility. Note: if your state is
showing "limited authorization" it means you are likely eligible with additional documentation,
but please contact jake.henderson@unco.edu for details.
Current State Authorizations for This Program
International Student Eligibility
For the Fully Online Delivery
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.
For Colorado Hybrid Delivery Options (If Available)
Though international students can attend many UNC Extended Campus programs, this delivery
of this program is not well-suited for international students due to U.S. immigration
requirements concerning the ratio of credit hours that international students must
take in the classroom setting compared to how many credits are taken in online courses
(immigration counts partially online courses as online).
Transferring Credit
Applicable graduate credit with a grade of A or B from a regionally accredited university may be able to be applied towards this academic program. Master's
and post-master's specialist degree students must complete a minimum of 24 credits
at the University of Northern Colorado. All work counted in a degree program must
be completed within five years for a master's degree and six years for a specialist
degree. The time limit is calculated from the beginning of the first class transferred
in and counted in the degree program. See the full Graduate Transfer Credit Policy.
Students must submit an original transcript to their advisor for review. Student and
advisor then complete a Transfer of Credit form to submit along with the original transcript to the Grad School for review and final
approval.
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
Degree-seeking students who cannot pay for tuition alone are encouraged to apply for
federal financial aid. Students must first complete the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA). The UNC FAFSA/financial aid page for graduate students has key dates and support, including the release date and deadline for each academic
year (a Fall-Spring-Summer cycle which begins each August).
Late submissions of the FAFSA are still accepted throughout the school year but you
may not be considered for the maximum amount of aid. If the priority deadline has
passed for the upcoming/current school year, we encourage you to apply for FAFSA consideration
as soon as you enroll for your first courses. Depending on the time of year, you may
be able to submit an application for the current academic year and an early/priority
application for the following academic year.
Master's and Educational Specialist degree students must be enrolled in a minimum of 5 credits per academic term for financial aid eligibility. Full time
enrollment is based on 9 credits per term.
To apply for federal financial aid assistance
Fill out the FAFSA form at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
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.
Student Health Insurance
The University of Northern Colorado offers a Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
to all degree-seeking students who enroll in courses on our main UNC Campus, an Extended
Campus Center, or Online.
Degree-seeking graduate students enrolled in 6 or more credit hours will automatically
receive this benefit each term. SHIP premiums will appear on your semester bill. If
you have comparable insurance coverage, and do not want to be charged for SHIP coverage,
you must opt out of this plan each Fall via an online waiver process.
Please visit the UNC Student Health Insurance pages for more information about the insurance plan.
