Educational Leadership (Non-Licensure) (Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study – CAGS)

Graduate Admissions
Bridgewater State University
Maxwell Library, Room 019
10 Shaw Road
Bridgewater, MA 02325
gradadmissions@bridgew.edu
508-531-1300

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Bridgewater State University’s long history of close collaboration with regional school systems and its tradition of leadership in areas such as special education, literacy education, teacher mentoring and professional development contribute to the depth and strength of its educational leadership programs.

Program Highlights

The Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) in Educational Leadership program is designed for educators holding a master's degree who are interested in promoting effective practice and managing change wisely in their educational communities and professional lives. A 39-credit curriculum balances content and pedagogical knowledge, focusing on building a basic understanding of the institutional, legal, fiscal and external political perspectives of education, as well as the technical and organizational systems that determine how those contexts affect teaching and learning. 

The CAGS in Educational Leadership programs offers:

  • Diverse faculty with extensive teaching and administrative experience, as well as ongoing participation in educational research, scholarly publication and professional organizations
  • Accommodating schedules,including Friday evening and Saturday courses during the academic year, and four-week intensive courses during the summer
  • Prepractica and practica opportunities, enabling close collaboration with students from other programs within the College of Education and Allied Studies
  • Small classes facilitating a more personalized learning experience
  • Benefits of a state institution that has been training teachers for more than 170 years
  • Affordable tuition, whether you live in state or out 

Graduate Program Coordinator: Dr. Chris Mattocks

Program email: eduleadership@bridgew.edu

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Admissions Requirements

  • Online application - A completed and $50 application fee
  • Master's Degree - A Master's degree from an accredited college or university
  • Resume - A resumé which demonstrates the applicant’s potential for leadership and academic achievement as evidenced by activities during his or her professional career or undergraduate studies
  • Transcripts - Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work
  • Letters of Recommendation - Three letters of recommendation (one from a supervisor)
  • GPA - A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.8
  • MTEL or GRE - A qualifying score on the Communications and Literacy Skills Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure® (MTEL) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
  • Personal Statement - Prepare a brief, but careful statement on the candidate's philosophy of educational leadership and school reform

Application Deadlines

Fall: April 1
Spring: October 1
Summer: February 1
 

Curriculum

Core Courses
EDLE 601 - Ed Leadership and School Reform
EDLE 669 - Concepts and Cases in School Law
EDLE 674 - Designing and Evaluating the School/District Professional Learning Community
EDLE 676 - Managing Resources: Human, Financial, Facilities
EDLE 579 - Education of Diverse Populations: SEI
EDLE 672 - Technology for School Administrators
EDLE 675 - Research Issues
EDLE 677 - Systems Planning
EDLE 678 - Curriculum Development 
EDLE 681 - CAGS Extern

Total Minimum Credits: 30

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 *Please see the Graduate Academic Policies section of the Graduate Academic Catalog for additional information regarding comprehensive examinations.

***For the most up-to-date information regarding course descriptions, please visit our University Catalog.

Ian Barkon is a music educator with a passion not just for music but for teaching and learning. Prior to starting the Educational Leadership program, he looked at several programs, and Bridgewater had the courses hew was looking for.

Ian Barkon
“I entered the program looking to become a department head in my school, but my advisor told me that I could do an internship and take some advanced classes and earn my certificate as a principal or assistant principal. She did a great job steering me onto a path and encouraging me to take it to the next level.”
 
-Ian Barkon, Music Teacher, Hull High School
 
 
 

Phyllis Gimbel joined the faculty of the Department of Educational Leadership as an educational leader herself. A former teacher and principal, she respects the future academic leaders she trains just as she once did her students in French and Spanish: “I learn as much from my graduate students as I have learned anywhere else.”

Phyllis Gimbel
“The small classes allow for deep dialogue – real conversations, with healthy tensions and different perspectives. With their different experiences, students have such different responses to readings and other material; it’s like a work of art – everyone interprets differently, based on what they are bringing to the discussion. Each of us learns from all of the others.” 
 
-Phyllis Gimbel, Ed.D, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, Secondary Education and Professional Programs
 
 
 

Funding Opportunities

The College of Graduate Studies provides various opportunities for graduate students to receive funding while working towards their degrees. Appointments are competitive and are determined by undergraduate and/or graduate grade point averages, pertinent experience, educational preparation and interviews.  For information on assistantships, fellowships and conference funding awards, please visit our Graduate Funding Opportunities page