Educational Leadership Program FAQs

• What is the purpose of the Educational Leadership program?
• What’s a CAS?
• What will a CAS do for me?
• Is a CAS the same as administrative certification in NYS?
• How many credits does the CAS require?
• Are there program requirements beyond the coursework?
• What’s required for application and admission to the CAS?
• May I take a course before being admitted to the program?
• What can I do now to prepare for applying to the program?
• What specific courses are required for the Educational Leadership CAS?
• When are courses offered?
• How long will it take to complete the CAS?
• May I transfer courses from other institutions toward the CAS?
• How, if at all, is the CAS connected to the Department’s EdD in Theory and Practice?
• To whom should I address further questions about Educational Leadership?
• How else may I get general information about graduate study at Binghamton University?
• Where can I find more about the NYS School Leadership Assessments?
• Which NYS assessments should I take and when?
• How can I learn about administrative job openings?

What is the purpose of the Educational Leadership program?

To prepare educational leaders to serve in PreK-12 schools and school districts. Its target audiences are part-time, post-master’s students who work full-time as teachers or other kinds of educational professionals in PreK-12 schools.

What is a CAS?

CAS stands for Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS). For the Educational Leadership program at Binghamton University, CAS means a post-master’s graduate program. Think of the CAS as graduate-level professional development “in between” a master’s and a doctoral degree. In other states, the equivalent might be called an “educational specialist.”

What will a CAS do for me?

CAS graduates may pursue future employment as staff developers, curriculum coordinators and program directors, as well as positions such as assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent. Successful completion of the CAS will permit Binghamton University to recommend qualified students to the State Education Department for either or both NYS administrative certifications: School Building Leader (SBL-Initial) and/or School District Leader (SDL-Professional). Recommendations will depend on students’ accomplishment of program requirements, an internship, leadership experience and performance on state-administered assessments. Students must pass the NYS School District Leader assessment in order to earn the CAS and the University's recommendation for SDL certification.

Is a CAS the same as administrative certification in NYS?

No. Universities cannot award certifications or licenses to serve as teachers or administrators — only New York State can do that. However, the CAS is specifically geared to equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to be eligible to earn two kinds of certification awarded by the state of New York: School Building Leader (SBL) Initial and School District Leader (SDL) Professional. While universities can provide required coursework and other important leadership experiences, you would also have to pass appropriate NYS exams, be fingerprinted, and submit evidence of having taken Violence Prevention, Child Abuse Recognition and DASA workshops and more when applying separately for NYS certification to serve as an administrator. Note that the University can only award the CAS after you have successfully passed the NYS School District Leader assessment.

How many credits does the CAS require?

30 graduate credit-hours, beyond a completed master’s degree of at least 30 credit hours in a teaching or closely related field. The 30 CAS credit-hours consist of ten (10) three-credit-hour courses.  One of the required courses is an internship, accompanied by a seminar.  Two of the courses are taken during the internship and are on-line.

Are there program requirements beyond the coursework?

Yes. Consistent with current state regulations, leadership students must also pass the NYS School District Leader assessment and complete a “Personal Plan for Self-Improvement and Continuous Learning.” Information about Personal Plans is also included in the introductory leadership course (EDUC 673).

What’s required for application and admission to the CAS?

There are both University- and program-specific requirements for CAS applications. Completed applications are welcome anytime: fall, spring or summer.

To be considered for admission to the CAS program you need:

1. A baccalaureate from an accredited institution of higher education or from an institution authorized by the NYS Board of Regents to confer degrees;

2. A master’s degree of at least 30 graduate credit-hours in a teaching or closely related field;

3. A minimum of three years paid, full-time classroom teaching and/or pupil personnel service in PreK-12 public or non-public schools;

4. A copy of your permanent or professional certification in classroom teaching or pupil personnel service.

Additional admission requirements particular to the Educational Leadership program include:

1. A personal statement that focuses on: (a) your prior leadership experiences; (b) any special skills or contributions to the field of education; (c) why you wish to pursue administrative leadership certification at this time in your career; and (d) your leadership goals for the future. (Note that these required foci differ from the generic Graduate School instructions. This is an important part of your application. Be as specific as possible, including examples where appropriate. Aim for 3-4 typewritten, double-spaced pages);

2. Two completed CAS Reference Forms from supervisors, school or district administrators who know your work and can assess your accomplishments and leadership potential. (These forms are unique to the Educational Leadership CAS and are required instead of general letters of recommendation); and

3. A resume that includes complete professional employment history, with dates and locations.

You are also required to follow the University’s established graduate admissions procedures, including:

• completed application forms
• application fees
• official transcripts

May I take a course before being admitted to the program?

Yes. Prospective students often do this to get a feel for whether or not Binghamton’s program would be a good match with their interests and abilities. Such “pilot testing” can be a real benefit. Of course, there is also a risk because successful completion of one or more courses does not ensure admission to the CAS. Various other criteria are considered by the admissions committee, as indicated in the earlier listing of application requirements. For detailed instructions on registering for a course as a non-degree (non-matriculated) student, go to the Graduate School page. Non-matriculated students must also obtain the instructor’s permission to register for any 600-level education course.

What can I do now to prepare for applying to the program?

Be sure you meet the minimum requirements for completed professional experience and teaching/pupil personnel certifications. Begin to gather and prepare the materials required for application and admission (listed above). Consider seeking permission to take a Binghamton University leadership course on a non-matriculated basis, to see if the program might be a good match with your interests and abilities. Contact Suzanne McLeod with additional questions.

When are courses offered?

Typically in the late afternoon/evenings once a week in the fall and spring semesters, twice a week in the summer semester.  Several required courses are offered only during the summer. Each required course will be offered once each year. The typical annual offering follows, subject to change.

How long will it take to complete the CAS?

The program is structured so students can complete it in just under two years. Duration will depend on the availability of high-quality internships, as well as whether or not students choose to take more than one course in some semesters. The program is tailored to part-time study. Under typical circumstances, we recommend that students take one course per semester.

May I transfer courses from other institutions toward the CAS?

Since Binghamton’s CAS requires just ten courses, transfer-credit approvals will be rare. If you feel your circumstances are unique, contact Program Coordinator, Suzanne McLeod, prior to taking potentially-transferable courses elsewhere.

How, if at all, is the CAS connected to the Department’s EdD in Theory and Practice)?

Application and admissions procedures for the two programs are completely independent of one another and admission to the CAS program does not ensure admission to the EdD. Interested students must apply to each program separately, and different faculty committees make admissions decisions for the two programs. 

However, matriculated Educational Leadership CAS students who are admitted to the EdD may use five of the ten courses required for the CAS towards the EdD program. In the reverse direction, all EdD students have room in their programs of study for five (5) elective courses. Matriculated doctoral students are encouraged to discuss with their faculty advisors the possibility of using five of the ten required CAS courses as their EdD electives. Individual students must consult with their faculty advisors from both the Educational Leadership CAS and the EdD in Educational Theory and Practice when selecting courses for either program.

To whom should I address further questions about Educational Leadership?

Program Coordinator, Suzanne McLeod.  Face-to-face meetings are easily arranged to discuss the CAS program and answer application and program questions.

How else may I get general information about graduate study at Binghamton University?

You can view application forms and other basic instructions and regulations applicable to many graduate programs at Binghamton University by visiting the University’s Graduate School website. Note that there are several CAS-specific application requirements that supersede the Graduate School’s information. For example, Educational Leadership requires its own completed Reference Forms that are different from generic graduate letters of recommendation. Additionally, the CAS program defines whom those references are to be from, and what the applicant’s personal statement must include, in ways that are distinct from Binghamton University’s general graduate application procedures. Note that currently, GRE scores are not required for CAS applicants.

Where can I find more about the NYS School Leadership Assessments?

At the website of NYSCTE, New York State Teacher Certification Examinations site. There you will find testing dates, registration deadlines, score report dates, fees and more.

Which NYS assessments should I take and when?

You should take the School District Leader (SDL) assessment in the semester before you expect to graduate because passing this test is a condition for graduation. You must pass the state's SDL test before you can be awarded the CAS by Binghamton University. The other assessments for School Building Leader (SBL) may be taken at any time, before or after earning the University's CAS. As of May 2015, the Educating All Students (EAS) exam is required for both SDL and SBL certifications.

How can I learn about administrative job openings?

Through a free resource available from the State Association of Administrators of New York State (SAANYS).  Also, through a free resource available from Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES.