Superintendent Licensure Certificate

The Educational Leadership Administrative Licensure Program leads to a Montana Class 3 Administrative License and an endorsement as either K-12 Principal or Superintendent.

Principals and Superintendents in Montana are required to hold a Class 3 Administrative License with the proper endorsement as K-12 Principal or Superintendent respectively.

When a person is hired by a school district as a Principal or Superintendent who has not completed the necessary courses for Licensure and/or Endorsement, a Montana Board of Public Education Administrative Internship may be available.

Course Information

Students who hold a Master's Degree and Principal License need the following four courses and may need additional courses from the second list below:

EDLD 653: School Personnel Administration
EDLD 656: Economics of Public Education
EDLD 657: Facilities Planning
EDLD 658: School Public Relations for Superintendents

Students who do not yet have a Principal License must complete the Principal Licensure requirements prior to applying to the Superintendent Licensure program. Students who wish to obtain Principal and/or Superintendent Licensure must also hold a Master's Degree.

EDLD 550: Foundations of Educational Leadership
EDLD 551: Foundations of Curriculum Leadership
EDLD 552: Supervision & Evaluation of Public School Teachers
EDLD 554: School Law
EDLD 556: Finance of Public Education
EDLD 559: Public Relations for Principals
EDLD 567: K-12 Leadership
EDLD 568: K-12 Curriculum & Instruction

Field Experience

Each student will be required to perform and document a minimum of 27 hours of field experience per required course. The field experience hours do not carry additional credits and must be completed prior to recommendation for licensure. These field experiences must align with the six Montana PEPP standards with a minimum of 20 hours related to each standard. More information is available on the Field Experience page under the Student Resources page.

Critical Tasks for Completion

Prior to your final semester:

  1. Contact your advisor to be sure you are preparing to complete all required courses and all field experience requirements.
  2. Complete the Certificate Program Graduation Application through the Graduate School.
    1. The completion and submission of this form will make it so your licensure certificate program is listed on your official UM transcripts.
    2. Certifcate program graduates do not walk during the UM/EDLD graduation ceremony.

Apply for Your Superintendent Endorsement

After successful completion of the Superintendent Licensure Certificate Program requirements:

  1. Contact the Licensure and Assessment Manager, Kristi Steinberg, to initiate paperwork to obtain a Montana Class 3 Administrative License with a Superintendent Endorsement
  2. Approximately 6 weeks after the degree award date students review their final transcript to be sure that it is an accurate record of their academic history. Students can print their own unofficial transcript using Cyberbear.

The Superintendent Licensure Certificate Program through the Department of Educational Leadership provides the necessary courses and requirements for a Superintendent Endorsement. Multiple endorsements will require more hours of coursework.

Superintendent Licensure Application Requirements

Please visit the Application Requirements page for more information.

Consumer Information on Gainful Employment

For more information

For administrative licensure questions, please contact our college's Licensure and Assessment Manager, Kristi Steinberg at kristine.steinberg@umontana.edu or 406.243.2121.