$500 Priority Submission Scholarship
New students who submit their completed application by Monday, December 23, 2024, will receive a $500 scholarship toward their first course starting in January 2025 (Spring 1). Apply now.
Online Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) in Educational Leadership
100 Percent Online Coursework | DESE-Approved Administrative Licensure Pathway | PAL Preparation
Shape the Future of Education: Gain Leadership Skills With a CAGS in Educational Leadership
Merrimack’s online Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) in Educational Leadership is a post-master’s program designed for educators seeking a leadership role in schools, including principal and assistant principal in public or private institutions.
You’ll explore current issues facing educators regionally and nationally — and acquire practical tools to improve student performance, teacher effectiveness and school- or district-level outcomes.
Whether you’re looking to obtain administrative licensure or update your leadership skills to align with current standards, Merrimack’s CAGS in Educational Leadership could be a perfect fit.
Quick Facts:
- DESE-approved for school principal and assistant school principal licensure preparation.
- Aligns with the Educator Evaluation system.
- 100 percent online coursework.
- No GRE or GMAT is required.
Tell me more about Merrimack’s Educational Leadership Programs
Choose the pathway to school leadership that works for you.
Principal/Assistant Principal Licensure Track
This 36-credit post-master’s program is designed for students seeking principal/assistant principal licensure and who are currently employed in a Massachusetts public or private school. The program requires 500 hours of field experience with a licensed administrator/supervisor and includes preparation for the PAL performance assessment for administrative licensure through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Graduates of this pathway are endorsed for licensure by Merrimack College.
Non-Licensure Track
This 36-credit post-master’s program is for students seeking leadership positions that do not require licensure or for students who plan to complete their required field experience outside of the program. Students can choose elective coursework to prepare for the PAL performance assessment. Graduates of this pathway are not endorsed for licensure by Merrimack College.
Performance Assessment for Leaders (PAL) Preparation
This 16-credit non-degree program is designed for students seeking help to prepare for the PAL performance assessment required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for administrative licensure. Credits qualify for professional development. Graduates of this pathway are not endorsed for licensure by Merrimack College.
Job Outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are nearly 10,000 education administrators (K–12) employed across Massachusetts.
Education Administrators, K–12, Massachusetts
$122,500
Annual median salary
CAGS in Educational Leadership Online Coursework
CAGS in Educational Leadership: Principal/Assistant Principal (Licensure Track)
Core Requirements (20 credits)
Complete the following five required courses:
- School, Family and Community Partnerships (CME 6420)
- Transformative and Collaborative Leadership (EDU 6920)
- Leadership Through School Improvement (EDU 6930)
- Leadership Teacher Effectiveness (EDU 6940)
- Innovative Leadership (Administrative Practicum & Seminar)
Elective Courses (16 credits)
Complete the following four elective courses:
- Education Law and Policy (EDU 6476)
- Advanced Leadership and Policy in Education (EDU 6907)
- School Finance and Operations (EDU 6910)
- Instructional Leadership for Diverse Learners (EDU 6950)
Practicum (Field Experience)
Students seeking Massachusetts licensure complete a 500-hour practicum under a Massachusetts-licensed administrator/supervisor.
CAGS in Educational Leadership (Non-Licensure Track)
Core Requirements (20 credits)
Complete the following five required courses:
- K–12 School & Family Engagement (EDU 6420)
- Education Law and Policy (EDU 6476)
- Advanced Leadership and Policy in Education (EDU 6907)
- Transformative and Collaborative Leadership (EDU 6920)
- Innovative Leadership (Capstone) (EDU 6960)
Elective Courses (16 credits)
Choose 16 credits from the following or from other graduate programs in the School of Education and Social Policy:
- School Finance and Operations (EDU 6910)
- Leadership Through School Improvement (EDU 6930)
- Leadership Teacher Effectiveness (EDU 6940)
- Instructional Leadership for Diverse Learners (EDU 6950)
Performance Assessment for Leaders (PAL) Preparation
Core Requirements (16 credits)
Complete the following courses:
- Leadership Teacher Effectiveness (EDU 6940)
- K–12 School & Family Engagement (EDU 6420)
- Transformative and Collaborative Leadership (EDU 6920)
- Leadership Through School Improvement (EDU 6930)
“It’s a very practical approach. I’m getting relevant experience and developing the specific skills I need to become an administrator.”
– Lindsay Ordway, CAGS in Educational Leadership, ’20
Faculty Spotlight
Marie E. Galinski, Ed.D.
Dr. Galinski is a graduate of Merrimack College. She completed her M.Ed. in School Administration at Salem State College and her Ed.D. in Administration and Supervision at Northeastern University. She currently holds Massachusetts licensure as a superintendent/assistant superintendent, principal and teacher.
Dr. Galinski began her career as a teacher working in private and public schools. She has also served as a principal in private and public K–12 schools. She became assistant superintendent and then superintendent in the Beverly Public Schools district in 2004. She retired from public education in 2013 and came to Merrimack College, where she started a second career as a professor in the School of Education and Social Policy.
Dr. Galinski served for eight years as a full-time associate professor of practice in the School of Education and Social Policy. She directed the Graduate Teacher Education Program, the Teacher Education Fellowship Program and the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS). Since 2021, she has been an adjunct professor and program director for the CAGS program.
Key Dates and Deadlines
This program enrolls three times a year. Each term is eight weeks.
It’s Easy to Apply Online
A complete application includes:
- Online application (no fee).
- Official college transcripts from all institutions attended.
- Resume.
- Two letters of reference. If applying for the licensure track, one reference must be from a principal or other administrator and include the individual’s license number, years of experience working under that license and level of licensure.
- Interview with the program director.
Program requirements:
- Master’s degree in education or an education-related field.
- 3.0 GPA.
- Minimum three years as a teacher, administrator or supervisor in a public, private or higher education setting.
- GRE and GMAT scores are not required.
Tuition and Financial Aid
CAGS in Educational Leadership
36 credits
Performance Assessment for Leaders (PAL) Preparation
16 credits
$600
per credit*
*Tuition is based on the 2024–2025 academic year.
Tuition and fees are subject to change annually.
Additional program fees may apply.
Financial Aid
As a graduate student, you may qualify for federal loans. We strongly encourage all eligible graduate students to apply for federal financial aid, even if they don’t demonstrate an exceptional financial need.
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Merrimack College’s FAFSA school code is 002120.
Employer Tuition Assistance
Merrimack accepts employer financial/tuition assistance. We also offer partnership discounts. Contact us or ask your employer whether your organization is an official partner with Merrimack’s online programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your letters should come from supervisors in the education field and highlight your professionalism, leadership and ability to succeed in an advanced degree program. For students seeking licensure, one letter must be from a principal or other administrator on-site who agrees to monitor the candidate’s 500-hour practicum. The individual should include their license number, years of experience working under that license and level of licensure.
CAGS Leadership Licensure Track:
Ideal for students who seek Principal PK–8, 5–12 licensure, are employed in a Massachusetts public or private school, want to complete their 500-hour practicum within the program and be endorsed for licensure by Merrimack College.
CAGS Leadership Non-Licensure Track:
Ideal for students who plan to do an internship/apprenticeship on their own for licensure or who want to gain expertise in leadership to pursue positions in schools other than principalship.
PAL Preparation Program:
Ideal for students who do not want or need a full, 36-credit program but would like help preparing for PAL assessments and plan to do an internship/apprenticeship on their own.
For the 36-credit CAGS, if you take one course each semester, it will take two years. If you take two courses each semester, it will take 13 months.
PAL preparation courses run in the fall and spring only. If you take two classes each term, it will take 10 months. If you take one class each term, it will take 22 months.
The practicum consists of 500 hours of field experience completed over the course of the program (one to two years), depending on the student’s schedule. Students secure their own practicum site and must have a letter of verification from their site supervisor (principal) that states that they are willing to supervise the student. The supervisor must have a valid initial or professional Massachusetts license at the level that the student seeks and have worked under that license for a minimum of three years.
Yes, courses are online and alternate between synchronous and asynchronous meetings.
Merrimack College
Accolades and Accreditation
At Merrimack College, we’re proud of our long history of providing quality degrees to students entering the job market. Our faculty are more than just teachers. We are committed to helping you grow — academically, personally and spiritually — so that you may graduate as a confident, well-prepared citizen of the world.
U.S. News & World Report | Best Regional Universities North (2024)
- Most Innovative Schools (No. 14)
- Regional Universities North (No. 33)
- Best Undergraduate Teaching (No. 31)
- Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (No. 86)
(at schools where doctorate not offered) - Best Colleges for Veterans (No. 14)
- Best Value Schools (No. 47)
NECHE-Accredited
- Merrimack College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
Tell me more about Merrimack’s online programs.