Schools Need Devoted Leaders

Schools need dedicated principals. Are you ready to fill this role? Earn your Principal Certification online at East Texas A&M. Our year-long program equips you with the leadership, legal and administrative skills to excel. You must currently hold a master’s degree to qualify for this program, you must currently hold a master's degree. We also offer a 30-hour Master of Educational Administration with Principal Certification option for those seeking a graduate degree.

My greatest satisfaction is to see a teacher, who may not have previously seen themselves in a leadership role, realize their own potential to lead.
Elsa Villarreal, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Principal Certification Coordinator

Admissions

Your Path to Becoming a Lion

You must currently hold a master's degree to qualify for this certification.

International students are not eligible for this program.

Graduate Step 1 Part 1

Submit Application

  • Create an account or login if you already have one
  • Complete your profile section first once you log into your account
  • Select “School Search” and select Texas A&M University-Commerce
  • Choose the semester you wish to begin
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  • Select “Principal Certificate” as your “Program.”

Domestic Application Fee 395064

  • Pay the $50 application fee.

Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.

  • After you submit your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email within two business days to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.
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Submit the following documents to your graduate coordinator after you receive an application confirmation email.

Graduate Coordinator DeRene Sutton 395159

Your Graduate Coordinator

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Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to your graduate coordinator.

  • We recommend that you request transcripts for all of your academic work.

All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.

We accept evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.

  • If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
  • If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.

If your institution is unable to submit a digital copy, hard copies may be mailed to:

East Texas A&M University
Attn: Graduate School
PO Box 3011
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011

We will need official/original documents. If those documents are the only copies you have, the Graduate School can mail them back to you upon request. Contact your graduate coordinator or more information.

Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.

Submit proof of current valid teacher certification

Submit a teaching service record including a minimum of one year of teaching experience.

Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status

  • Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.

Once your application to the Graduate School is complete, you can submit your Principal Certification Program Application right away using TK20. If you have any questions, please email your Professional Certification Coordinator.

Professional Certification Coordinator

Your Professional Certification Coordinator

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You will need to have the following documents ready for upload in order to submit the application:

  • Certification fee receipt
  • TEA Assessment fee receipt
  • Teaching service record
    • A minimum of one year of experience is required for admission to the master's degree-seeking path for principal certification.
  • Standard Texas Teaching Certificate
    • Note: Candidates on emergency permits, intern or probationary certificates will not be admitted.
  • Official transcripts from the Graduate Office will be reviewed by the certification office.
    • Official transcripts from all institutions must be submitted to the Graduate School in order to satisfy TEA certification admission requirements.
    • A minimum GPA of 2.75 on a conferred bachelor's degree OR a minimum 3.0 on the last 60 hours, OR a minimum 3.0 GPA on a conferred master's degree is required for admission.
    • A conferred master's degree from an accredited institution is required for admission to the principal certification-only program.
  • Two written screening activities will be completed as part of the application in TK20. Please write your essay and answer the short-answer questions carefully, as these screening activities will be used in determining admission to the program.
If applicable:
  • TEA Transfers
    • If you have previously been admitted to another educator preparation program for principal certification.
    • Request that a completed TEA transfer form be sent from your previous program to [email protected].
  • Transcripts from outside the United States
    • Contact [email protected] for any questions about TEA requirements for transcripts from outside the United States.
    • If your official transcripts are from institutions outside the United States and the country of origin is not exempt by TEA, send the following documentation to [email protected]:
      • A course-by-course evaluation from a TEA-approved Foreign Credential Evaluation Service
      • Minimum scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT). Please note that TOEFL scores are only valid for a period of two years. Required minimum scores are 24 for Speaking, 22 for Listening, 22 for Reading and 21 for Writing.
        • As of 3/4/2022, a valid standard Texas educator certificate will be accepted in lieu of TOEFL iBT scores.

  • Go to tamuc.tk20.com
  • Scroll down and click “Admissions”
  • Select “Click here to create your account.”
  • Complete the “Create Applicant Account” form.
  • Note: You will be creating a password for this account.
  • Store the password you create in a secure location so you can refer to it later.
  • After completing the “Create Applicant Account” form, TK20 will provide your username.
  • Store your TK20 username and password in a secure location so you can refer to them later.
    • You will use the username to log in to review your admission application once submitted.

  • Log into your TK20 account
    • Click on the “back to login” link.
    • Enter your username and password.
    • Click the green “Log Into Your Account” button.
  • Click on the “Create New Application” button.
  • Select “Principal” application
  • Click the “Next” button.
  • Complete the application.

  • Upload documents by clicking on the “+ Select File(s)” button for the item you are uploading.
  • Once you have completed all fields in the application, click the “Submit” button.
  • Look for an email from TK20 confirming your submission.

To check your application status:

  1. Log in to your TK20 Student Admissions account
  2. On the “Home” tab, locate your application under “Recent Messages”
  3. Click on the application.
  4. If you are admitted, the message will indicate your application was “Admitted”
  5. If you lack admission requirements, the message will indicate “Denied.”
    • Click on “Review Document” to view your deficiencies and reason(s) for denial.

Once accepted, please sign and return the “letter of invitation.” It will be returned to [email protected] and [email protected].

  • Apply for scholarships once you are admitted.
  • Contact your financial aid advisor with any questions.

Note: This program is not eligible for Federal or State loans or grants.

Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist is here to help you complete registration.

Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.

Graduate Enrollment Specialist Audrey Weiss 395278

Your Graduate Enrollment Specialist

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We are Here to Help!

Contact Us

  • Frank Young Education North, B113
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