Superintendent Letter of Eligibility Doctoral Certificate

Saint Joseph University’s Superintendent Letter of Eligibility (LOE) prepares transformational leaders in K-12 education who are committed to equity-oriented change. Housed in the Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Educational Leaders (IDEPEL), the LOE program has been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and is aligned with the National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) standards. There are three options for obtaining the LOE through IDEPEL: 

  • Current IDEPEL students already enrolled in a cohort (LOE requirements will be a part of their EdD coursework and no additional program fees are required) 
  • IDEPEL Alumni who completed the three required courses as part of their EdD program and only need to complete the 360 fieldwork hours. 
  • New students interested in pursuing the LOE without enrollment in the EdD cohort/program.
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What Sets Our Program Apart?

  • Saint Joseph’s Superintendent Letter of Eligibility Certificate is a unique program as not all education programs offer this PDE endorsed certificate program.

  • Students enrolled in this program will have the opportunity to complete 360 hours of supervised fieldwork evenly dispersed across the three semesters. Fieldwork hours are supervised by two people:an On-site Mentor who holds the LOE certification and a Saint Joseph’s fieldwork supervisor who oversees the fieldwork experience and compliance to state requirements.

What Can You Do with a Superintendent Letter of Eligibility Doctoral Certificate?

Our program’s coursework integrates theory and scholarship with practice, thereby highlighting the value of developing transformational scholar-practitioners who are equipped with the knowledge and skills to adapt to problems in real-world contexts. Graduates of this program can find career placements in:

  • K-12: building level leadership (e.g., principals, assistant principals, heads of school, curriculum supervisors, deans, teacher leaders), district level leadership (e.g., superintendents, assistant superintendents, subject matter supervisors

Program Details

  • View required courses for this program in the academic catalog Please contact us if you have any questions about the program curriculum.

  • Affordable tuition options start at $1,156 per credit.*

    *Pricing does not include room and board, health insurance or any professional, clinical or transportation fees. Visit our Tuition & Fees page or contact us for more information.

    Financial aid may be available to you to help offset the cost of your degree. Explore your options on our Financial Aid page.

    Discount Eligibility

    Saint Joseph's offers a 20% tuition discount to teachers in the Philadelphia School District, the Philadelphia Archdiocese network, and select surrounding school districts. Contact us to find out more about this discount and whether you qualify.

    Alumni of Saint Joseph's are eligible to receive 10% off the cost of this program through our alumni discount.

    Check with your employer to see if they are an Edcor or a Bright Horizons EdAssist member, which may entitle you to a discount on graduate programs. 

    Note: discounts cannot be combined.

Admission Information

  • To be considered for admission you must have a baccalaureate and master’s degree from a regionally or nationally accredited institution and have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

    • Apply online
    • Provide verification of six years of satisfactory school experience, of which at least three must be in a supervisory or administrative capacity.
    • Complete a Pennsylvania-approved, graduate-level superintendent certification program that includes an internship/practicum or an equivalent out-of-state program.
    • Provide evidence of satisfactory achievement on the Pennsylvania-required test.

    Visit our graduate admission information page to learn more about admission requirements, key deadlines and how to submit your application.

  • Graduate applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. New students may enroll in courses during the fall, spring or summer semesters.

    Start Terms:

    1. Fall: August 
    2. Spring: January 
    3. Summer: May

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