SWAGÊÓƵ

The Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC) is a fifteen (15)-credit certificate designed to help students advance their teaching abilities and cover a range of educational and leadership topics.

The goal of the Post-Master’s Certificate is to prepare students to:

• Lead schools, programs, and classrooms in a humanistic, caring manner.
• Demonstrate professional responsibility and ethical decision-making.
• Meet the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL):
  • Standard One (1). Mission, Vision, and Core Values
  • Standard Two (2). Ethics and Professional Norms
  • Standard Three (3). Equity and Cultural Responsiveness
  • Standard Four (4). Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
  • Standard Five (5). Community of Care and Support for Students
  • Standard Six (6). Professional Capacity of School Personnel
  • Standard Seven (7). Professional Community for Teachers and Staff
  • Standard Eight (8). Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community
  • Standard Nine (9). Operations and Management
  • Standard Ten (10). School Improvement

All programs at the SWAGÊÓƵ are accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

Post-Master’s Degree Graduate Certificate

The SWAGÊÓƵ offers a fifteen (15)-credit certificate program that allows students to customize their program by selecting electives from different topic areas in education such as curriculum, literacy, educational leadership, and inclusion for teachers looking to advance their education career. Please contact your state’s Department of Education for specific certification requirements.

Post-Master’s Certificate

Select any five (5) of the electives listed below. Please contact your state’s Department of Education for specific certification requirements.

Attendance policy

Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 p.m. of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean’s Office. 

Course Withdrawal Policy

Add/Drop Period

A student may add or drop a course during the time frames published on the SWAGÊÓƵ Academic Calendar. Courses dropped during the add/drop period will not appear on a student’s official transcript.

Course Withdrawal Period

A student may withdraw from a course after the add/drop period has ended through the designated withdrawal deadline, which is approximately at the 60% point of the course's length. The withdrawal period for each semester and session is published on the SWAGÊÓƵ Academic Calendar.

Grade for the Course Withdrawal

A course withdrawal during the withdrawal period results in a grade of W, which will appear on a student’s official transcript. The grade of W is awarded only if a student has submitted a completed Course Withdrawal Form to the Registrar’s Office by the deadline. A W grade does not impact the term or cumulative GPA.

Consultation Before a Course Withdrawal

Before deciding to withdraw from a course, students must consult their Program/Academic Director and are encouraged to discuss the situation with the instructor. 

International students must obtain the approval of the Office of Global Education, as withdrawals may affect visa status.

Students are strongly urged to consult with Student Financial Services, as course withdrawals may affect financial aid or Veterans benefits. 

Course Withdrawal Process

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must submit a Course Withdrawal Form, signed by their Program/Academic Director and Office of Global Education (if applicable), to the Registrar’s Office before the Course Withdrawal deadline.

Ceasing to attend classes or notifying the instructor does not constitute an official withdrawal.

Late Withdrawal

Requests to withdraw from a course after the withdrawal period will only be considered in extreme circumstances. To request a late withdrawal, a student must consult with their Program/Academic Director and submit a completed Academic Petition stating the extenuating circumstances and a letter of support from an advisor, faculty member, or Program/Academic Director to the College’s Dean’s Office offering the course for consideration. 

If approved, a W grade will appear on the transcript, not impacting the GPA calculations.

Late withdrawal petitions must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the last day of the class.

Note: All deadlines, procedures, and policies related to course withdrawal are subject to the guidelines specified on the SWAGÊÓƵ Academic Calendar.

Minimal Grade Point Average

Matriculated graduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) or better. Failure to do so will result in academic probation and possible termination from the program. Any student receiving a grade below B- on any individual course has failed that course and must re-enroll and repeat the course to achieve a grade of B- or better. Students receiving a grade of F in any course will be immediately placed on academic probation. Any student who receives a grade of F in two (2) courses is dismissed from the program.

Dismissal from the Program

Termination from the program may occur when the Education Program Director becomes aware of one (1) of the following:

• Surrender of a teacher license in any jurisdiction for disciplinary reasons.
• Documented academic dishonesty (Note: this also includes course online postings and email communications with faculty and staff. Students are advised that their behavior while participating in the program should exemplify the ethical behavior of a professional educator with respect to all communications.)

Graduation Requirements

To complete the program and receive a Post-Master’s Certificate or Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study, a student must:

• Complete all program requirements
• Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0
• Pay all tuition and fees

Leave of Absence (Academic Stop Out)

Students may stop out of their program for up to two (2) semesters. Students need to coordinate stop outs in advance with their assigned Student Support Specialist, and stop out time is considered part of the time allotted to complete the academic program. Application for readmission is not necessary if the student returns as planned. However, the student who does not return at the specified time or who exceeds two (2) semesters of stop out will be administratively withdrawn and will be subject to readmission procedures. Readmitted students are subject to the re-admittance term’s catalog (this may mean that policies and/or program requirements have been changed or updated since previous admission, and should be reviewed for potential impact on degree requirements, time to complete the degree, and degree planning).

Re-admission

Students who have withdrawn from the program, either self-initiated or by administrative withdrawal, must reapply to the program if they wish to continue their studies. The application procedures, academic policies, and program requirements that are in effect at the time of readmission will apply.

Students who re-enroll following withdrawal will have their previous coursework evaluated for applicability to the existing academic requirements. Coursework that is more than five (5) years old may not be accepted for credit in the program.

Students will learn to:

• Apply research results to leadership decisions
• Describe the requirements of the PSEL standards
• Demonstrate a high degree of specialized knowledge and skills about school administration
• Exhibit leadership skills in an actual school administrative setting

Transfer credit cannot be accepted into the Post Master's Certificate or Certificate of Advanced Study - Advanced Educational Leadership programs or any other program leading to State of Maine certification.

Admission Requirements

• A master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution or its equivalent. See International Admissions for details regarding evaluation of international degrees for grade and degree equivalency.
• Applications are reviewed holistically as a determination of academic readiness. The admissions committee values previous academic performance as indicated on transcripts and considers it as part of the review process.
• Employed in an educational setting or ability to regularly access an environment where you can apply course concepts and strategies.
• Sufficient computer skills to navigate the worldwide web and effectively participate in an online program.
• Own or have regular access to a computer with internet connection and with appropriate hardware and software requirements.

Application Process

• Completed online application: 
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Goal Statement / Writing Sample
• Official transcripts reflecting conferral of a master’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution

Note: Transcripts for any coursework appearing as transfer credit on the transcript of the conferred degree can be waived if the coursework is unrelated to the degree being sought. The program admissions committee defines all coursework not eligible for waiver.

Procedures and Policies

• Applications for admission are accepted through SWAGÊÓƵ’s online application only. Detailed instructions are included in the online application.
• Official transcripts, as well as other documents to support the application, must be submitted to the College of Professional Studies, either electronically or sent to 716 Stevens Ave, Portland, ME, 04103.
• International applicants and applicants with international degrees must have their transcripts evaluated for degree and grade equivalency to that of a regionally accredited US institution. See International Admissions.
• All applicants to SWAGÊÓƵ must be able to understand and communicate in English to be admitted to the university. SWAGÊÓƵ accepts several methods of English Proficiency, see International Admissions.
• If an applicant cannot prove English Proficiency in another way, scores from the are required and must be submitted as a part of the completed application.
• All materials submitted as part of the application become the property of SWAGÊÓƵ and will not be returned or released to anyone, including the applicant. This policy includes letters of reference, primary and secondary applications, personal statements, transcripts, and other supporting materials.

For additional information on the admissions process and requirements, please access the Post Master’s Certificate program website.

Policy Exceptions

The PMC program and the PMC Admissions Committee in collaboration with the College of Professional Studies reserve the right to make exceptions to the admissions criteria and to make changes or exceptions to policies and procedures, on a case-by-case basis, when it deems such a decision is necessary and appropriate.