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Principal's Qualification

Principal’s Qualification Program

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HomeProgram AreasAdditional Qualifications (AQ)Principal’s Qualification Program

Principal’s Qualification Program

The Principal’s Qualification Program (PQP) is an engaging, stimulating program designed to inspire future principals to lead and manage efficiently in contexts characterized by change and complexity.You'll be introduced to current research, research analyses, best practices for meaningful school improvement, and create Ontario-wide collegial networks for the future.

Based on the core topics set by the Ontario College of Teachers, Part One focuses on Leadership and School Operations, while Part Two shifts focus to Leadership and Change. Each part comprises six modules in a collaborative, supportive online environment, led by outstanding, practicing school principals who demonstrate the practical application of leading educational research in Ontario schools.

The program is open to teachers with five years teaching experience, qualifications in three divisions including Intermediate and a master’s degree or two specialists or one specialist and half a master’s degree.

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What You’ll Learn

Building on thinking from such world-renowned educators as Michael Fullan, Ken Leithwood and Lorna Earl you'll explore the interpersonal and intrapersonal dimensions of school leadership.

You’ll participate in plenary sessions with eminent educators and researchers, problem-based learning, simulations, case studies, and benefit from mentoring with practicing principals. To successfully complete Part 1, you’ll develop and receive approval for a 60 hour practicum project which must be completed before the end of the Principals Qualification Program Part 2.

With focus on Leadership and Change, in Part 2, you’ll continue exploring current research, research analyses and best practices for meaningful school improvement with your cohort. In addition to your successful completion of Part 1, you’ll complete a 60-hour leadership and educational practicum project required by the Ontario College of Teachers in order to successfully complete all requirements for the Principal’s Qualification program.

Who Should Enroll in this Program

Teachers with five years teaching experience, qualifications in three divisions including Intermediate and a master's degree or two specialists or one specialist and half a master's degree.

Most Commonly Related Occupations

Ontario Teachers

Program Overview

The Leadership Practicum must be approved within 2 months from the end of the PQP Part 1 course and completed within 2 years from the end of the PQP Part 2 course in order for to be recommended to the OCT for successful completion.

Program Length

6-months (3 months for each Part)

Format

Online

Class Size

Under 30 Learners

Course Duration

125 Hours

Effort

Varies

Total Investment

$969 per Course

Available Courses

The OISE/UT Principals Qualification Program provides learners with practical knowledge and information to lead in Ontario schools, and embodies the thinking of such world-renowned educators as Michael Fullan, Ken Leithwood and Lorna Earl. Outstanding practicing Principals, who demonstrate the practical application of leading edge educational research to leadership in today's Ontario schools, teach the program. The format for this engaging and challenging program includes an online portion, plenary sessions with eminent educators and researchers, problem-based learning, simulations, case studies, mentoring with practicing principals, and an examination of the interpersonal and intrapersonal dimensions of school leadership. The program is based on the core topics set by the College of Teachers, with Part One focusing on Leadership and School Operations, while the focus shifts in Part Two to Leadership and Change. Each part is comprised of six (6) modules and the first module of both Part One and Two is online, while the remaining five (5) are in class. Part of successfully completing Principals Qualification Program Part 1 requires learners to develop and receive approval for a 60 hours practicum project which must be completed before the end of the Principals Qualification Program Part 2.

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The OISE/UT Principal's Qualifications Program links candidates to current research, research analyses, best practices for meaningful school improvement, and creates Ontario-wide collegial networks for the future. In PQP Part 2, the focus shifts to Leadership and Change, again based on the core topics provided by the Ontario College of Teachers. In addition to the successful completion of Part One, a practicum, which is a 60-hour leadership and educational experience, is required by the Ontario College of Teachers to be completed by the end of the program in order for candidates to have successfully completed all requirement for Principals' Qualification Program Part 2.

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Frequently Asked Questions

More information can be found on this page of our website under “Available Courses”. Click on Part 1 or Part 2 to see specific information about each course.
We offer the PQP three times a year: Summer, Fall and Winter. If a course is currently open for enrollment, full course details will be visible on the PQP1 course page and PQP2 course page (under 'Available Courses' on this page). If a course isn’t currently open for enrollment, select the “Request Information” button on the course page to be notified via e-mail once the course is open for enrollment.
Please e-mail OISE CPL requesting a pre-assessment at oise.cpl@utoronto.ca. Provide your full name, 6-digit OCT number and course for which you would like to be pre-assessed (PQP Part 1). From there, an OISE CPL team member will determine your eligibility and follow up with you via e-mail. Supporting documentation, such as post-secondary transcripts, may be requested by OISE CPL to fully confirm eligibility.
Yes, you may still enrol in the PQP program, so long as you meet all of the pre-requisites before registering and are able to attend the live synchronous sessions that take place via Zoom. Please note that these sessions are in Eastern Standard Time, and so depending on your location, you may need to adjust accordingly. It is also important to note that the PQP program is rooted in the Ontario context and will be examining Ontario-specific frameworks and practices. Overarching subjects and themes may apply to the field of education at large.
It depends on course credits and allocation of credits. As a rule, 30.0 credits must count towards the Initial Teacher Education program, and any remaining credits can be counted as graduate degree credits. Here is an example to illustrate: A learner has taken a Master’s Degree consisting of 45.0 credit hours. It is cross-listed as their Initial Teacher Education program on their OCT certificate of qualifications (meaning it is listed under both 'Academic and Technological Qualifications' and under 'Program of Teacher Education'). The credit breakdown is as follows: - 30.0 credit hours must count towards the Initial Teacher Education Program - The remaining 15.0 credit hours count as graduate degree credits 15.0 credit hours is the equivalent of half the required credits for a Master's Degree. In this instance, the learner could meet the PQP pre-requisites based on having half a Master’s Degree + one Specialist Additional Qualification. The surest way to determine eligibility would be to send your post-secondary transcripts via e-mail to oise.cpl@utoronto.ca for review. If you choose to proceed without submitting transcripts to OISE CPL for review, you are proceeding at your own risk. The Ontario College of Teachers has your transcripts on file, and so if upon completion of the PQP they determine that your Master’s Degree does not meet the credit pre-requisites to take the PQP, they will not grant your qualification until you meet the outstanding requirements.
For Domestic teaching experience, a Supervisory Officer is defined as follows: - For a teacher employed by a District School Board of Education, this person is a Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent of the district. A Principal’s signature does not satisfy this requirement. - For a teacher employed by a private school, this person is the Ministry of Education official appointed to provide supervisory services for the school. A Principal’s signature does not satisfy this requirement. For international teaching experience, a Supervisory Officer is defined as follows: - The jurisdiction’s equivalence of a Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent - The Head of School Please note that OISE CPL does not have the authority to assess teaching experience. All teaching experience must be verified by the appropriate Supervisory Officer.
You are welcome to submit multiple teaching experience forms showing evidence of 5 years (970 days) of successful teaching experience. There are two approved forms that can be submitted: - The Certificate of Teaching Experience Form. Recommended for folks who have educational experience domestically in Ontario and Canada. This form can be found on the OISE CPL website under Resources > Forms. - The Statement of Successful Teaching Experience Form. Recommended for folks who have international teaching experience abroad. This can also be used for private school teaching experience. This form can be found on the Ontario College of Teacher's website.
We can accept out of province and/or international teaching experience, so long as it meets all of the following criteria: - The teaching experience was in a K-12 setting - You were a licensed teacher with the Ontario College of Teachers at the time you obtained said teaching experience OR - You were a licensed teacher in the other province and/or international country’s jurisdiction at the time you obtained the experience
Experience outside of the K-12 classroom does not count towards the PQP pre-requisites.
You can still apply to the PQP program even if you only have experience as an Occasional Teacher (OT) or as a Long-Term Occasional Teacher (LTO). However, please note that only having experience as an OT may lead to challenges in securing a mentor to oversee your practicum, given that you may not have had sufficient experience within one specific school. In this instance, you may need to ask multiple Principals or Vice-Principals within your network to find one that agrees to oversee your practicum. OISE CPL is not responsible for helping you secure a mentor and is unable to assist with this step. If you do not find a mentor to oversee your practicum, you may need to gain further teaching experience within a school and get to know the staff and community before being able to secure a mentor.
Learners enrolled in OISE’s Educational Leadership & Policy MEd through the Leadership, Higher and Adult Education department can take OISE CPL’s PQP1 and PQP2 as electives. However, you must meet all of the PQP pre-requisites prior to enrolling in the PQP courses. In your PQP1 application through OISE CPL, you will be required to specify that you are an OISE MEd candidate. From there, you will need to provide your UofT student number so that OISE CPL may confirm your enrollment in the Educational Leadership & Policy program. Upon completion of PQP1 and PQP2 through OISE CPL, you may request to have your final grades sent to the OISE LHAE department so that they may count both courses as electives towards your MEd completion.
Your application will appear as “incomplete” until OISE CPL reviews and actions the application. At that point, the application status will change.
If your PQP application status says “submitted”, it means you have successfully completed the application process. OISE CPL will now review your application to confirm your eligibility. You will receive an “Application Decision” e-mail from OISE CPL once processed. If we are missing information or require additional documentation to determine your eligibility, we will let you know and request it via e-mail. Please note: you are only approved to take a course once you have received an “Application Decision” e-mail from OISE CPL. If you begin the course before you receive the “Application Decision” e-mail, you are doing so at your own risk. If it is determined that you are not eligible to take the course, it will be recognized as professional development and will not be recommended to the Ontario College of Teachers upon completion. If your application status is “In Progress”, please login to the Learner Portal to complete your application and submit supporting documentation. Once submitted, OISE CPL will review your application to confirm your eligibility. You will receive an “Application Decision” e-mail from OISE CPL once processed.
You are expected to attend all synchronous Zoom sessions from start to finish and engage actively. What that looks like is participating in live discussion, contributing to breakout rooms, etc.
To complete the PQP practicum, you will need to secure a mentor. As per the OCT’s Guidelines, the practicum must apply to a school setting and be mentored by a practicing qualified principal or vice-principal. In this instance, “practicing qualified” refers to a certified member with the Ontario College of Teachers. If you do not have access to an Ontario College of Teachers certified principal or vice-principal, you may need to wait to complete your practicum until you have secured a mentor.
Yes, you are welcome to still complete the practicum and final report to have your PQP2 qualification recognized by the Ontario College of Teachers. There will be a fee of $120 + HST to support you in completing this project. Please e-mail us at oise.cpl@utoronto.ca for next steps.

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