Field Experience
In order to develop highly skilled educational leaders, the Department of Educational Leadership aligns student field experience expectations with Montana Board of Public Education Professional Educator Preparation Program Standards (PEPPS) and the National Educational Leadership Preparation Standards (NELP).
Per Montana ARM 10.58.705(2), programs must require that “successful candidates to participate in clinical/field experiences, which may be completed for graduate credit, that provide at least 216 hours of significant opportunities to synthesize and apply the knowledge and practice and develop the skills identified in this rule through substantial, sustained, standards-based work in real settings, planned and guided cooperatively by the institution and properly endorsed school administrators."
Student Requirements
Principal Licensure
(M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Principal Leadership Certificate program completers)
For those admitted in Autumn 2025 and forward:
Please see the Principal Field Experience Guide for instructions and submit the Principal Field Experience Workbook to your faculty advisor upon completion. Faculty advisors must review and sign off on the workbook prior to licensure recommendation.
For those admitted before Autumn 2025:
This Excel workbook is intended for fieldwork documentation. Once complete, students should print this workbook and submit to their faculty advisor. School administrators and/or appropriate staff will need to verify your field experience by signing the individual activities or by verifying a group of activities. The completed workbook (fieldwork documentation) must be reviewed and approved by your faculty advisor prior to licensure recommendation.
Superintendent Licensure
(Superintendent Leadership Certificate program completers and Ed.S. and Ed.D. students completing superintendent licensure coursework)
For those admitted in Autumn 2025 and forward:
Please see the Superintendent Field Experience Guide for instructions and submit the Superintendent Field Experience Workbook to your faculty advisor upon completion. Faculty advisors must review and sign off on the workbook prior to licensure recommendation.
For those admitted before Autumn 2025:
This Excel workbook is intended for fieldwork documentation. Once complete, students should print this workbook and submit to their faculty advisor. School administrators and/or appropriate staff will need to verify your field experience by signing the individual activities or by verifying a group of activities. The completed workbook (fieldwork documentation) must be reviewed and approved by your faculty advisor prior to licensure recommendation.
Contact Us
Department of Educational Leadership
edld@mso.umt.edu
Phone: 406-243-4850
Fax: 406-243-2916