FAQ’S for The Administrative Internship in School District Leader and School District Business Leader
When can I complete my Internship?
Students need to have successfully completed 12 credit hours prior to registering for EDA 690 and EDA 690L, the Internship course for the SBL SDL and Masters. Students completing an SDBL will register for EDA 595 ( five credits) and EDA 690L (0 credits) . Most students wait until all other coursework is completed prior to registering for EDA 690 and EDA 690L.
How do I choose my Internship site?
NYS requires 600 Internship hours, 300 at the building level and the remaining 300 at the district level for SBL, SDL and master’s students. At Canisius, this Internship is an 8 credit course. Students can elect the location of the Internship experience based upon convenience, the place the Mentor with whom she/he wishes to work is employed, or a school/district in which the student has interest.
Are there differences between the requirements for the Internship for an SDBL?
Yes. The SDBL internship is 375 hours or five credits. Students work at one district office location. Consideration is given to candidate work history when completing the SDBL internship EDA 595 and EDA 690L.
What if I need help finding an Internship location?
Contact the Director of the Graduate Education Administration Program, Dr. Keller-Cogan at 716.888.2596 or @email and she will assist you with this process.
How do I register for EDA 690, EDA 690L and EDA 595?
Unlike other courses, students must request registration through Dr. Keller-Cogan by emailing her at @email
In that email students must:
- Request to register for EDA 690 and EDA 690L OR EDA 595 and EDA 690L
- Provide the Student ID number
- Identify the number of hours in the semester and the number of credits the student intends to complete. Most students work full-time and therefore register for 300 hours and 4 (of the 8 required) credits in one semester, then do the same the following semester.
- Attach the completed DASA (Dignity for All Students Act) form located in Appendix A in the Internship Handbook
- Attach the completed Internship Profile (Appendix A in the Handbook)
- Attach a Primary Internship Site Profile (also Appendix A)
Other than the hours, will I need to complete any other assignments on my Internship?
Yes. There are several. Each is described in the respective Internship Handbook. There are two Internship Handbooks. One for the SBL, SDL and master’s students; the second for the SDBL students.
How do I obtain an Internship Handbook?
Download the appropriate handbook below:
How should I use the Internship Handbook?
The Handbook provides a thorough review of each step of the Internship process, the parameters to abide by when choosing an Internship site as well as the standards, learning outcomes, rubrics and documentation that students need to complete the process. Additionally, once students have completed their Internship and are ready to take the NYS licensing exams, the Handbook provides support for this process. Finally, when I student has completed all necessary steps, the Handbook, contains the Program Code to request certification through TEACH.
MAKE A HARD COPY OF THE HANDBOOK- STUDENTS WILL NEED TO REFERENCE IT REPEATEDLY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
Before I start the Internship, is there something I need to do for the course?
Yes. Students must review all documentation that will be submitted at the conclusion of the Internship. The longest and most involved submission is the Day-to-Day Experiences. Students should also review the rubric that will be used to assess the documentation and be mindful of what is required in each category to receive full credit.
Additionally, EDA 690L is a required non-credit Lab course. In it students receive practical information needed to guide their work through the Internship and up to and including NYS certification.
While I am completing my Internship is there work, I am expected to complete?
Yes. Students should consider the Day-to-Day Experiences like a journal and keep accurate detailed records of the work that was completed on a weekly basis. Students also need to identify what improvements could have been made in each of the 25 Experiences and in each of the six Extended Leadership Experiences for the SBL, SDL and master’s and 11 experiences for the SDBL.
Students should carefully review the 31 components PRIOR to starting the Internship to ensure each is credibly addressed at the conclusion of the Internship.
Do I submit the required documentation after the building level experiences before I complete the district level experiences?
No. Students should submit all documentation at the end of the entire Internship experience. If students elect to only pursue a building level certificate (SBL) then all work should be uploaded to
What am I expected to submit when I am done with all of my hours?
Students should submit the following (all of which is described in the Handbook):
- The letter from the Mentor on official letterhead detailing each required component described in the Handbook
- The completed Mentor Evaluation
- The completed Day-to-Day Experiences
- The completed Extended Learning Experiences
- The completed Intern Supervisor Checklist for Required Documents (Appendix 5)
- The completed Mentor Payment Form (Appendix 6) and a completed W9. THESE FORMS REQUIRE THE MENTOR’S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. Email them to Dr. Keller-Cogan at @email
Once I submit all of the above, what happens next?
The work will be scored and returned to the student. Once all of the work has been completed successfully, students will receive a P for EDA 690 and EDA 690L or EDA 595 and 690L
Other than completing the coursework, what else do I need to do to graduate?
Students must request Endorsement through the link located on the student’s Griff Audit. All work must be completed prior to this occurring, including the required six-hour DASA training.
I have a job in a private and/or Charter School as an administrator where I’ve worked full-time for five years. Do I still have to complete an Internship?
Possibly not. Students who are currently employed in either of the above can apply for an Internship Waiver through the Director of Education Administration. Students will be asked to submit detailed information and numerous records that will be reviewed to determine how many, if any, hours of the Internship can be waived.