Degrees for Education

Admission of Major in Elementary Education at University of New England, Westbrook College Campus Maine

Admission Requirements and Program Standards

Candidates for all undergraduate education programs not already possessing a bachelor’s degree must meet the core requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the requirements for their major. Elementary certification requirements for the major rests solely within the Department of Education. Secondary certification students and art education students must meet two sets of major requirements involving their content major as well as the requirements for professional certification. Hence, undergraduates seeking secondary or K-12 art certification should consult first with their content advisor and next with their education advisor within the Department of Education. An additional application form must be filed for those seeking secondary or art education certification, since an applicant must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in their content teaching area and all courses counted in the content teaching field must be passed with a “B” or better. Application forms may be obtained from the major advisor or from the secondary education/art education advisor in the Department of Education.

Each undergraduate student will be reviewed for admission to advanced standing when s/he has completed approximately 60 credit hours. Advanced standing is earned by achieving minimums of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in professional education courses with no course grade below a C; 3.0 in content area classes for those pursuing secondary or art education certification; and a 2.5 cumulative grade point average across all courses including the core curriculum and electives. Grade point averages will be calculated using only courses taken at UNE (the cumulative grade point average) and using transfer courses if accepted as a part of the professional program (the cumulative professional grade point average). Students who do not meet these grade-point average requirements must improve their grade-point average before continuing in education courses. If a grade below C is attained in a professional education course, that course must be retaken until at least a C is received before additional education courses can be taken. Also at the time of the 60-credit review, students must pass the Praxis I Pre-professional Skills Tests (PPST) or the Praxis I Computer-Based Test (CBT) using the state of Maine minimum scores. Undergraduate transfer students who bring in more than 60 transfer credits have up to one year to pass Praxis I or before the internship application deadline, whichever comes first. If Praxis I is not passed at the time of these deadlines, no further certification courses may be taken and if a student is at the point of internship, the application will not be accepted which automatically restricts the student from participating in the internship the following semester.

As of the October 1, 2006 application deadline for internships beginning the spring of 2007, all students must show evidence of passing Praxis II before the internship application deadline.

Students may obtain PPST registration information and Praxis II registration information from the Department of Education office or from the Educational Testing Service website.

In addition to these achievement requirements, students admitted to UNE’s teacher education programs are assessed systematically for the purpose of determining their professionalism and suitability for teaching. Students complete self-assessment questionnaires in each professional education course and these are reviewed by faculty. If serious reservations arise in two or more of the assessments, a committee will convene to determine a student’s continuance in the program. Finally, students must participate in the Professional Education Review Board (referenced later in this section of the catalog) at which competency in the ten Maine teaching standards must be shown.

All certification coursework including the internship should be completed within a five-year timeframe. A delay beyond the five years might warrant the retaking of course work. Furthermore, if state certification requirements change prior to your completion even within the five year timeframe, those changes must be incorporated into a revised plan program in order to meet state certification regulations.

Indiana University
Master of Arts for Teachers (M.A.T.)

Department of English and Linguistics
College of Arts and Sciences
Richard N. Ramsey, Chair
Michael S. Stapleton, Graduate Program Director
260-481-6770 ~ Fax: 260-481-6985
www.ipfw.edu/engl ~ Classroom-Medical Building 147

To earn this degree, you must complete at least 36 credits (courses are generally 3 credits each). You must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 or better in courses taken to fulfill degree requirements; no course with a grade below B will count toward the degree.

At least eight of your courses (normally 24 credits) must be graduate-level courses administered by the Department of English and Linguistics. These must include (1) a course in the English language or linguistics, (2) a course in rhetorical or composition theory, and (3) a course in ethnic or minority literature. At least five more courses must be elected from among the graduate offerings of the Department of English and Linguistics. Up to 12 of the 36 required credits may be elected from courses approved by the director of graduate studies, but administered by a department other than English and Linguistics. For example, if you are working toward certification, you may be able to count some of your education courses as electives for the M.A.T.

You may elect to write a master’s thesis (3–6 credits). If you do not write a thesis, you must complete a 700-level seminar. The M.A.T. program does not require you to demonstrate foreign language proficiency or to sit for a comprehensive examination.

To receive the M.A.T., in addition to completing these requirements, you must hold at least provisional public-school certification in English. You must complete all degree requirements within five years of your admission to the program.
Teaching Assistantships

Students in the M.A.T. program may qualify for appointment as teaching aides. Such appointments (with the title graduate aide) carry a stipend as well as partial remission of fees. Aides typically teach one or two sections of freshman or developmental composition.
Program Requirements
Core (9 credits)
A course in the English language or linguistics
A course in rhetorical or composition theory
A course in ethnic or minority literature
Electives administered by the Department of English and Linguistics (15–27 credits)
Approved electives from appropriate departments (0–12 credits)
Minimum (36 credits)

The Scholar Teacher Education Program (STEP) is a unique, five-year combined bachelor’s and master’s program that integrates field-intensive programs with a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences.

It prepares candidates to teach at the childhood (grades 1-6) and adolescent (grades 7-12) levels. Graduates who successfully complete the fifth year of the program are then eligible for New York State Department of Education certification in childhood or adolescent education.

All liberal arts subjects in the College of Arts and Sciences, with the exception of dance, are acceptable majors for STEP. Students may also major in psychology in the Gordon F. Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies. STEP students also take education courses and participate in field-based studies in elementary and secondary schools. After completing their undergraduate degree, STEP students immediately begin a master’s degree in childhood or adolescent education. Fifth-year students take a three-semester sequence (summer, fall, and spring) that includes student teaching or an internship to complete all requirements for certification.

Introduced in 1995, the STEP program is both comprehensive and economical. Students in this competitive program stay together as a group throughout the program. From the start, students are assigned faculty advisers to guide them in their course and field work.

The Geography Program at Illinois State is the second oldest in the country. It is a relatively small program, with nine full-time professors and one full-time instructor who emphasize undergraduate education. The department is one of sixteen departments in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Students may earn BA or BS degrees in Geography, or a BS in Geography Education. Regardless of the major track, students also develop and exercise critical thinking, writing, and quantitative skills. The major curriculum provides a balance between traditional liberal arts and technical and analytical skills. Technical skills in cartography and GIS are especially popular among our students.

All Geography majors, except those who student teach as their capstone experience, must complete at least four weeks (160 clock hours) of internship work. Almost all interns perform their assignments in the summer and work for more hours than the minimum because it is advantageous, both to the intern and the cooperating firm or agency, that the student be aboard for as long as possible.

Program Overview
The Master of Science in Education and Mathematics is offered by the College of Education in collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences. The Master of Science and Education degree is designed for students who wish to combine study of mathematics with education. Students have an advisor in both the College of Education and in mathematics who jointly plan and direct the program. Students must complete their culminating experience in mathematics.

Of Special Interest
Students seeking initial teacher licensure should consider enrolling in the Master’s of Secondary Education (LAMP) with a specialization in Mathematics.

Curriculum Information
The program features 12 hours in education, 21 hours in Mathematics or Mathematics Education, and 3 hours of thesis or project.

Internal Admissions Deadlines
Admissions are ongoing.

Program Overview
The Master of Arts in Education and History is offered by the College of Education in collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences. The Master of Arts and Education degree is designed for students who wish to combine study of history with education. Students have an advisor in both the College of Education and in the College of Arts and Sciences who jointly plan and direct the program. Students may complete their culminating experience in either education or history.

Of Special Interest
Students seeking initial teacher licensure in Social Studies should enroll in the Master’s of Secondary Education (LAMP).

Curriculum Information
The program features 12 hours in education, 21 hours in history or social studies education, and 3 hours of thesis, seminar, or project.

Internal Admissions Deadlines
Admissions are ongoing.

Program Overview
The Master of Science in Education and Geology is offered by the College of Education in collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences. The Master of Science and Education degree is designed for students who wish to combine study in geology with education. Students have an advisor in both the College of Education and in geology who jointly plan and direct the program. Students must complete their culminating experience in geology.

Of Special Interest
Students seeking initial teacher licensure should consider enrolling in the Master’s of Secondary Education with a specialization in science (LAMP).

Curriculum Information
The program features 12 hours in education, 21 hours in Geology or science education, and 3 hours of thesis or project.

Internal Admissions Deadlines
Admissions are ongoing.

Program Overview
The Master of Arts in Education and English as a Second Language is offered by the College of Education in collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences. The Master of Arts and Education degree is designed for students who wish to combine study in ESL with education. Students have an advisor in both the College of Education and in the College of Arts and Sciences who jointly plan and direct the program. Students may complete their culminating experience in either education or English as a Second Language.

Of Special Interest
Students seeking initial teacher licensure should consider enrolling in the Master’s of Secondary Education (LAMP).

Curriculum Information
The program features 12 hours in education, 21 hours in English as a Second Language or related field, and 3 hours of thesis, seminar, or project.

Internal Admission Deadlines
Admissions are ongoing.

We are a small but vibrant school housed in the Henry Kendall College of Arts and Sciences, allowing us to participate in the rich environment of the liberal arts and sciences. Our students engage in serious study of the theory and practice of education, see teaching as both art and science.

In our Teacher Education Program, we seek to develop graduates that, as professional educators:
• are experts in their subject areas;
• know how to teach; and
• act as public intellectuals.

By being experts in their subject areas, we mean that our graduates master the central concepts of their chosen major and minor, as well as develop the ability to think critically and speak and write clearly in the appropriate genres for their field of study. In addition, they have a foundation in the liberal arts and sciences that allows them to locate their subject area in historical, social, and philosophical context.

By knowing how to teach, we claim that our graduates master the art and skill of teaching through coursework and field-based experiences that integrate theory and practice. This includes general professional knowledge, general skills of teaching (setting up appropriate environments for learning, assessing student strengths and needs, planning for instruction for all students, implementing such plans, assessing student learning as a result of instruction, and reflecting critically on these activities), and specific skills of teaching their subject area.

By being public intellectuals, we intend that our graduates be driven by a reasoned, justified, and articulated philosophy of education and that they be critical and creative thinkers. They take seriously their role as citizens, servants, and leaders in our society, and behave ethically in all aspects of their lives. They also realize that they do not know everything they will need to know to be influential teachers and public intellectuals, and as a result have developed the skills and dispositions for lifelong learning. Most of all, as public intellectuals, they recognize and embrace this calling to create an impact beyond the classroom, one that filters into the broader community over the years.

Accreditation: The School of Education currently holds national accreditation through the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and state accreditation through the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation. We have Candidate Member status with the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC).

The College of Education is primarily a graduate and professional school dedicated to equity and excellence in education through the preparation and on-going renewal of education professionals, the promotion of social justice, the advancement of knowledge through research, and the connection of research to inform policy and improve practice. The College has four broad curricular areas: Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Educational Psychology, and Special Education. Degrees conferred are M.Ed., Ph.D., Ed.D., and M.I.T. Certificates can be earned in teaching (elementary, secondary, and special education), school administration (principals, program administrators, and superintendents), and school psychology. In addition, the College offers a B.A. in Early Childhood and Family Studies. In collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences, the College offers a minor in Education, Learning, and Society.

The College of Education at the University of Washington believes that an effective public education system for a diverse citizenry is the cornerstone of a democratic society. To that end, the College dedicates its resources to helping make an excellent education an everyday reality for every student in every community across the state and country. As part of a major university located in a metropolitan area, the College is able to work in collaboration with a number of school districts in the area to provide teaching, research, and field experiences for its students.