Elementary Education (M.Ed.) with Certification (Fall 2008)
Administered by the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
Effective Fall 2008
Admission
Applicants must satisfy the general admission requirements for the School of Graduate Studies.
Meet with the program coordinator to clarify program requirements, review academic records and outline a plan for completing degree work.
All students must take the PRAXIS I - Pre-Professional Skills Tests (PSST):
- 10710 PPST Reading
- 20720 PPST Writing
- 10730 PPST Mathematics
Students may take the Miller Analogies Test. Waivers may be granted to students who score lower but have excellent academic records.
Students will be required to complete five days of classroom observation and 14 days of on-site, in-the-classroom participation working with a teacher(s).
Students will also complete and pass a screening examination, have three letters of recommendation on file, complete Act 34 and 151 clearances and possess recent TB test results.
Program leads to Instructional Level I Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education (K-6)
Retention
Students must maintain a minimum QPA for 3.0 throughout their program. Courses in which a B- or lower are obtained must be repeated with a grade of B or higher. Nine graduate credits may be transferred into the program from another accredited institution. Students must complete at least six to nine credits per calendar year (July 1 to June 30 of the proceeding year) for retention in the master's program.
Requirements
Core courses (15 credits)
60.501 Major Philosophies of Education or 60.584 Curriculum Theory, Design and Development
Choose one of the following five courses:
- 60.504 Technology for Teachers
- 60.512 Educational Media and Software
- 60.515 Integrating Technology into Teaching
- 60.516 Computers and Curriculum
- 60.522 Internet for Teachers
- 60.506 Multicultural Education or 79.593 Human Diversity
- 60.514 Home, School and Community Relations or 60.502 School and Society
- 79.590 Research in Education or 62.590 Current Research and Development in ECE
Specialty Core (30 credits)
62.521 Elementary School Curriculum or 62.524 Knowledge and the Curriculum in the Elementary School
62.530 Environmental Education for Elementary Teachers
62.526 Methods and Materials in Science and Mathematics
62.527 Social Studies in the Elementary School
62.528 Language Arts in the Modern Elementary School
62.537 Methods and Materials in Language Arts and Social Studies
60.533 Measurement and Evaluation in the Elementary School or 79.501 Teaching, Learning, Assessment
63.540 Introduction to the Teaching of Reading
70.506 Introduction to Early Intervention or 70.516 Introduction to Exceptional Individuals
Electives
62.594 Practicum (6) - Students may have one or two teaching experiences: primary and intermediate, depending on their levels of expertise or certification. This may result in one eight-week experience or two eight-week experiences. Each student will develop a practicum proposal and have it reviewed by the program coordinator a semester prior to student teaching. A student may elect to take 12 credits at the undergraduate level if student teaching has not been previously taken. In either situation, the graduate student must prepare a plan for the practice of teaching portion of their program.
79.561 Urban Center Practicum (3) - This course provides a specialized field experience for students desiring to experience and learn about inner-city schools and urban education. Emphasis includes the learning development of children and adolescents, effective instructional and management strategies, characteristics of community and family involvement, and community volunteer work. Schools selected will be in an urban environment. (The course is currently written for Philadelphia and Bethlehem as the urban areas.) Field assignments will be based on the student's major and area of interest.
All students seeking a master's degree in elementary education with instructional level I teaching certificate (K-6) are required to demonstrate competency in writing skills by completing an in-depth research paper. This may take the form of a departmental paper or thesis. The research paper must follow the style format of the publication manual of the American Psychological Association (APA). A five-chapter format is preferred.
Departmental papers must be read and approved by the student's adviser and one other member of the graduate faculty. A thesis may be completed as a six-credit elective option or additional course work beyond the 51-credit minimum, making the candidate's total graduate program equal 57 credits. All theses must meet the requirements of the School of Graduate Studies.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education requires all certification applicants to pass the Praxis Series of Examinations (NTEs) for certification. It is the graduate student's responsibility to register, complete and earn a passing score on the examinations.
All program requirements are to be completed within six years after admission into the program, Courses older than six years will not meet degree requirements. All deficiencies, tests if applicable, monetary and academic requirements must be satisfied before the degree can be granted.