2003 - 2004 Master of Education (MED)
Philosophy Statement | Program
Description | Admission | Program
Requirements | Combined
Masters/Licensure Program | Retention
in the Program | Academic
Probation and Suspension Policy | Program
Structure | Specializations | Endorsements:
Reading | Distance
Learning | ESL | Course
Descriptions
Program Director: David Stokes
The college offers a graduate education program leading to a Masters
Degree in Education (M.Ed.). Individuals must be interested in pursuing
an advanced degree that is humanistic and developmental in its perspective
and which has an instructional focus. Commitment to professional growth
is a prerequisite.
Philosophy Statement
The Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree program at Westminster College
is committed to improving education through meaningful inquiry and innovative
exploration of the connections between teaching practice, beliefs and
reflectivity. We emphasize the joining of theory and practice as a means
to the personal transformation of teacher professionals and the institutions
they represent.
The standards of the curriculum reflect the School of Education's commitment
to provide a well-rounded education congruent with the needs of master
teachers and other instructional professionals. These standards include:
Pedagogy: Students will engage in activities that help to bridge theory
and practice by applying theoretical knowledge to field practices; they
will acquire and enhance skills in communication, subject area content,
and instructional methodologies and technologies.
Critical reflection: Students will grapple with the social, political,
and moral implications of educational practices through dialogue, written
formats, technological productions, and a variety of presentations.
Scholarly writing: Students will articulate thoughts in a clear, succinct,
and organized manner; they will apply appropriate conventions of grammar
and punctuation.
Research: Students will plan projects, search relevant professional databases,
collect data through interviews and other applicable methods, analyze
data, and complete and disseminate findings.
Collaboration: Students will work collaboratively with peers on activities
associated with each aspect of their program.
The program is part of a college community distinguished for commitment
to student growth and the exploration of scholastic development.
Program Description
The goals of the program are accomplished through courses, seminars and
research opportunities evolving within the areas of specialization in
the M.Ed. program. As such, each graduate student must select course work
in either the Diversity, Curriculum and Instruction, Technology, Organizational
Training, or Special Education area of specialization.
Though the M.Ed. program does not lead to teacher licensure, already
licensed students may gain a Basic Reading Endorsement, a Distance Learning
Endorsement, an English as a Second Language Endorsement, or a Special
Education Endorsement. Course work for both endorsements counts toward
a M.Ed. Additionally, students seeking licensure may enroll in the combined
masters/licensure program, which allows students to gain teaching licenses
while earning up to twelve hours of graduate credit towards their M.Ed.
Admission to the Program
Requirements for admission are (1) completion of a teacher education
program or (2) position as an instructor in staff development or (3) other
positions as appropriate to the focus of an advanced degree in instruction.
Individuals with a baccalaureate degree seeking initial teacher licensure
may qualify to take M.Ed. course work while completing licensure requirements.
A candidate for admission must submit the following materials to the
Office of Admissions:
- A completed Application for Graduate Admission form with a $30 application
fee.
- Evidence of a completed baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited
college or university or a recognized international college or university.
- Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education indicating
a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Completed graduate questionnaire.
- Three professional recommendations.
- A personal resume detailing professional work experience to include
relevant job titles, work experience, responsibilities, and related
activities.
Upon completion of these steps, the individual's application materials
are submitted to the Graduate Education Admissions Committee. Once accepted
to the M.Ed. Program, applicants must submit a $250 tuition deposit, which
guarantees a place in the entering class.
Provisional Admission
Based on a committee review of unofficial documents, students with completed
baccalaureate degrees may be admitted to the program on provisional status,
pending receipt of official copies of all necessary documents and completion
of the admissions process. These students will be permitted to register
for one semester on provisional status but must complete their files and
gain full admission before continuing the program in subsequent semesters.
Note: International students with baccalaureate degrees from countries
other than the United States must present a TOEFL score of 550 or above.
Program Requirements
A minimum of 32 credit hours is required for graduation. A maximum of
nine credit hours of graduate-level transcripted credit may be accepted
from another accredited college or university. The accepted course work
must fall within the guidelines of Westminster's Graduate Program in Education.*
Students must balance their programs with theoretical and elective courses
that blend with an area of specialization. Although a minimum of 32 credit
hours is required, students may desire, or need to complete, additional
hours to enhance their graduate degree. Planning this graduate degree
program is the responsibility of the student in collaboration with his/her
advisor.
*Certain Master of Professional Communication or Master of Business Administration
courses may meet graduate education program requirements. Students should
consult with their education advisors for specific information and refer
to the MPC and MBA sections of this catalog for course descriptions. Pre-approved
courses are listed at the end of this section.
Combined Masters/Licensure
Program
This program is designed for students who currently hold a bachelor's
degree and are seeking a graduate degree in Education along with a Utah
state teaching license in secondary, elementary, or early childhood education.
Students must meet the requirements for admissions into both the undergraduate
licensure and the Masters of Education (M.Ed.) programs.
Students in this program are permitted to complete four licensure course
requirements through M.Ed.-level courses:
EDUC 302 (fulfilled by MED 614 or 606 and EDUC 300L)
EDUC 303 (fulfilled by MED 672)
EDUC 315 (fulfilled by MED 601 or 602)
EDUC 320 (fulfilled by MED 610)
These graduate courses will also count toward completion of the student's
M.Ed., meaning that the student can complete up to 12 credit hours of
the 32 required to obtain an M.Ed. by the time the student finishes his/her
licensure course work.
Students are considered undergraduate while in the licensure program
even though they are taking some graduate-level courses. This may offer
financial aid options that are not available to graduate students. See
the Office of Financial aid for more information.
Retention in the Program
The student must:
- Design and file an acceptable program plan with the Director of the
Master of Education program.
- Maintain a grade point average of 3.00. Courses in which a grade of
B- or lower is awarded do not count towards graduation requirements.
- Complete the program within six years, or begin to lose credit for
courses older than six years.
Academic Probation and
Suspension Policy
Students in the Master of Education programs are expected to maintain
a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0. Students whose cumulative
grade point average falls below a 3.0 will be placed on academic probation.
Students placed on academic probation must earn a semester grade point
average of at least 3.0 the next semester in which they enroll. Probationary
students who fail to earn a semester grade point average of at least 3.0
that semester will be suspended from the M.Ed. programs.
Probationary students whose semester grade point average is 3.0 or higher
but whose cumulative grade point average still remains below 3.0 will
continue on academic probation. Probationary students whose cumulative
grade point average reaches 3.0 or higher will be returned to good academic
standing. To qualify for graduation, students must earn a cumulative grade
point average of 3.0 or higher.
Probationary students are required to meet with the M.Ed. Program Director
prior to enrolling for the upcoming semester.
Program Structure
The program has five components:
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Requirement Description
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I.
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Theoretical Constructs - MED 601 - 606, 614
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Students must take Theoretical Perspectives in Education (MED 606)
or Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Education (MED 614)
during their first year in the program. In addition, each graduate
student will take one other course (MED 601, 602, or 605) that develops
an understanding of cognitive growth and human development with
an emphasis upon the particular age and self-selected area of specialization
listed below.
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II.
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Area of Specialization - MED 607-678
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Each graduate student must select 9 credit hours of course work
in Curriculum and Instruction, Diversity, Organizational Training,
or Technology to examine appropriate instructional practices within
the context of a work environment. Courses to be taken in the area
of specialization must be approved by a faculty advisor as a part
of the program plan. See the listing below for classes included
in each area of specialization.
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III.
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Electives
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Each student must complete courses from the following:
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a.
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areas of specialization listed in #2 above.
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b.
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directed studies
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c.
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special topics courses outside their specialization
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d.
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course work pre-approved from other graduate programs
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IV.
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The Graduate Seminar - MED 650
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These seminars provide the student with opportunities to understand
the interrelated components of the program; to gain clarification
of procedures, processes, learning goals, writing and action research
skills, and activities; how to develop a project proposal; to build
a support group consisting of peers and an advisor; and to create
a network that facilitates the sharing of information, ideas, and
experiences among the students and instructional faculty. Seminars
are facilitated by faculty advisors who constitute a resource to
whom the students may turn for information, feedback, and support.
The seminar should be taken in the first year in the M.Ed. Program,
except for combined masters/licensure program students, who should
complete the seminar after completing licensure requirements. One
credit hour is given for Fall and for Spring semesters.
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V.
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Project or Thesis - MED 679-699
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Each student must complete a literature review, an action research
project, and a portfolio and submit all to the graduate faculty
for review and approval. The project and its format must be of high
quality and reflect significant work culminating the student's program.
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TOTAL HOURS FOR THE MED PROGRAM
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Areas of Specialization
When looking at the following areas of specialization, please note that:
- Transfer credit can only replace one course in the area of specialization.
- All MED courses act as electives.
- An asterisk* indicates a required course.
- Two asterisks ** indicate course can only be taken within an endorsement.
Curriculum and Instruction
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MED 607 Models of Curriculum
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3
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MED 612 Models and Processes of Literacy
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3
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MED 614 Historical and Philosophical Foundation of Education
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3
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MED 615 School and Politics
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3
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MED 620 ESL, Family and Community**
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3
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MED 621 Foundations of ESL Instruction**
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3
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MED 622 Language Acquisition and Assessment**
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3
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MED 623 ESL Methods I**
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3
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MED 624 ESL Methods II**
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3
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MED 625 Integrating Content for ESL Learners**
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3
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MED 630 Children's/Adolescent Literature**
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3
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MED 631 Writing in the Classroom**
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3
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MED 632 Assessment of Reading Processes**
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3
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MED 633 Diagnostic Teaching of Reading**
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3
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MED 651 Learner-Centered Environments
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3
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MED 656 Multicultural Curriculum Development
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3
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MED 658 Reading and Writing in the Content Area
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3
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MED 664 Assessment Models and Methods
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3
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Diversity
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MED 610 Diversity in Education*
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3
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MED 651 Learner Centered Environments
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3
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MED 656 Multicultural Curriculum Development
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3
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SPED 503 Roles of the Special Educator
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4
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Organizational Training
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MED 613 Adult Learning*
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3
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MPC 620 Organizational Communication
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3
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MPC 630 Visual Communication
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3
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MBA 602 Organizational Behavior
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3
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Note: MPC 620 or MPC 630 or MBA 603 is an acceptable elective for
this area of specialization.
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Special Education
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SPED 503 Roles of the Special Educator*
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4
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SPED 508 Principles and Application of Special Education Assessment
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4
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SPED 535 Methods of Instruction and Curriculum for K - 12 Special
Education I
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4
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SPED 540 Methods of Instruction and Curriculum for K - 12 Special
Education II
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4
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SPED 585 Behavioral Supports in Special Education
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4
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Note: SPED 590 Student Teaching in Special Education does
not count as MED credit.
SPED 508, SPED 535, SPED 540, and SPED 585 only count as electives
for those students in the special education Endorsement area of
specialization.
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Technology
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MED 672 Instructional Technology
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3
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MED 616 Information Technology
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3
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MED 618 Online Education: Teaching and Learning at a Distance
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3
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MPC 635 Design Principles and Desktop Publishing
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3
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Note: There is no required course in this area of specialization;
however, it is recommended students beginning their experience with
instructional technology take MED 672 before MED 616 or MED 617.
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Areas of Endorsement
Basic Reading Endorsement
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This program is designed for students who already hold a teaching
license and a bachelor's degree, and are seeking to become qualified
to be a reading teacher at the elementary or secondary level. This
endorsement is largely conducted during the summer. Students must
be admitted to the M.Ed. program.
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MED 612 Models and Processes
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3
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MED 630 Children's/Adolescent Literature
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3
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MED 631 Writing in the Classroom
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3
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MED 632 Assessment of Reading Processes
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3
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MED 633 Diagnostic Teaching of Reading
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3
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MED 658 Reading and Writing in the Content Area
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3
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These graduate courses will also count toward completion of the
Master of Education degree.
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The Distance Learning Endorsement
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This program is designed for students who already hold a teaching
license and/or bachelor's degree, and are seeking to gain a strong
background for teaching and learning through technology, exploring
the online environment as a teaching medium, and teaching through
the EDNET system. This endorsement is largely conducted during the
summer. Students seeking admission need to contact the MED Program
Director for details on the admissions process.
Students complete the following classes to gain the endorsement:
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MED 672 Instructional Technology
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3
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MED 616 Information Technology
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3
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MED 617 Instructional Design with Technology
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3
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MED 618 Online Education: Teaching & Learning at a Distance
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3
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MED 619 Distance Learning Field Experience
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1
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MED 610 Diversity in Education
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3
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These graduate courses will also count toward completion of the
Master of Education degree.
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English as a Second Language (ESL) Endorsement
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This program is designed for students who already hold a teaching
license and a bachelor's degree, and are seeking to become qualified
to be an ESL teacher at the elementary or secondary level. This
endorsement is largely conducted during the summer. Students must
be admitted to the M.Ed. program.
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MED 620 ESL, Family and Community
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3
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MED 621 Foundations of ESL Instruction
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3
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MED 622 Language Acquisition and Assessment
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3
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MED 623 ESL Methods I
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3
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MED 624 ESL Methods II
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3
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MED 625 Integrating Content for ESL Learners
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3
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Special Education Endorsement
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Students who select this area of specialization must complete the
full Special Education Endorsement program. Required Special Education
Endorsement course work will fulfill both the area of specialization
and 2 of the 3 elective requirements in the M.Ed. Program.
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SPED 503 Roles of the Special Educator
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4
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SPED 508 Principles and Application of Special Education Assessment
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4
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SPED 535 Methods of Instruction and Curriculum for K - 12 Special
Education I
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4
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SPED 540 Methods of Instruction and Curriculum for K - 12 Special
Education II
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4
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SPED 585 Behavioral Supports in Special Education
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4
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Note: SPED 590 Student Teaching in Special Education does not
count as MED credit.
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