The Secondary Education program offers courses and fieldwork for students seeking an initial Pennsylvania Instructional I certificate, grades 7-12, in a specific academic area. The application deadline to the program is March 1st. Later applications may be accepted as program capacity allows. International students may be permitted to complete this program without certification if they have satisfied the teaching standards in their respective countries. Students in the program will pursue a Master of Science degree. Students working toward certification in grades K-12 Latin, French, German or Spanish will complete 36 credits. Students working toward certification in grades 7-12 Biology, Chemistry, Citizenship, Communication, English, General Science, Mathematics or Physics will complete 34 credits. These programs require 70 hours of field experience, a semester of student teaching, and pass a comprehensive examination. Applicants who do not possess an undergraduate degree in the outlined above content areas may be required to take additional undergraduate course work.
International students may be permitted to complete this program, however, upon graduation, they will not be eligible for certification in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania due to state regulations. International students accepted into this program will be accepted on probation. They must take nine (9) graduate credit hours and achieve a minimum grade point average of 3.00 at the conclusion of these 9 credit hours.
Program of Study for MS in Secondary Education
Students pursing the Master’s in Secondary Education must complete a total of 36 graduate credit hours, (Modern Languages and Latin) or 34 (remaining certification areas) graduate credit hours including 70 hours of field experience and a semester of student teaching, and pass a comprehensive examination.
Certification Areas: Biology, Chemistry, Citizenship with History, Citizenship with Political Science, Communications, English, General Science, Mathematics, Physics, Modern Languages and Latin.
Curriculum
For credit totals, please see bottom of grid.
| |
Courses |
Credits |
| Research Course Requirement (3 credits) |
|
|
| EFND 506 |
Educational Research and Statistics |
3 |
| Foundation Course Requirements (9 credits): |
|
|
| EFND 510 |
Interdisciplinary Assessment |
3 |
| EFND 516 |
Advanced Educational Psychology |
3 |
| EFND 521 |
Advanced Foundations of Education |
3 |
| Secondary Education Requirements |
|
|
| ESPC 501 |
Inclusionary Classroom Practices |
3 |
| ESPC 506 |
Education of the Exceptional Child |
3 |
| ESLS 503 |
Introduction to English Language Learners |
3 |
| ERDG 517 |
Literacy on the Secondary Level |
3 |
| ESEC 502 |
Planning and Instruction, Grades 7- 12 |
3 |
| ESEC 541 |
Subject Methods: Foreign Languages |
3 |
| ESEC 552 |
Subject Methods: Citizenship/ Communication/ English |
1 |
| ESEC 553 |
Subject Methods: Mathematics/ Science |
1 |
| ESEC 566 |
Secondary Classroom Management and Discipline |
3 |
| ESEC 565 |
Secondary Classroom Internship |
3 |
| |
|
|
| Total Credits for Secondary Education Certification in Biology, Chemistry, Citizenship with History, Citizenship with Political Science, Communication, English, General Science, Mathematics, Physics |
|
34 credits |
| Total Credits for Latin and Modern Languages |
|
36 credits |
Student Teaching and Praxis
Application for student-teaching must be uploaded into Taskstream. Students must pass the requisite Praxis Subject Assessment test(s), which are mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, prior to student-teaching and upload the score into Taskstream. The due dates for submitting student teaching application and Praxis scores are provided below. Taskstream will not be available for submitting applications after the established dates and time.
| Deadlines for: |
|
| |
Student Teaching Application |
Submission of Praxis Scores (Praxis II for MS Secondary Education or Fundamental Subjects for MS Special Education) |
| Spring |
No later than October 1, 11:59pm for student teaching during the following spring semester |
No later than January 1, 11:59pm prior to the spring student teaching semester |
| Fall |
No later than March 1, 11:59pm for student teaching during the following fall semester |
No later than August 1, 11:59pm prior to the fall student teaching semester |