MASTER OF EDUCATION DEGREE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION Step 1: Admission to Graduate School (GSU Transition #1)
Applications for admission to the Graduate School can be obtained online. Application forms must be completed and returned with the required application fee to the Graduate School office.
Supporting
score reports, official transcripts of all undergraduate and
documents that are required include: GRE
graduate work completed, and three letters of reference. Persons seeking graduate credit must be admitted to the Graduate School before enrolling in courses at the university. Candidates admitted conditionally or provisionally must ensure that they are fully admitted within one semester. Step 2: Admission to M.Ed. Programs in Curriculum & Instruction or Special Education (GSU Transition #2) The program will actively recruit a talented pool of high quality and diverse teachers for the graduate program.
After formal admission to the School of Graduate Studies is achieved, the candidate
must apply for admission to the Department of Curriculum & Instruction. (GSU Transition #2). There is a process for screening and selecting graduate students for the program. Thus, admission to the School of Graduate Studies does not automatically confer admission to the department. Applications
will be screened by the Admissions Committee for the Department of Curriculum & Instruction. This committee will be comprised of graduate faculty and/or administrators who will screen for high quality candidates who possess the following:
a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university;
a minimum GPA on the last degree earned; copies of recommendation letters submitted to the School of Graduate Studies which should include two (2) from professional colleagues and/or supervisors and the
following: ¢
.
a valid Level I teaching certificate or license, or its equivalent at the state, national or
international! level; *
asample of work indicating high quality teaching demonstrating attention to the diverse needs of P-12 students in the candidate’s field;
°
evidence of the potential for professional growth as indicated by analysis of the interview,
¢
documentation of innovations, excellence, and creativity within the teaching field including projects, research or scholarship not already noted.
Occasionally, graduate candidates are granted conditional admission to the department with the deficiencies listed in writing. These must bescorrected within one semester. Candidates who fail to do so will be required to correct the deficiencies before they will be allowed to continue.
10
All applicants will
complete a dispositions inventory at this point, and at a possible point in the Transition system for analysis and documentation.
Candidates admitted will be assigned a permanent advisor with whom the graduate candidate will work to plan a course of study to allow the candidate to develop master teacher/reading specialist skills. Candidates will also have opportunities to collaborate and begin to practice leadership skills. The candidate’s course of study, core subjects, and concentration have been informed by the standards of National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Specific Professional Associations (e.g., CEC, ILA, ISTE, etc.), InTASC, Louisiana Believes Standards, COMPASS
Teaching), CAEP and SACSCOC.
(and Danielson’s Framework for
The plan of study becomes official when signatures of the graduate
student, advisor, department head, college dean, and graduate dean have been affixed.
The program
seeks to have candidates enter as a cohort, moving through the core classes together. Requirements for Regular Admission °
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. A minimum GPA on the last degree earned. Valid teacher certificate/license at the equivalent of Louisiana’s Level I certification from any state /nation (for international candidates) Scores from the interview and portfolio/demonstration on file. International candidates may have to submit transcripts to World Education Services (WES) for verification prior to enrollment at Grambling State University (www.wes.org)
Step 3: Permanent Advisor The Advisor
A permanent advisor will be assigned by the department head when a candidate is admitted to the program. The candidate is responsible for making initial contact with the advisor. Each semester, the candidate and advisor will meet to create or review the plan of study, either written or in DegreeWorks, plan
the
next
semester’s
courses,
and
sign
an
advisement
contract.
The
candidate
enrolls
then
himself/herself/themselves in courses in Banner, or informs the advisor if an override is needed. If the candidate makes any changes in the courses taken, s/he/they must inform the advisor within 24 hours of the change. There is a list of web resources for the graduate candidate, including forms that must be completed
in
a
timely
manner
by
the
candidate,
the
advisor
and
sometimes
bttp://www.eram.edu/academics/majors/pro-grad-studies/grad-studies/resources/, Change of Advisor
I
by
both
The permanent advisor continues to serve throughout the candidate’s graduate degree program unless it is determined that the relationship is not in a candidate’s or advisor’s best interest, or the advisor
is no longer available. Either party can submit a request for change of advisor to the department head. Step 4: Plan of Study
The candidate, with the guidance and agreement of his/her advisor and department head, may choose Curriculum & Instruction—Reading, or Special Education—Mild/Moderate as a program of study. Currently (2022-2023), other concentrations are dormant pending need.
Candidates will
complete the hours leading up to the thesis/non-thesis option.
Coursework in the plan of study alone should not be thought of as automatic endorsements on the teaching certificate. Because
these concentrations
also may
lead to the endorsement,
candidates
in
Louisiana must prepare for, and successfully complete any Louisiana mandated testing requirements (e.g., Praxis module(s) testing requirements) prior to graduation. Candidates in other states or nations should check the endorsement requirements in their own areas and plan to complete these as well. It should also be noted that changes in levels of endorsement (e.g., secondary to elementary or vice versa) may require additional coursework to fully meet the requirements of the new grade level of teaching. Candidates should check with the certification officer in their state or nation as soon as possible to plan. If licensure test(s) is/are required before exiting the program: Candidates who will need to pass licensure testing in an area before graduation are strongly advised to not only to study diligently for the test, but also to attend any/all study sessions given for that subject area. If a candidate must take a licensure exam for endorsement and graduation, it is also advised that candidates take and pass the required exam the semester before graduation. Tests taken during the semester that the candidate wishes to graduate may not have the passing scores posted in time for the candidate to participate, thus delaying graduation until the passing scores are received. A further caveat—academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in any form. Any acts of dishonesty will be met with any and all of the sanctions listed in the Grambling State University Student Handbook (latest edition),
The overall goals of the programs are to prepare professionals, scholars and leaders who can: (1) advance the quality of life for PK — 16+ students in rural areas and urban communities; (2) assume differentiated roles and careers in schools, community-based settings, clinics and other settings; and (3) continue in a post-masters program of study. Additional information. Candidates enrolling in the Master of Education programs in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction can complete their degrees in either the thesis option or non-thesis option. Candidates seeking the Reading Specialist endorsement only will be strongly advised to also take ED 581 Leadership seminar, a leadership course that is a part of our ILA National Recognition with Distinction group of Reading courses, even though it is not required for the Louisiana endorsement. All candidates
12
must also pass ED 599 Comprehensive Exam, which is 0 credit hours, but demonstrates mastery of the Questions are developed with the candidate’s course
program content and competencies in essay format. of study, core subjects, or concentration Professional
Standards,
Teaching
professional associations (SPAs).
State
for
and follow the standards of National Board
ii mind,
of Louisiana
requirements,
and
the
national
specialized
These curriculums and program decisions are reflected in the Plan of
Study, which is developed by the candidate and the advisor.
The Plan of Study becomes official when
signatures of the graduate student, advisor, department head, college dean, and graduate dean have been affixed.
All
Plans
of Study
can
be reviewed
in DegreeWorks
once
it becomes
“live”.
in
Once
DegreeWorks, you will only see your Core Classes until your select a Major and Concentration using this form: Maicr Minor Concentration Declaration Form. TEACH Grant and Financial Aid Candidates
who
need financial assistance, meet eligibility qualifications, and plan to continue
teaching in Louisiana, may wish to pursue the Teach Grant offered through Grambling State University. The Teach Grant may offset much of the tuition and fees if candidates apply, meet the requirements, and accept the terms.
The grant will revert to a loan for candidates who accept the grant, then do not remain
in eligible classrooms. Information on Financial Aid can be found on the Grambling State University website. Taskstream All
candidates
will be expected
to purchase
access,
and
use the Taskstream
electronic
data
management system for the uploading of key assessments, signature projects, or capstone projects. Course of Study for Teachers Accepted into the Master of Education Programs This program recognizes that education is a continuum of learning, and as the research demonstrates, quality of education in the foundational years has sound predictive validity of later educational achievement.
Therefore, master teachers must be able to directly and indirectly impact the
educational lives of PK — 12 students at multiple levels by designing instruction, developing classroom management plans, developing school assessment, leadership and improvement plans that are suited to diverse student populations. Teachers must also be able to use a variety of resources to effect positive changes in the lives of children, make classrooms inclusive and equitable, while employing the State of Louisiana (or high-quality standards in other states/countries). The M.Ed. programs include several areas of concentration, enabling candidates to explore specific areas of focus with the guidance and agreement of the candidate’s advisor and department head. There are two-degree programs at the
master’s level currently available in the 2022-2023 academic year: the Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction--Reading, and the Master of Education in Special Education—-Mild/Moderate.
The courses for these programs are designed to allow graduate candidates the opportunity to: critically analyze student development, learning and motivation (NBPTS Core Standards I, III, and IV; InTASC principles 2, 13
3, and 5); learn and systematically apply research and evaluation techniques; and gain experiences that enable them to lead learning communities within their schools and effect school improvement (NBPTS Core Standards III, TV and V). The course sequences represent programs redesigned to meet the needs of states, districts and schools in the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015). A more detailed table of alignment with National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is given in Appendix B. #1: Curriculum & Instruction Reading Specialist Concentration
Program Core (15 hours): ED 520
Advanced Child Psychology @ er.)
ED 549
Introduction to Techniques of Research (3 cr.)
ED 545
Evaluation and Assessment in P-12 Educational Settings (3 er.)
DEED 634
Professional Writing @ cr.)
ED 530
Technology Integration for Learning and Teaching (3 cr.) Reading Concentration (15 hours)
ED 504
Reading for Children
ED 505
Analysis of Reading Difficulties
ED 506
Correction of Reading Difficulties
ED 507
Teaching in the Middle, Junior, Senior High School
ED 581
Leadership Seminar
Comprehensive Exam (0 credits but required of both thesis and non-thesis options) Comprehensive Exam
ED 599
Capstone Course (3 credit hours) ED 576
School Improvement for Professional Development (3 cr.) Thesis or Non-Thesis Option:
Thesis Option:
ED 561 Thesis (3 cr.)
Non-thesis Option
#2:
One (1) Selective Graduate Level course within the candidate’s field or a closely related field of study (3 cr.)
Special Education—Mild/Moderate*
Program Core (15 hours):
Concentration
ED 520
Advanced Child Psychology (3 cr.)
ED 549
Introduction to Techniques of Research (3 cr.)
ED 545
Evaluation and Assessment in P-12 Educational Settings (3 cr.)
DEED 634
Professional Writing (3 cr.)
ED 530
Technology Integration for Learning and Teaching (3 cr.) Mild-Moderate Concentration (15 hours)
SPED 542
Methods and materials for Teaching Children with Exceptional Learning Needs
SPED 543
Humanistic Approaches to Behavior Management for students with Mild/Moderate Exceptional Learning Needs or
14
SPED 568
Behavioral Approaches to Managing Mildly/Moderately Handicapped
SPED 527
Formal and Informal Assessment Practicum
SPED 576
Consulting Teacher Strategies
PLUS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
Analysis of Reading Difficulties (required for Elementary-Primary Level endorsement)
ED 505
°
or
Vocational Strategies and Procedures for Exceptional Children (required for
SPED 570
Secondary Level endorsement)
*Praxis II: Required to complete the program for'LA candidates -check with www.ets.org/praxis Comprehensive Exam (0 credits but required of both thesis and non-thesis options) ED 599
Comprehensive Exam Capstone Course (3 credit hours)
ED 576
School Improvement for Professional Development Thesis or Non-Thesis Option:
Thesis Option:
ED 561 Thesis (3 cr.)
Non-thesis Option
#3:
One (1) Selective Graduate Level course within the candidate’s field or a closely related field of study @ cr.)
Special Education—Early Intervention* Concentration (currently dormant pending need)
Program Core (15 hours):
ED 520
Advanced Child Psychology @ cr.)
ED 549
Introduction to Techniques of Research (3 cr.)
ED 545
Evaluation and Assessment in P-12 Educational Settings (3 cr.)
DEED 634
Professional Writing and Reporting Practicum (3 cr.)
ED 530
Technology Integration for Learning and Teaching (3 cr.) Early Intervention Concentration (18 hours)
SPED 530
Introduction to Education for Early Intervention
SPED 523
Families of Young Children in Early Intervention
SPED 524
Resources, Teaming, Physical and Medical Management in Early Intervention
SPED 534
Developing Language Communication for Early Intervention
SPED 536 SPED 532
Assessment and Evaluation in Early Intervention Methods for Early Intervention
*Praxis II: Required to complete the program for LA candidates check with www.ets.org/praxis Comprehensive Exam (0 credits but required of both thesis and non-thesis options) ED 599
Comprehensive Exam Capstone Course (3 credit hours)
ED 576
School Improvement for Professional Development Thesis or Non-Thesis Option: 15
Thesis Option:
#4:
ED 561 Thesis (3 cr.)* this would become 39 hours instead of 36 semester credit hours
Special Education—Autism
Spectrum Disorders Concentration (currently dormant pending need)
Program Core (15 hours):
ED 520
Advanced Child Psychology (3 cr.)
ED 549
Introduction to Techniques of Research (3 cr.)
ED 545
Evaluation and Assessment in P-12 Educational Settings (@ cr.)
DEED 634
Professional Writing and Reporting Practicum (3 cr.)
ED 530
Technology Integration for Learning and Teaching (3 cr.) Autism Spectrum Disorders Concentration (15 hours)
SPED 511
Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders
SPED 512
Behavioral Approaches and Applied Behavior Analysis for Students with ASD
SPED 513
Methods and Assessment Practicum ASD
SPED 514
Language and Communication strategies for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
SPED 515
Vocational and Transitional Strategies for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Comprehensive Exam (0 credits but required of both thesis and non-thesis options) ED 599 ED 576
Comprehensive Exam Capstone Course (3 credit hours) School Improvement for Professional Development
Thesis or Non-Thesis Option:
Thesis Option:
°
ED 561 Thesis (@ cr.)
Non-thesis Option
One (1) Selective Graduate Level course within the candidate’s field or a closely related field of study @ cr.)
Change in Concentration
An admitted candidate who wishes to change to another concentration within a Curriculum & Instruction degree
program must notify the current advisor and the department head. To initiate this procedure, a candidate must submit to the advisor and department head a letter requesting the change.
Following a review of the request, a decision will
be made about the need for changes in the advisory assignment and the program of study. These decisions will be communicated in writing to the Dean of the College of Education and the candidate.
English Proficiency Demonstrated English proficiency is required of all students matriculating in the graduate programs at Grambling
State University.
Candidates demonstrate this proficiency by posting a minimum grade of “B” in
DEED 634. If a candidate receives a grade below “B”, s/he must retake the course and raise the grade to at least a “B”.
16
Electives/Selectives Candidates choose electives in consultation with the major advisor. These electives may be courses that strengthen the concentration, or give the candidate a broader perspective. Courses chosen as electives become
a part of the candidate’s
plan of study.
Suggested
areas include possible graduate
courses
in
Psychology, Sociology, Public Administration, or Developmental Education.
Grade Expectations As stated before, candidates are expected to maintain a GPA
accepted for the endorsement.
of > 3.0. No grade below “C” will be
Course grades below “C” in the concentration (leading to endorsement) must
be repeated and the grade raised to at least a‘““C”.
Additionally, courses below “C” automatically placed the
candidate on suspension and may lead to expulsion.
Field-based and Clinical Requirements at the Master of Education level in the Redesigned Program Field-based and clinical field experiences are required components of most courses in the program. These experiences afford graduate candidates opportunities to analyze, plan, implement, and evaluate educational and community services for children and youth, their parents, beginning teachers and other personnel within their service areas. Many times, the field-based experiences require activities involving the research process. These opportunities provide graduate candidates with the skills, practical experiences and dispositions to be community and educational leaders,
knowledgeable
educationally-focused
about the needs community
of diverse children
agencies.
and youth that can be best met by schools,
Specific courses have specific field experiences.
clinical experiences are described more fully in each class.
and
These field-based
Many can be completed in the candidate’s own school,
others will require that candidates experience P-12 students and/or settings that are different from the candidate’s own school. Additionally, they may utilize other external or experiential field experiences directed by the instructor. Service Learning Several courses require candidates to engage in service learning, allowing formalized opportunities to give back to the schools and communities in multiple ways.
Research Expectations
We have courses that require candidates to design, implement and evaluate their own action research. As a part of this, we require candidates to learn and abide by the tenets and responsibilities of research, including becoming familiar with the IRB requirements and process, completing and getting approval for an Institutional Review Board (IRB) Form especially if completing a thesis, and developing approved Informed Consents for subjects to comply with PL 93-380, the Buckley Amendment. Consequently, all candidates will be required to complete External IRB 17
~
Review Modules Human Subjects training during their first semester or as soon as possible through the following: www.citiprograms.org/index.cim?pageID=418&id=76.
Upon
successful
completion
of the
training
modules,
candidates will receive two certificates of completion valid for 3 years, after which candidates will have to renew their certificates.
Step 5: Thesis vs. Non-Thesis Options
Candidates will have the option of completing a thesis or pursuing the non-thesis option.
The thesis option
allows candidates to conduct systematic research in an area of interest. It sharpens research, analytical, observational and communication skills, as well as provides preparation for those who may be contemplating further academic The thesis must be completed within one (1) semester,
study.
and three (3) semester hours are earned upon
satisfactory completion. The graduate candidate must submit the plan of research, methodology and human subjects approval to his/her thesis committee before the research project is undertaken. More information about the thesis is available in the School of Graduate Studies in the document entitled Guidelines for Preparing Research Proposals, Master’s Projects and Theses, and Doctoral Dissertations
GSU
website, or from the advisor).
(copies available in the Office of Graduate Studies, on the
The non-thesis option is also available. It requires graduate candidates to
complete three (3) replacement semester hours in lieu of the thesis to bring the total to 36-39 hours in the M.Ed. programs.
e
Additional Information Collected During the coursework phase of the Master of Education, the unit will collect additional information on the professional, academic and dispositional development of graduate candidates.
This information will be stored in
the GSU electronic assessment system, and includes grade point average in the program, letters of recommendation, projects from coursework including case analyses, research projects, reflections from in-class activities or special assignments, and presentations to date.
Step 6:
Admission to Candidacy
GSU Transition #3
Candidacy Admission to the M.Ed. program does not mean that someone is a candidate for the degree. To officially become a candidate for the M.Ed. degree in the eyes of the university, the candidate must have completed 15 hours in the plan of study, been formally admitted to the program, removed all deficiencies, have an approved plan of study on file, and demonstrated English Proficiency by providing evidence of a minimum grade of “B” in DEED 634 or the required
GRE score. The advisor executes the admission to candidacy form.
Step 7: Comprehensive Examination. GSU Transition #4 18
All students pursuing the M.Ed. degree must take a written comprehensive examination. a candidate’s
competence
and knowledge
in the core courses
and
in the concentration.
This examination tests The
comprehensive
examination is taken after a student has met the following criteria: A.
Completed a minimum of 15 semester hours in the program core
B.
Completed a minimum of 9 semester hours in the area of concentration, but candidates are advised to
C.
Have no more than 9 hours remaining in the program of study
complete all courses that will be covered in the ED 599 Comprehensive Exam, or be enrolled in the last courses before sitting for the exam «
D.
With the advisor’s consent, register for ED 599 Comprehensive Exam during the semester prior to, or at the very beginning of the semester the. examination is to be taken
Eligible candidates must register for the examination at the beginning of the semester in which the examination is to be taken. The examination is prepared and administered through the department using questions designed by faculty who have knowledge of the student’s program, and expertise in the area. The exam is in the more traditional essay format, consisting of questions pertaining to the candidate’s program of study, and based upon the knowledge base determined by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards to be fundamental for teachers and educational leaders, as well as input from the Specialized Professional Associations (SPA) guiding that area of concentration. Currently, all graduate programs in the department use the Comprehensive Exam as part of their assessment data for meeting state, SPA
and/or CAEP
guidelines. Faculty who write the questions evaluate the
comprehensive examination question(s) as pass/fail using the Comprehensive Exam rubric. The graduate faculty in the department of Curriculum and Instruction decided that a candidate must pass 80% of the questions to pass the ED 599 Comprehensive
Exam.
A candidate who fails to achieve the criteria will be allowed to retake the missed
examination questions in writing one additional time after a period of study. s/he will be recommended for dismissal from the program.
If the candidate fails the second time
The results of the comprehensive examination are reported
to the candidate and faculty.
Step 8: Graduation. GSU Transition #5 Qualifications to Apply The M.ED. degree candidate is eligible to apply for graduation when the following criteria have been met: A. Completed all course work on the plan of study with a grade point average of 3.0 or better B.
Passed all required program examinations and has been admitted to candidacy
C.
If the candidate chose the Thesis option, the original approved thesis/special project, and the required number of copies of the thesis must have been filed in the Office of Graduate Studies 19
D.
All previously required program forms have been approved and are on file in the offices of Curriculum & Instruction, College of Education, and Graduate Studies
E.
Met any and all licensure requirements for the endorsement, successfully passing licensure testing (Louisiana)
documentation
of
F.
The Verification of Advisement and Certification of Completion of Degree Requirements forms submitted by the advisor to the Office of Graduate Studies after criteria A through E have been met
are
including
providing
A
Exit Information Collected
Upon graduation from the Master of Education program, the unit will collect exit information on the total professional, academic and professional development of graduate students.
This information will be stored in the
GSU electronic database, and includes grade point average in the program, data from any exit interviews, and the thesis (or special project). Re-Application
Some candidates may complete the application for graduation prematurely. When a candidate does not meet all of the above criteria or is unable to meet the deadlines, the candidate must re-apply for graduation. The same application for graduation and program requirement deadlines hold for re-application for graduation.
20