Required Courses (36 credits)

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A majority of courses will be offered in an eight-week hybrid format.

• MEDUC 621 - Principles of School Leadership and Administration Credits: (3)
• MEDUC 622 - Strategic Planning and Leadership Credits: (3)
• MEDUC 623 - Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Credits: (3)
• MEDUC 624 - Improving Instructional Practice through Supervision Credits: (3)
• MEDUC 625 - Managing School Finances Credits: (3)
• MEDUC 626 - Educational Policy and School Law Credits: (3)
• MEDUC 628 - Leadership Practicum I Credits: (3)
• MEDUC 629 - Leadership Practicum II Credits: (3)
• MEDUC 630 - Fundamentals of Education Research Credits: (3)
• MEDUC 631 - Graduate Research Capstone Credits: (3)
• MEDUC/MSPED XXX - Elective course Credits: (3)
• MEDUC/MSPED XXX - Elective Course Credits: (3)

Program Information

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Gateway Assessment

In order to earn a Master of Education degree students must maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA, complete at least 36 credit hours of graduate-level coursework including a 6-credit practicum, have successfully presented a research thesis, and have passed each gateway.

Gateway 1: Entrance

Occurs for M.Ed. candidates at the time they make initial application to the M.Ed. program. Candidates move to Gateway 2 when all conditions for admissions have been met.

Gateway 2: Pre-Practicum

Requires that candidates meet with the program director to discuss assessment requirements of the appropriate specialized professional association., The program director ensures that candidates have proper clearance to work in schools and that program requirements have been maintained.

Gateway 3: Transition

Occurs midway through the practicum when candidates submit a log of experiences and reflections to the university supervisor. Through a comparative analysis of the appropriate specialized professional association standards with the log of experiences and reflections, a plan for the remainder of the practicum is developed.

Gateway 4: Program Completion

Is the successful completion of the practicum (with a rubric score of 2.0+), research capstone, and all program assessments and requirements as determined by a transcript analysis.

Program Completion Thesis/Portfolio

M.Ed. students are required to complete a graduate research capstone. MEDUC 524 /MEDUC 630  and MEDUC 525 /MEDUC 631  support capstone development.

Academic Policies

Admission and Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to candidacy may be awarded to those who have fulfilled all admission requirements. Upon advancement to candidacy, M.Ed. and MAT students have five years to complete their program. If necessary, students may petition the Graduate Committee for an extension. All graduate students must maintain a 3.00 GPA

Admission and Advancement Decision Appeals

Applicants who wish to appeal a decision regarding special student enrollment or advancement to candidacy decisions must submit a written request to the Chair of the Division of Education or to the M.Ed. director (for M.Ed. students).

Course Waivers

If a student has a strong undergraduate background or significant professional experiences in a field, he or she may request to have a core course waived by the chair (MAT)/MEd director. A waiver is not an award of credit, but it permits the student to substitute an approved higher-level course in place of the course requirement. Waivers are awarded to strengthen a student’s academic program.

Students interested in pursuing a course waiver may request an application for waiver from the Education Department.

Academic Sessions

Sessions are offered on a year-round basis.

Fall Semester: Fall I Session and Fall II Session Spring Semester: Spring I Session and Spring II Session Summer Semester: Summer I Session and Summer II Session Fall and spring sessions are each 8 weeks. Summer sessions are 5 weeks each.

Clinical Experiences

Practicum

Master of Education students culminate their program of study with a practicum. A practicum provides prospective reading specialists/ technology facilitators/instructional leaders with scaffolded opportunities to experience the multiple roles of the reading/technology/instructional specialist. With an experienced reading/ technology specialist or school administrator as a mentor and a university supervisor, participants will develop a Professional Development Plan so as to further develop and demonstrate their proficiency with the International Literacy Association (ILA) for Reading Specialists, International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) for Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL). Lab fee applies.

Technology

Mount St. Mary’s University emphasizes the integration of technology into teaching as outlined by the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE) and their National Education Technology standards for students (NETS-S) and educators (NETS-E). Coursework models best practice in uses of technology as tools to enhance student learning.

The Mount uses Canvas as its course management platform and offers coursework both online and in hybrid formats. MAT candidates use Chalk and Wire, an e-portfolio system, to develop their program completer portfolio.

Program Completer Status and Certification

Candidates are recommended for Administrator I certification upon successful completion of the M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership. To achieve the Administrator II certification, candidates will take the Praxis II School Leaders Licensure Assessment # 6011. Candidates will need to achieve the minimum Maryland qualifying score of 165.  The Praxis II assessment includes two sections.  Section one contains 100 selected response questions.  Section two contains seven constructed-response questions.  Categories tested include:

• Vision and goals
• Teaching and learning
• Managing organizational systems and safety
• Collaborating with key stakeholders
• Ethics and integrity
• Education system