Graduate Courses in Education

The graduate level courses offered by the Curriculum and Instruction Department prepare candidates to grow professionally as service-oriented educators. Choose one or both options: ESOL graduate licensure &/or graduate courses in education.

ESOL Licensure Program

The ESOL Graduate Licensure Program will prepare students for KSDE ESOL endorsement at the k-6, 6-12, or pk-12 levels. These 15 credit hours are geared toward educators wishing to work with culturally and linguistically diverse students, but will also enhance the teaching skills for those in the regular classroom.

The ESOL licensure courses can be taken in conjunction with the core courses or, for those seeking licensure only, can be taken as a stand-alone program.

Although most candidates taking courses will be licensed teachers, the ESOL graduate certificate has open enrollment for anyone wishing to learn more about this field, such as those working with adult English language learners.

Required courses:

  • CI 628 Methods for teaching ESOL (3 hours)
  • CI 638 Language assessment(3 hours)
  • CI 648 Applied linguistics(3 hours)
  • CI 658 Cultural diversity(3 hours)
  • CI 668 Practicum(3 hours)

To receive the KSDE ESOL endorsement, candidates must already hold an active Kansas teaching license and pass the English to Speakers of Other Languages Praxis exam 5361 with a minimum score of 138. See more information below under Licensure Requirements.

Graduate Courses

The core graduate courses are designed around a project-based model in which students identify an area of interest, explore possibilities for change, implement the change, and report the results. Students can focus on what they perceive to be a problem in their local environment or experiment with a new teaching technique. The courses are sequenced to walk students step-by-step through the project while simultaneously providing the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to make wise decisions.

A sub-thread running through the courses is that of the teacher as leader. Activities built into the courses help students gain confidence to become a better advocate for their students, colleagues, and district.

Required courses:

  • CI 615 Foundations in Education (3 hours)
  • CI 620 Fundamentals of Action Research (3 hours)
  • CI 63x Curriculum and Instruction (3 hours)
  • CI 640x Teacher as Leader (3 hours)
  • CI 675 Master’s Project and Capstone (3 hours)

The 15 credit hours of core courses along with the 15 credit hours in the ESOL graduate certificate program constitute the needed courses for the M.Ed.*

*Licensure and degree programs pending KSDE and HLC approval anticipated in spring 2016.

Admission Requirements and Process

  • Application (no fee required)
  • Proof of bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
  • Transcripts from all colleges
  • GPA of 3.0
  • Essay stating professional goals (approximately 300 words)
  • Two letters of recommendation

All materials are reviewed by a subcommittee of the Teacher Education Board. The subcommittee’s recommendation is forward to Teacher Education Board for final approval.

Provisional Admission

Candidates not meeting the GPA requirement identified above may be admitted to the program on a provisional status assuming there is reasonable evidence of candidate success. Provisionally admitted candidates must earn a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their first six hours in order to remain in the program.

Licensure Requirements

The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is the licensing authority in Kansas. According to Kansas regulations, the ESOL endorsement is considered an added endorsement and requires a teacher to already hold a license in another endorsement area prior to getting the ESOL endorsement.

Those teachers choosing to add the ESOL endorsement must pass Praxis licensure exam 5361 with a minimum score of 138. It is possible to add the ESOL endorsement by test only. If this option is desired, a candidate could take selected courses from the ESOL program in preparation for the exam.

As a general rule, the ESOL endorsement will be added at the level (k-6, 6-12, or pk-12) at which the regular license is held. It is possible in some cases to add the endorsement at another level. Please consult the licensure officer (Dr. Kirchner) for details.

It is possible to seek the licensure-only option for the ESOL endorsement for candidates who do not desire the graduate courses or who already hold a master’s degree.

A provisional license is available for candidates who have been hired to teach ESOL classes while simultaneously completing the licensure coursework. A provisional license is good for two years and may be renewed once with proof of successful completion of coursework. In order to obtain the provisional license a candidate must 1) already hold a valid teaching license, 2) have completed at least 50 percent of the ESOL program, 3) complete a plan of study, and 4) show proof of employment in the area.