Graduate Program and Courses in Education
The graduate level courses offered by the Curriculum and Instruction Department prepare candidates to grow professionally as service-oriented educators. Choose any of the following options: ESOL licensure only, SPED licensure only, or combine one of those programs with the core graduate courses in education to earn the M.Ed.
These three programs (ESOL licensure, SPED licensure, and the core) are provided by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and, like the undergraduate Teacher Education Program, are governed by the Teacher Education Board.
Teacher Education Program
The Teacher Education Program at McPherson College is accredited by the Kansas State Department of Education (900 SW Jackson Street, Topeka, Kansas 66612); and by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), www.ncate.org (now known as Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), www.caepnet.org). This accreditation covers the Teacher Education Program at McPherson College; however, the accreditation does not include individual education courses that the institution offers to P-12 educators for professional development, relicensure, or other purposes.
Licensure Disclosure
McPherson College prepares future teachers for licensure in the state of Kansas. The program requirements may not meet licensure requirements for other states. Students planning to seek teacher licensure outside of Kansas are strongly encouraged to meet with the McPherson College Licensure Officer to discuss future plans. McPherson College Teacher Education Program has not made a determination as to whether our program’s curriculum meets the state’s educational requirements for the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Teacher Education Program of McPherson College is to develop service-oriented educators who effectively blend the art and science of teaching.
Goals, Objectives, and Dispositions
Goal I: The candidate has the knowledge bases necessary to be an effective teacher in her/his field.
To accomplish this goal, the service-oriented educator will:
Objectives:
- Acquire a broad liberal arts knowledge base.
- Demonstrate proficiency in his/her major area of licensure.
- Acquire effective strategies of teaching in all appropriate content areas and for all learners.
- Recognize how students learn and develop.
Disposition: Appreciate the connections among various areas of knowledge and commit to continuous learning.
Goal II: The candidate can apply effective teaching strategies to meet the needs of all learners.
To accomplish this goal, the service-oriented educator will:
Objectives:
- Use appropriate best practices for specific content areas and for diverse learners.
- Reflect upon his/her teaching and analyze the practices.
- Demonstrate understanding and use of formative and summative assessments and make modifications based on them.
- Provide motivational techniques based on students’ developmental and environmental needs.
Disposition: Value and respect students’ varied talents and abilities and project enthusiasm for teaching all learners.
Goal III: The candidate fosters relationships and collaborates with school constituencies. To accomplish this goal, the service-oriented educator will:
Objectives:
- Communicate effectively in both written and oral formats and through the use of technology.
- Solicit input from students, parents, colleagues, and the greater community.
- Act on information received from stakeholders.
Disposition: Value the many ways in which people seek to communicate and encourage various modes of communication.
In addition to meeting the Goals, Objectives, and Dispositions of the Teacher Education Program, the graduate-level program must also meet the additional graduate-level Student Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate graduate-level problem solving and analytical skills.
- (Re-)Establish a personal philosophy of education.
- Develop graduate-level action research and writing skills.
- Develop an understanding of current research, best practices, and new approaches to teaching and/or learning.
Licensure Requirements
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is the licensing authority in Kansas. According to Kansas regulations, the ESOL and SPED endorsements are considered added endorsements and require a teacher to already hold a license in another endorsement area prior to getting these endorsements. Those teachers choosing to add the ESOL endorsement must pass Praxis licensure exam 5361 with a minimum score of 138.
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.
Those students seeking the SPED endorsement must complete the special education content area test, Praxis II. Students will complete the 5543 Special Education Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications test with a minimum score of 155.
It is possible to seek the licensure-only option for the SPED endorsement for candidates who do not desire the graduate courses or who already hold a master’s degree.
Student Responsibility
Students are ultimately responsible for following procedures and proper sequencing of events leading to professional development and licensure. It is important for students who plan to enter the Teacher Education Program at McPherson College to contact the chair of the program and/or the appropriate advisor.
Licensure in Kansas
In the state of Kansas, teaching is considered to be a profession. Therefore, the Kansas State Department of Education has a Professional Practices Commission to exercise disciplinary and advisory functions over those requesting licensure or working as a certified professional. Teacher licensure can be denied, suspended, or revoked for both felony and non-felony actions.
McPherson College is in compliance with the federal Title II reporting guidelines.
See Licensure Disclosure statement above.
ESOL Licensure Program
The ESOL Licensure Program prepares students for KSDE ESOL endorsement at the k-6, 6-12, or pk-12 levels. This 15-credit-hour program is geared to 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.
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.
SPED Licensure Program
SPED Licensure Program prepares students for KSDE SPED endorsement at the k-6, 6-12, or pk-12 levels. This 15-credit-hour program is geared to educators wishing to work with culturally and linguistically diverse students but will also enhance the teaching skills for those in the regular classroom.
The SPED licensure courses can be taken in conjunction with the core courses or, for those seeking licensure only, can be taken as a stand-alone licensure program.
Required courses: K-6
- SE 610 Foundations for Special Education Services (4 hours)
- SE 615 General Methods for Special Education Services (4 hours)
- SE 645 Behavior Management (2 hours)
- SE 621 K-6 Methods for SPED and Field Experience (5 hours)
- SE 731 K-6 Clinical Experience (6 hours) OR SE 733 Grades K-6 Internship (6 hours)
- ELA and math methods courses are also required
Required courses: 6-12
- SE 610 Foundations for Special Education Services (4 hours)
- SE 615 General Methods for Special Education Services (4 hours)
- SE 645 Behavior Management (2 hours)
- SE 661 Grades 6-12 Methods for Special Needs and Field Experience (5 hours)
- SE 771 Grades 6-12 Clinical Experience (6 hours) OR SE 773 Grades 6-12 Internship (4-6 hours)
Required Courses: Pk-12
- SE 610 Foundations for Special Education Services (4 hours)
- SE 615 General Methods for Special Education Services (4 hours)
- SE 645 Behavior Management (2 hours)
- SE 641 Grades PreK-3 Methods for Special Needs and Field Experience (4-5 hours)
- SE 681 Grades 4-12 Methods for Special Needs and Field Experience (4-5 hours)
- SE 751 PreK-12 Clinical Experience (4-6 hours) OR SE 753 PreK-12 Internship (4-6 hours)
- ELA and math methods courses are also required
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 625 Curriculum and Instruction (3 hours)
- CI 640 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 licensure program or the approximately 21 credit hours in SPED constitute the needed courses for the M.Ed.
Applicants for M.Ed. or Graduate Courses in Education
Students may choose any of the following options when applying to the graduate program: ESOL licensure courses, SPED licensure courses, or combine those courses with the core graduate courses to pursue a M.Ed. degree.
Applying for ESOL licensure and/or SPED licensure:
- Application for Admission
- Official college transcript showing bachelor’s degree earned and any graduate level coursework
Applying to M.Ed. Program with ESOL or SPED licensure:
- Application for Admission
- Official transcripts for all colleges attended and showing bachelor’s degree earned
- College GPA of 3.0
- Essay stating professional goals (300 words); please email to [email protected]
- Two letters of recommendation
All materials are reviewed by a subcommittee of the Teacher Education Board. The subcommittee’s recommendation is forwarded to Teacher Education Board for final approval.
Conditional Admission
Candidates not meeting the GPA requirement identified above may be admitted to the program on a conditional status assuming there is reasonable evidence of candidate success. Conditionally admitted candidates must earn a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their first six hours in order to remain in the program.
Transfer of Graduate Credits
After acceptance into the M.Ed. program, students who have previously completed graduate credit hours at another accredited institution may apply to have up to 15 graduate credit hours accepted toward the M.Ed. degree, as long as those credits have been earned in the last 10 years at the time of entry into the master’s program.
To request that previously-earned credits be considered for transfer, the student must submit a final official graduate transcript along with a formal request listing the credits from the transcript the student wants considered for transfer. The formal request should include descriptions of the coursework and how it meets the requirements of the M.Ed. program at McPherson College.
Only courses in which a grade of B or better has been earned will be accepted for credit toward the M.Ed. degree. Consequently, a student’s grade point average depends upon courses attempted at McPherson College only. The director of the M.Ed. program at McPherson College evaluates which courses qualify for transfer. The program director may request further information from the student–for example, course descriptions or syllabi–before making a recommendation to the registrar. With the program director’s recommendation in hand, the registrar makes the final decision about the transfer credits. The registrar’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.