All students pursuing the Master of Arts in Teaching will be required to complete core experiences in which they demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to assessment, diversity and special needs, human development and learning, and pedagogy in their content area.
Check departmental information for any additional requirements.
All applicants for the Master of Arts in Teaching program must meet requirements for admission to the Graduate School and be accepted for admission by the faculty of the specialization.
Specialization in Elementary Education with Initial Licensure
The Master of Arts in Teaching specialization in elementary education with initial licensure prepares students to become teachers in elementary and middle schools. They will complete all requirements for the Type 03 Illinois Elementary Education License to teach grades kindergarten through 9. Students who plan to teach at the middle school level are required to take additional course work for the middle school endorsement. The specialization is grounded in a commitment to preparing teachers to nurture democratic citizens.
For the specialization in elementary education with initial licensure, in addition to other graduate school requirements, applicants must submit an essay discussing “What it means to nurture democratic citizenship in students.” For applicants who are currently teaching, one of their two reference letters must be from the principals of their schools.
Deficiency Study
Students who have not successfully completed a basic educational technology course will be required to fulfill that requirement. Students may demonstrate their basic knowledge of the use of computers in education by completing ETT 229 or by passing a proficiency test.
Requirements
The specialization in elementary education with initial licensure requires a minimum of 42 semester hours of graduate course work, consisting of the following:
Students must take 1 semester hour in this course.
Comprehensive Examination
The comprehensive examination is conducted in conjunction with a portfolio completed in the last semester of course work containing required artifacts and reflections which demonstrate mastery of the professional teaching standards and degree requirements.
Return to: