Program Coordinator: Janice
M. Whiteman, M.Ed.
Phone: (814) 871-7497
whiteman002@gannon.edu
Students pursuing the Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction can also seek preparation as a secondary education teacher certified in the content areas of Biology, English, Mathematics, or Social Studies.
This program is designed for the professional who holds a bachelor’s degree and who seeks to obtain Pennsylvania Instructional I Teaching Certification in order to teach at the secondary level, grades 7-12.
In addition, individuals who wish to pursue teaching certification in grades 4-8 English Language Arts and Reading, Mathematics, Science, and/or Social Studies and who have earned a bachelor’s degree in a related field, may also be eligible for the program.
All potential candidates are encouraged to request a transcript evaluation and to meet with the Program Coordinator to discuss requirements and scheduling options. Individuals who meet enrollment qualifications and who are currently employed as full-time
substitute teachers may be eligible to complete the program while continuing in their district position.
The program offers flexibility of scheduling and rolling admission options for summer, fall, and spring. Courses, except those that have a field experience component, are conveniently offered online to accommodate work and family schedules. Gannon University
provides graduate learners with the tools to engage in leadership activities, instructional innovation, and ongoing assessment.
In each of the core courses, the graduate learner submits assignments that are labeled as Key Assessments. These assignments are reviewed by the course instructor. At the conclusion of the core courses, the graduate learner submits a final, electronic
reflection which is reviewed by the program coordinator.
Individuals seeking initial teaching certification are also required to complete a professional portfolio. The professional portfolio is intended to demonstrate and document the professional educator’s knowledge, skills, abilities, performances, and professionalism.
At the university level, portfolios must demonstrate the degree to which the teacher candidate has attained the outcomes designated by the School of Education and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Equally important, the professional portfolio
is a tool for the interviewing process.
Teacher candidates are required to complete more than 180 hours of field experiences and 14 weeks of student teaching. Student teaching is completed in an Erie area school district and requires the teacher candidate to be in an assigned classroom every
day, all day for the full 14 weeks. Teacher candidates are encouraged to talk to their advisor early in the program so that they can take the proper course sequence and meet all certification and program requirements.
Learning Outcomes
In addition to the learning outcomes in the
Master of Education: Curriculum and Instruction program, graduate learners who
are seeking initial teaching certification are able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of research-based
educational belief systems and pedagogical/subject-matter content
- Demonstrate a culture of
learning
- Assess and analyze student learning and
make appropriate adjustments to instruction, including differentiation for diverse
and exceptional learners and monitoring student progress
- Establish and reflect on ongoing professional relationships with colleagues, students, parents, school districts, and
the community to enhance student learning
Admission Requirements
Master's Degree
- A Bachelor’s degree from a regionally
accredited college or university and fulfillment of requirements for admission
to the graduate program at Gannon University
- Final, official transcripts from all
colleges attended with a minimum cumulative grade point average
of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;
provisional acceptance may be granted to
individuals with a GPA of 2.8.
- A completed application for admission including three letters of recommendation
- Evidence by previous academic record
that the applicant has the general ability
and preparation necessary
to pursue graduate study successfully
- An interview
with the program director
Before admission to the graduate
program, student transcripts will be reviewed by a faculty member in the content area of
intended certification as well as by the program coordinator in the School of
Education to determine the required program of study.
When individuals who have earned
a bachelor’s degree
in Biology, English,
Mathematics, Social Studies, or related field and have passed the appropriate licensure exam, additional
coursework in the content area may not be required.
Individuals must also apply and be admitted
to the School of Education to be eligible for field experiences and upper-level
education courses. Admission to the MEd program for the purpose
of pursuing teacher certification does not guarantee admission to the School of Education.
Once admitted to the School of Education,
the teacher candidate must complete all certification requirements as outlined in the Teacher
Certification Handbook.
Teacher Certification
The candidate will provide the following
official documentation that demonstrates:
- A B.A. or B.S. degree
in the content area or related content
area for which the applicant is seeking a PA Instructional I certificate
- An overall GPA of 3.0; Provisional acceptance may be granted for a GPA between 2.8 and 2.99
- All required courses
in the candidate’s content area of Biology, English, Mathematics, or Social Studies have been successfully completed with a grade of “C”
or better
- Valid negative
TB test on file in the School
of Education
- Valid
clearances, including Criminal
Background Check, Child Abuse
Clearance, and FBI Fingerprint Check have been obtained. In addition,
Act 126 training
and the Diocesan
Child Protection Policy In service must be completed. To be considered valid, the applicant must submit
original documents which
are less than one
year old. For student teaching,
clearances must be less than one
year old at the conclusion of the experience. Please note that the
fingerprint check must be obtained
by following the procedures
set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Education
- A completed application to the School of
Education which includes a writing sample has been submitted
Curriculum
This program
requires the student
to take 24 credits of core courses,
6 credits of cognate
courses, and 18 credits of certification requirements.
Required Core Courses
The following courses are completed online. GEDU 505 Classroom Management (3 credits)
- GEDU 601 Action Research
(3 credits)
- GEDU 602 Program
Reflection (0 credits)
- GEDU 604 Educational
Tests and Measurements (3 credits) GEDU 609 Inclusive Classroom Practices (3 credits)
- GEDU 612 Leadership, Current Issues, and the Teacher as Agent
of Change (3 credits)
- GEDU 621 School Curriculum (3 credits)
- GEDU 623 Technology Literacy
and Integration (3 credits)
GEDU 637 Learning Theory (3
credits)
Required Cognate Courses
The
following credits are completed online.
- GEDU 537 Special
Education Overview (3 credits)
- GEDU 627 Foundations of Literacy in the Secondary Program
(3 credits)
- This course sequence completes
the requirements for the
M.Ed.
- Total credits
for MEd Curriculum and Instruction: 30
Certification Requirements
(16 or 17 credits)
The following additional courses and field experiences are
required for teacher certification. The courses and field experiences should be taken in the following order:
- GEDU 516 Instructional Design and the Classroom Management (3 credits)
- GEDU 628 Secondary
Education Field Experience I (0 credits)
- GEDU 521 Methods and Materials of Instruction
Seminar (1 credit)
- GEDU 629 Secondary Education Field Experience II (0 credits)
- GEDU 520 Methods and
Materials for Teaching English Language
Learners (ELLs)/Field Experience. 15 hrs. (3 credits). This course
is offered either
as an online or face-to-face course.
Individuals who wish to add ESL
specialist certification to their credentials must also enroll in GEDU 525 ESL Field Experience (1 credit)
- GEDU 632 Secondary Education Field Experience III (0 credits)
GEDU 550 Student Teaching
(6 credits)
- GEDU 690 Professional Seminar (taken in conjunction
with GEDU 550 Student Teaching) (3 credits)
Total minimum credits
required for MEd with teacher certification: 46 or 47
credits
Steps to Certification
- Successfully
complete all required coursework and field experiences.
- Pass required licensure (Praxis) exam.
- Apply
for certification on the PA Teacher Information Management System (TIMS). Note:
A GPA of 3.0 is required for teacher certification.
- Gannon University recommends candidates for certification,
and PDE approves and issues certification.