Teacher Education

Office: Beatty Hall, Room 104
Telephone: 410‑617‑5310
Website: www.loyola.edu/soe

Interim Chair: Robert J. Helfenbein, Associate Professor

Graduate Program Directors
Kodály Music Education: Lauren McDougle
Literacy: Dana M. Reinhardt
Special Education: Cathy A. Rosensteel
Teacher Education: Robert J. Helfenbein

Kodály Music Education

Program:

Kodály Music Education, M.Ed.

Literacy

Programs:

Master of Education (M.Ed.), Literacy Teacher - 33 credits
Master of Education (M.Ed.), Reading Specialist - 39 credits
Certificate in Teaching English Language Learners (TELL) - 15 credits

Education candidates must meet the knowledge, skills, and disposition standards as set forth by our national accrediting body. Candidates will be assessed by faculty at two transition points before Practicum I. to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and recommendation for continuation in the program. Candidates who fail to meet these standards in the area of dispositions will have a Professional Assessment Form filed with the department chair by a Loyola faculty member. The resulting Professional Assessment Review may result in removal from the program and/or internship for the protection of both the Loyola candidate and the K-12 students. Complete details of this procedure are available in the student handbook.

Special Education

Programs:

Master of Education (M.Ed.), Elementary/Middle Special Education (Grades 1-8) - 39 credits and prerequisites (as needed)
Master of Education (M.Ed.), Secondary Special Education (Grades 6-12) - 39 credits and prerequisites (as needed)
Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) - 30 credits beyond master's degree

The M.Ed. in Special Education can be used to meet requirements for initial certification in special education at the elementary/middle, or secondary levels and is also appropriate for teachers seeking advanced professional development. These special education graduate programs prepare both beginning and advanced professionals with full qualifications to provide effective services to students with disabilities and to take leadership roles in the field of special education. The programs emphasize proven strategies, specialized instructional methods, legal issues, service delivery models, and advanced professional skills necessary to promote the provision of quality services to students with special needs.

Loyola's graduate degree and certificate programs in special education have been approved and accredited by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). The programs include the Maryland-approved reading courses and lead to eligibility for Maryland certification in special education at the corresponding age/grade level. Additionally, graduates are eligible for certification in special education in the majority of states and U.S. territories through the interstate reciprocity agreement. For more details on the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification Interstate Agreement (NASDTEC) reprocity agreement visit http://www.nasdtec.net/?page=Interstate.

Admission Criteria

Applicants from a variety of academic backgrounds and careers are eligible to apply to the graduate programs in special education. Applicants do not need to complete the prerequisite requirements before applying and acceptance into the master's programs. However, evidence of a passing score in each area of the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (Core) Tests (Reading, Math, and Writing) is required for admission. Applicants may substitute qualifying scores on the Praxis I, SAT, ACT, or GRE for any area. SAT scores of 550 or more (500 if taken prior to April 1995) may be substituted for each corresponding area: reading, math, or writing. An ACT score of 24 in an area will substitute for the corresponding Praxis I area. GRE scores taken prior to September 2011 of 500 verbal, 550 quantitative, and 4.5 on the writing essay may be substituted. Simarly, GRE scores (taken after September 2011) of 150 verbal, 153 quantitative, and 4.5 on the writing essay may be substituted.

In accordance with the School of Education guidelines, a QPA of 3.000 in undergraduate coursework or master's degree from an accredited institution is required for full acceptance into the special education program. Applicants with a QPA of 2.750 to 3.000 may be given a probational acceptance status. While letters of recommendation are not an overall requirement for this program, they may be requested for applicants who are being considered for probational acceptance due to a QPA lower than 3.000.

Detailed admission information (application procedures, required documents, deadlines, etc.) can be found under Admission.

Prerequisite Courses/Experiences

Prerequisite courses (may be taken outside of Loyola) are intended to provide key foundational coursework and school experiences for all candidates, particularly those who are not currently certified in an area of education. Candidates may demonstrate completion of prerequisite coursework at the undergraduate or graduate level. Please note graduate prerequisite courses taken at Loyola do not count as credits completed toward the 39-credit degree requirement and do not qualify for financial aid. Prerequisite experience with children with (and without) disabilities may be demonstrated through prior work or volunteer activities. If needed, candidates may participate in a supervised, school-based placement or complete requirements by teaching, volunteering, or serving in other capacities in general and special education school programs. Observation and participation may be met through a variety of classroom experiences or through SE 900 Observation and Participation in Special Education. Candidates must demonstrate appropriate computer skills including internet usage, and database searching. These skills may be assessed through personal interview, hands-on demonstration, or product illustration. A noncredit computer workshop on uses of the internet and database searching may be required for candidates.

Candidates who have not completed the required coursework or mastered all of the prerequisite skills may be accepted into the program but may need to take the appropriate courses (or complete the appropriate experiences) before beginning program coursework.

Education candidates must meet the knowledge, skills, and disposition standards as set forth by our national accrediting body. Candidates will be assessed by faculty at two transition points before Practicum I to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and recommendation for continuation in the program. Candidates who fail to meet these standards in the area of dispositions will have a Professional Assessment Form filed with the department chair by a Loyola faculty member. The resulting Professional Assessment Review may result in removal from the program and/or internship for the protection of both the Loyola candidate and the K-12 students. Complete details of this procedure are available in the student handbook.

Practicums

A semester before completion of all coursework, candidates should contact their advisor for authorization to advance to practicum. The two practicum school placements involve teaching children with special needs during school hours. If permissible by the school administration, employed candidates may be eligible to complete one practicum experience within their own school.The two practicums are generally completed during the fall and spring semesters. A candidate may complete one practicum during the summer. However, if a candidate has completed a supervised special education practicum consistent with Loyola's graduate program (elementary/middle or secondary) through an approved special education program within an accredited college, a three-credit elective will substitute for one of the two practicums.

Requirements for Graduation

Candidates must complete all program requirements (coursework and practicum(s)), and provide Loyola results of passing Praxis II Core Knowledge and Applications #5354 test in order to graduate. For May graduates, candidates are responsible for taking the test by the end of March of their last semester. Similarly, January graduates are responsible for taking their test by the end of November of the last semester. In addition, September graduates are responsible for taking the test by the end of June of their last semester. In addition, candidates submit to Records an electronic application for graduation the first week of the final semester of practicum.

Accelerated Master's Option

The accelerated master's option allows candidates to complete the Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Special Education within as few as four semesters (summer, fall, spring, summer) by taking 9-12 credits each semester. Candidates who are missing prerequisite courses and/or experiences may need to take courses beyond four semester.

Candidates who are interested in the accelerated master's option should meet with an advisor one full semester before beginning the program in order to discuss course and placement options. Candidates are encouraged to seek full-time employment as an instructional assistant for the duration of the program. Loyola's partnerships with local public and nonpublic schools provide paid positions as special education paraprofessionals and may provide some tuition remission.

Teacher Education

Programs:

Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.), Elementary Education (Grades 1-6) - 38 credits
Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.), Secondary Education (Grades 7-12) - 34 credits
Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.), Secondary Education (Grades PK-12) - 34 credits

Programs

Certificate

Master

Courses

Kodály Music Education

Literacy

Special Education

Teacher Education

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