Teacher Education

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

Chair: Afra Ahmed Hersi, Associate Professor

Graduate Program Directors
Kodály Music Education: Lauren McDougle
Literacy: Wendy M. Smith, Leah K. Saal
Special Education: Cathy A. Rosensteel
Master of Arts in Teaching: Mark Lewis

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

Please note Loyola is no longer accepting applications for the special education programs.

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.

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 followed by a Professional Assessment Review. The 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 providing Loyola official Praxis II exam scores by May 1. January graduates are responsible for providing official Praxis II exam scores by December 15. September graduates are responsible for providing official Praxis exam scores by August 30. In addition, candidates submit an electronic application for graduation to the Records Office by the end of the first week of the final semester.

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

Teacher Education

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