| Project Lead | Principal Certification Program | MA with Certification (Residency) |
| Continuing Education | Advanced Placement Institute | |
| Approved Courses: Education |
Educational Psychology |
Special Education |
253.535.8342
www.plu.edu/~educ
Faculty: Hillis, Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Instructional Development and Leadership
The purpose of the graduate programs in education is to provide qualified persons with opportunities to develop their skills in teaching and prepare themselves for educational leadership and service roles requiring advanced preparation. The major fields of concentration are designed to provide maximum flexibility in an experience-oriented environment. Graduate concentrations are offered in Residency Certification, Educational Leadership, and Administrative Certification. Requirements for each concentration are listed separately following this section.
The School of Education and Movement Studies is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
Students holding an Initial or Residency Certificate may coordinate the
Master of Arts in Education degree with the requirements for Continuing
or Professional Certification. Graduate students pursuing the
Continuing or Professional Certificate should discuss their programs
with the program coordinator or their advisor in the Department of Instructional Development and Leadership. Students intending to work toward a master's degree must
complete formal application for admission to the Office of Admissions.
Students intending to complete requirements for the Professional
Certificate must complete a formal application to the Office of Partnerships and Professional Development.
For regular admission to master's degree programs and to professional certificate programs, applicants must have completed a BA or BS degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and must submit recommendations and test scores from appropriate screening tests. Students may be required to have a personal interview with the director of graduate programs before admission. (See individual concentrations for tests and prerequisites specific to the concentration.) Students admitted provisionally must fulfill the following requirements in order to be granted regular status: completion of 12 hours of graduate course work with a minimum grade point average of 3.00.
Students complete comprehensive examination
through the submission of documented entries (DEs). DEs are completed at scheduled points throughout each program and must meet acceptable levels for students to continue in the program.
Director: Michael Hillis
Recognizing that all educators in
today's schools, both teachers and administrators, must work together
as education leaders, PLU faculty have designed an innovative program
to enhance the skills of 21st century educators with a focus on
leadership. Project Lead is for practicing educators who are committed
to enhancing their leadership and instructional roles. During the
program, PLU faculty and MA students collaborate in the investigation
of five important themes:
- Inquiry and Action, Ambiguity and Knowledge
- Power, Privilege, and Difference
- Advanced Cognition, Development, and Learning
- Individuals, Communities, and Organizations
- Leadership
These themes guide the creation of a personalized professional
project and provide the basis for grappling with important questions
that frame the work of educators in today's classrooms, schools, and
communities.
Beyond the general prerequisites, applicants must hold a valid teaching certificate and should ordinarily have successfully completed one year of teaching or related professional experience. A grade point average of at least 3.00 and Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or other admission test approved by the faculty coordinator and completed in the past five years are required. Students not meeting some of these requirements may be granted provisional status
Educational Psychology required
Candidates may take/transfer in an approved elective.
Director: Michael Hillis
The Principal and Program Administrator Program educates creative, energetic, reform-minded administrators for the leadership positions in Washington schools. To achieve this, the program aims to develop leaders that:
Director: Michael Hillis
The MA with Certification Program is designed for qualified candidates who possess a baccalaureate degree in the liberal arts and seek a career of service as teachers. Course work leads to the Master of Arts in Education: Classroom Teaching degree and Washington State Residency Teaching Certificate with endorsements in grades K-8 (Elementary Education) and grades 4-12 (Subject Matter Specific). Candidates complete an internship in public schools.
Full-time students entering the program may expect to complete all requirements in 14 months (full-time student load). A strong emphasis in the program is placed on developing the skills necessary for the integration of curriculum across grade levels with specific attention to the middle level (grades 5-8). The program is distinguished by active and early involvement in the schools and by membership with a cohort group of peers. Students entering the program in the same term will progress through courses and practica together, which allows them to share insights and experiences. Because of the involvement in public school programs, students should be able to take courses and participate in practica during the day.
The primary aim of the program is to educate teachers who are ready to assume a variety of roles in 21st-century schools. Faculty work with students to develop understandings and skills for their functions as leaders, inquirers, and curriculum/instructional specialists. Course work in the program is designed around specific themes that serve as a focus for individual and group projects and intersect with the functions of teachers as leaders, inquirers, and curriculum/instructional specialists.
Students enrolled in the MA with Certification Program begin studies in mid-June and complete program requirements the following August. In addition to course work required for the residency certificate, students complete an inquiry project culminating in a thesis as well as documented entries that allow MA candidates to demonstrate mastery of the program's core values.
The inquiry project, an empirical study grounded in the internship experience, is designed to assist MA candidates in becoming familiar with the purposes, theories, and processes of educational inquiry. The intent is to provide the opportunity for program participants to explore an educational topic in a systematic way in order to enrich their understanding of the topic, and generally, the strengths and limitations of educational inquiry.
An important program component is the completion of a year-long internship in a public school. For the intern experience, students are clustered at sites selected by the university as representative of programs reflecting specific attention to current trends in education.
For regular admission, applicants must have completed a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. A minimum grade point average of 3.00 and official scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or other admission examination approved by the director are required. Applicants are invited to meet with the program director before submitting the completed application in order to clarify questions about the program and admissions procedures.
Interested candidates should submit application to PLU's graduate
studies programs. Applications are available from the Office of
Admission. Screening of applicants and admission to the incoming class
will begin January 31 and continue until the class is full. Enrollment
in the MA with Residency Certification Program is limited and admission
to the program is competitive. Application and admission procedures
include:
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