GRADUATE PROGRAMS

4+1 MASTERS IN SPECIAL EDCUATION (mse)

Program Description:

To more fully compliment Elizabethtown College’s pledge to prepare students “intellectually, socially, aesthetically and ethically for lives of service and leadership as citizens of the world” by “combining classroom instruction with experiential learning [to] advance independent thought, personal integrity and social responsibility as the foundations for a life of learning”(http://www.etown.edu/mission), the Education Department offers a Master’s degree in Special Education (PK-12).

Federal and state mandates drive the need for highly qualified teachers in these areas of special education, and, by designing the 4 + 1 model for special education in the PK-8 and 7-12 options, all certificate candidates at Elizabethtown (Pre-K to 4, 4-8, 7-12 and PK-12) are able to participate. Candidates in the program will be exposed to opportunities for more advanced curricular study, more time and variety in the field (urban, suburban, rural, learning support, emotional support, inclusive, resource, and self-contained classrooms), enhanced quality of practice in the field, two full semesters of student teaching, and research and reflection about pedagogical best practices through seminar coursework.

Program Hallmarks:

Students will complete their baccalaureate degree in a general education certification area in 4 years.
Eligible students may then move to finish the special education requirements, including a research project (Graduate Seminar) and another semester of student teaching.
The intensive student teaching supervision of the undergraduate program (weekly supervisory visits) will continue in the graduate program.
Courses in the fifth year will be administered using a mixture of traditional, on-line, hybrid, and accelerated formats.

Requirements of Acceptance:

Meet requirements for and attain Formal Acceptance into the undergraduate program
Receive a B or above in SED 212/MSE 512 (Learning Environment and Social Interaction in Inclusive Settings) and SED 222/ MSE 522 (Foundations of Inclusive Education).
Maintain a 3.3 cumulative GPA or above.
Receive satisfactory ratings on the Teacher Dispositions document.
Submit two recommendation forms or two letters of recommendation in support of your academic and professional abilities for success in the program.
Submit a writing sample which demonstrates higher-order thinking, writing and communication skills.

Fourth Year

Spring Semester

*SED 224 (MSE 524)

SED 230 (or summer)

*SED 224 is required as part of undergraduate admission
This course not covered by graduate financial aid
Ensure you take this before completion of 4th year

Fourth Year

Summer Semester (on-line)

MSE 530

MSE 540

Fifth Year

Fall Semester

MSE 533

MSE 542

MSE 544

MSE 565

Fifth Year

Spring Semester

MSE 570

(16 weeks student teaching in SPED)

MSE 590

How to Apply

Applications into the MSE 4+1 program are accepted during the fall and spring semesters. Applicants who apply in the spring of junior year are required to student teach in the fall of their senior year.
Submit application form
Submit two recommendation forms or two letters of recommendation in support of your academic and professional abilities for success in the program.

Master of Education in curriculum and instruction

The Department of Education and the School for Continuing and Professional Studies offers a graduate program leading to a master's degree in curriculum and instruction.

This program is designed for candidates who are already certified educators (PK-12) seeking graduate study in curriculum and instruction with a focus in one of the following four concentration areas: English as a Second Language (ESL), Integrative STEM Education, Interdisciplinary Autism Support, or Trauma Informed Practice.

This degree affords candidates the advantages of a unique and practical curricular focus in curriculum and instruction supported by a constructivist course sequence which promotes individualized assessments, real application to current classroom practice, and applied research relevant to grade bands across the PK-12 continuum.

The program can be completed in two years, with concentration courses occurring in the first year and curriculum and instruction courses occurring in the second year.

To achieve maximum flexibility in teaching and learning, promote the connection of theory into practice, and offer timely access to the department's teacher-scholars, the program is delivered through accelerated blended learning modules which combine synchronous and asynchronous on-line opportunities.