Department of Middle Grades, Secondary, and Specialized Subjects

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The Department of Middle Grades, Secondary and Specialized Subjects is committed to educating and preparing individuals at the undergraduate and graduate levels for professions in the field of education, research, service, community health and sport management. The principal goal of the Department of Middle Grades, Secondary, and Specialized Subjects is to provide a quality education for prospective facilitators of learning in middle grades, secondary, health/physical education, and special education. In keeping with this principal goal, the department offers programs leading to the Master of Education degrees in Middle Grades (6-9), Special Education (K-12) and Secondary Education (9-12) and the Master of Arts in Teaching degrees in Middle Grades (6-9), Secondary Education (9-12) and Special Education: General Curriculum. Students seeking a master’s degree in middle grades education must select an area of concentration from language arts, mathematics, or science. The MSSS department is committed to providing academic quality in educator preparation and support services leading to candidate degree attainment and skill development in the areas of: (a) teaching academic content using current technology, (b) developing content connections within diverse learning environments, (c) reflecting on teacher beliefs and assumptions, and (d) engaging in continuous professional development. The MSSS department is further committed to strengthening faculty involvement in research, professional development and community engagement to enhance candidate and P-12 student outcomes and teacher quality in response to 21st Century, southeastern region of North Carolina communities and global expectations.

Students seeking a master’s degree in secondary education must select an area of concentration from biology, mathematics, and sociology. Students seeking the M.Ed. in Special Education may choose one of the following three specialty areas: specific learning disabilities, mental disabilities, and/or behavioral-emotional disabilities. Each of the programs requires a minimum of thirty-six (36-45) semester hours of study. In addition, a Class A level licensure program is available in Middle Grades Education, Special Education: General Curriculum, Health/Physical Education, and Secondary Education.

Suspension of Programs

At this time, the College of Education is suspending graduate admissions to the M.Ed. and M.A.T. in Secondary Education.

Candidates for the initial teaching license (Bachelor of Science [B.S.] degree, non-degree Licensure Only programs, and Master of Arts in Teaching [M.A.T.] degree) will complete a Leadership Family/ Community Collaboration Project and edTPA during the clinical experience semester. In addition, clinical experience candidates must also achieve a rating of “Met” on all parts of the final Certification of Teaching Capacity form.

Candidates for the Master of Education and Master of Arts in Teaching degree (M.Ed. and M.A.T.) will complete an Advanced Leadership and Collaboration Project evidence to demonstrate their competence in the North Carolina Graduate Standards and Indicators during their respective culminating course (EDUC 698   or SPED 698 ). In addition, candidates for the M.Ed. in Special Education must also complete the Problem Based Learning Product evidence during their initial field experience related to the Advanced Licensure Standards/Indicators in their respective Special Education specialty area (Learning Disabilities, Intellectual Disabilities, or Emotional Disabilities). Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of Proficient (score of 3.0) on each indicator of the scoring rubric(s) to receive course credit and recommendation for advanced licensure.

Learning Outcomes

Middle Grades, Secondary, and Health/Physical Education

1. The candidates will possess in-depth content knowledge to enhance 21st century skills in the specialty area that they teach.
2. The candidates will know how to implement pedagogical strategies based on the Common Core State Standards, NC Essential Standards and CAEP.
3. The candidates will design, implement and report research projects conducted in their classroom/school which integrates research with teaching and service.
4. The candidates will utilize technology to enhance instruction, learning, research, assessment and data management.
5. The candidates will promote an educational culture that values reflective practice.
6. The candidates will demonstrate the value of diversity and promote instruction that is responsive to all learner needs.
7. The candidates will demonstrate leadership skills to advocate for students, communities, policies and practices that support student learning and development.

Special Education – Initial

1. Candidates will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the field as an evolving and changing discipline based on philosophies, evidence-based principles and theories, relevant laws and policies, diverse and historical points of view, and human issues that have historically influenced and continue to influence the field of special education and the education and treatment of individuals with exceptional needs both in school and society.
2. Candidates will be able to produce evidence of their knowledge and analysis of the similarities and differences in human development and the characteristics between and among individuals with and without exceptional learning needs.
3. Candidates will be able to exhibit their depth of understanding, research and strategies related to how the experiences of individuals with exceptional learning needs can impact families, as well as the individual’s ability to learn, interact socially, and live as fulfilled contributing members of the community.
4. Candidates will be able to create products of learning that show activity and resourcefulness in seeking to understand how primary language, culture, and familial backgrounds interact with an individual’s exceptional condition to impact the individual’s academic and social abilities, attitudes, values, interests, and career options.
5. Candidates will be able to facilitate learning for their students through a repertoire of evidence-and research based instructional strategies and technologies used to individualize instruction for individuals with exceptional learning needs.
6. Candidates will be able to lead in their profession by creating learning environments for individuals with exceptional learning needs that foster a school cultural of understanding, safety and emotional well-being, positive social interactions, and active engagement of all individuals.
7. Candidates will be able to reflect and use the results of assessments to help identify exceptional learning needs and to develop and implement individualized instructional programs, as well as collaborate with specialist in order to adjust instruction in response to ongoing learning progress.

Special Education – Advanced

1. Special educators at the advanced level will be able to use their deep understanding of the history of special education, current legal and ethical standards, and emerging issues to provide leadership in public schools and in the profession.
2. Special educators at the advanced level will be able to advocate and apply their knowledge of cognitive science, learning theory, and instructional technologies to improve instructional programs and services.
3. Special educators at the advanced level will be able to discuss, in depth, models, theories, philosophies, and research methods that form the basis for evidence-based practices in special education.
4. Special educators at the advanced level will be able to design and implement research activities to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional practices, information and assistive technology, and to assess progress toward the organizational vision, mission, and goals in public schools as well as in the profession.
5. Special educators at the advanced level will be able to reflect and demonstrate a deep understanding of the centrality and importance of consultation and collaboration to the roles within special education and use this deep understanding to integrate services for individuals with exceptional learning needs.

Special educators at the advanced level will be able to plan, present, and evaluate professional development, as appropriate to their roles, based on models that apply adult learning theories and focus on effective practice in public schools and in the profession.

PRAXIS II/NC Testing REQUIREMENTS for SPECIAL EDUCATION Initial Licensure

Exceptional Children: General Curriculum (K-12) initial SP1 licensure applicants are required to:

• Pass Praxis II test 5543 - Special Education: Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications prior to the license being issued: minimum required score – 158
• Take all of the following tests at least once during the first year of teaching:
  • Pearson Foundations of Reading Test (090)
  • Pearson General Curriculum Test for North Carolina
    • Multi-subjects Subtest (103)
    • Mathematics Subtest (203)
• Pass all of the following tests in order to convert the initial SP1 to the SP2 license:
  • Pearson Foundations of Reading Test (090): minimum required score – 229
  • Pearson General Curriculum Test
    • Multi-subjects Subtest (103): minimum required score – 227
    • Mathematics Subtest (203): minimum required score - 227

Programs

• Middle Grades 6-9, Language Arts Concentration, M.Ed.
• Middle Grades 6-9, Mathematics Concentration, M.Ed.
• Middle Grades 6-9, Science Concentration, M.Ed.
• Middle Grades Education 6-9, Language Arts Specialty Area, M.A.T.
• Middle Grades Education 6-9, Mathematics Specialty Area, M.A.T.
• Middle Grades Education 6-9, Science Specialty Area, M.A.T.
• Secondary Education 9-12, Biology Specialty Area, M.A.T.
• Secondary Education 9-12, Mathematics Specialty Area, M.A.T.
• Secondary Education 9-12, Sociology Specialty Area, M.A.T.
• Secondary Education, Biology Specialty Area, M.Ed.
• Secondary Education, Mathematics Specialty Area, M.Ed.
• Secondary Education, Sociology Specialty Area, M.Ed.
• Special Education K-12, Current License in Special Education, M.Ed.
• Special Education K-12, License in Education but not in Special Education, M.Ed.
• Special Education, General Curriculum K-12, M.A.T.

• Licensure in Art Education
• Licensure in Health and Physical Education
• Licensure in Middle Grades Education 6-9, Language Arts Concentration
• Licensure in Middle Grades Education 6-9, Mathematics Concentration
• Licensure in Middle Grades Education 6-9, Science Concentration
• Licensure in Middle Grades Education 6-9, Social Studies Concentration
• Licensure in Music Education (K-12)
• Licensure in Secondary Education 9-12, Biology Specialty Area
• Licensure in Secondary Education 9-12, English Specialty Area
• Licensure in Secondary Education 9-12, Mathematics Specialty Area
• Licensure in Spanish Education (K-12)
• Licensure in Special Education, Initial A-Level License

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