Education (M.A.T.)

Faculty

Dr. Meghan Cosier, Assistant Professor of Education
Dr. Beth Kara Dawkins, Assistant Professor of Education
Dr. Roberta Dorr, Associate Professor of Education
Dr. Deborah Litt, Associate Professor of Education, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Program Chair for Reading
Dr. Bweikia Steen, Assistant Professor of Education

Description

The Graduate Programs in teacher education offer the Master of Arts in Teaching degree (M.A.T.) and prepare graduate students for teaching careers. Trinity’s M.A.T. programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (N.C.A.T.E.) and approved by the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education (O.S.S.E.).

Candidates who successfully complete the M.A.T. program and fulfill the other requirements set by O.S.S.E. are eligible for teacher certification in the District of Columbia and in other jurisdictions, as determined by reciprocity agreements.

The M.A.T. is offered in early childhood, elementary, or special education, and selected areas of secondary education (English and social studies). Prospective students for Trinity’s M.A.T. program should refer to the School of Education’s Policy on the State Required Examinations.

Through a sequenced course of study, students gain knowledge, skills, and experiences in preparation for certification. Most of the professional education courses require a practicum, internship, or other field experiences in addition to regular class meetings.

The program may be completed on either a full-time or part-time basis. However, one semester of full time study is required for the Internship/Student Teaching in the last semester of the program, during which the university places students in public, charter, and private school systems in the Washington metropolitan area.

Upon students’ entry into the program, faculty in the School of Education advise students on their courses of study, including general education and professional education course work. In some cases, and based on state certification and national accreditation standards, additional general education course work may be required. This course work must be completed prior to the Internship/Student Teaching.

Summary Pass-Rates on Praxis Exams (TITLE II DATA)

Type of Assessment
Institutional
Pass Rate
Statewide
Pass Rate
Aggregate – Basic Skills 100% 99%
Aggregate – Professional Knowledge & Content 93% 93%

Application to Student Teaching

Students may entroll in Internship/Student Teaching when all of the following conditions are met:

1) General Education Requirements are completed;

2) Education Core Courses are completed with no more than one B-;

3) Education Methods Courses are completed with grades of B or better;

4) Program Area Internship Readiness Assessment is passed;

5) Secondary Education Subject Area Courses are completed (for Secondary Education candidates only); and

6) Students are in good academic standing.

During the semester before candidates plan to complete the Internship/Student Teaching, they must complete an application for student teaching. The application form must be signed by the student and the student’s academic advisor in the School of Education and delivered to the Program Director of Teacher Education.  The completed and signed form is due to the Director before the end of priority registration in the Fall or Spring the semester prior to the time when the student wishes to student teach.  Trinity has sole authority to make all student teaching placements.  Failure to complete this form and obtain the requisite approvals on time may disqualify prospective teachers from student teaching during the desired semester.

Course Requirements and Specializations

General Education Requirements

Download the General_Education_Worksheet, updated May 7, 2012.

For the Secondary Education Specialization, see additional content area requirements.

Early Childhood Education Specialization, Ages 3-8

The early childhood education specialization requires 36 credits, and the course of study provides a comprehensive core of knowledge and field-based experience for students desiring to work with young children (ages 3-8).

Core Requirements (12 credits)

ALL of the following courses must be completed with no more than one B-:

EDCC 601 Transition to Graduate School Seminar
EDCC 510 Human Growth and Development
EDCC 530 Education of Exceptional Children and Youth
EDCC 541 Foundations of Education and the Art of Teaching and Learning
EDCC 600 Research in Education

Specialization (18 credits)

ALL of the following courses must be completed with a grade of B or better:

EDTE 610 Early Childhood Development in Family and Culture
EDTE 611 Literacy Development Across the Curriculum
EDTE 612 Constructing and Integrating the Early Childhood Curriculum
EDTE 613 Developing Concepts in Early Childhood Mathematics and Science
EDTE 614 Assessment in Early Childhood Education
EDTE 627 Literacy Assessment and Instruction for Emergent and Early Readers

Internship (Student Teaching) (6 credits)

BOTH of the following courses:

EDTE 671 Student Teaching in Early Childhood Education
EDTE 689 Advanced Seminar in Teaching

Elementary Education Specialization, Grades 1-6

The elementary education specialization requires 36 credits of course work, and the course of study provides a comprehensive core of knowledge and field-based experiences for students desiring to work with elementary school students in grades one through six.

Core Requirements (12 credits)

ALL of the following courses must be completed with no more than one B-:

EDCC 601 Transition to Graduate School Seminar
EDCC 510 Human Growth and Development
EDCC 530 Education of Exceptional Children and Youth
EDCC 541 Foundations of Education and the Art of Teaching and Learning
EDCC 600 Research in Education

Specialization (18 credits)

ALL of the following courses must be completed with a grade of B or better:

EDTE 621 Teaching for Mathematical Inquiry
EDTE 622 Teaching for Scientific Inquiry
EDTE 623 Language, Literature, and Culture
EDTE 624 Children's Literature
EDTE 627 Literacy Assessment and Instruction for Emergent and Early Readers
EDTE 628 Literacy Assessment and Instruction for Upper Elementary Readers

Student Teaching Internship and Seminar in Teaching (6 credits)

BOTH of the following courses:

EDTE 673 Student Teaching in Elementary Education
EDTE 689 Advanced Seminar in Teaching

Secondary Education Specializations, Grades 7-12

The secondary education specializations require 33 credits and provide a comprehensive core of knowledge and field experiences for students desiring to teach English or social studies at the middle and high school level (grades 7 through 12). A student must have a 3.0 GPA in the content area in which he or she wishes to teach. Students must meet with an academic advisor to assess prerequisite course work necessary to meet the requirements of their respective areas of specialization.

Content Requirements for Secondary Subject Areas

The courses listed below are required in addition to general education and professional education requirements. Students wishing to be certified in a content area must pass both content and pedagogy areas of the Praxis II required in their area.

English: Thirty-six (36) semester hours is required in course work from the following: writing process, American literature, English literature, linguistics, oral communication, world literature or comparative literature, multicultural literature, drama, journalism, adolescent literature, and mythology. The academic advisor reviews the undergraduate transcripts to determine what courses apply to this content area and whether additional content area courses are required.

Social Studies: Thirty-three (33) semester hours is required in course work from the following: history, world history, United States history, the history and government of the District of Columbia, physical or cultural geography, economics, political science, and at least one course in international relations, global studies, law, philosophy, psychology, sociology, social science, or anthropology. The advisor reviews the undergraduate transcripts to determine what courses apply to this content area and whether additional content area courses are required.

Core Requirements (12 credits)

ALL of the following courses:

EDCC 601 Transition to Graduate School Seminar
EDCC 510 Human Growth and Development
EDCC 530 Education of Exceptional Children and Youth
EDCC 541 Foundations of Education and the Art of Teaching and Learning
EDCC 600 Research in Education

Specialization (15 credits)

ALL of the following courses:

EDCC 605 Educational Measurement and Evaluation
EDCI 650 Glob & Ethical Persp of Diverse Learners
EDTE 641 Adolescent Culture in Literature
EDTE 642 Teaching Reading in the Content Area

ONE of the following courses, as appropriate:

EDTE 644 Curriculum and Methods of Teaching Secondary Social Studies
EDTE 646 Curriculum and Methods of Teaching Secondary English

Student Teaching Internship and Seminar in Teaching (6 credits)

ONE of the following courses in student teaching, as appropriate:

EDTE 681 Student Teaching in Secondary English
EDTE 683 Student Teaching in Secondary Social Studies

AND ONE seminar in teaching:

EDTE 689 Advanced Seminar in Teaching

Special Education Specialization (Non-Categorical), Grades K-12

The special education specialization requires 36 credits and provides a comprehensive core of knowledge and field-based experiences for students desiring to teach children and youth with special needs in a variety of special education settings. Core Requirements (12 credits)

ALL of the following courses:

EDCC 601 Transition to Graduate School Seminar
EDCC 510 Human Growth and Development
EDCC 530 Education of Exceptional Children and Youth
EDCC 541 Foundations of Education and the Art of Teaching and Learning
EDCC 600 Research in Education

Specialization (24 credits)

ALL of the following courses:

EDCC 605 Educational Measurement and Evaluation
EDTE 629 Teaching Students with Emotional and Learning Disabilities
EDTE 630 Human Relations and Career Education in Special Education
EDTE 634 Teaching Students with Intellectual Disabilities
EDTE 636 Psychology of Exceptional Children and Youth
EDTE 637 Preparation of Individualized Learning Prescriptions

Student Teaching Internship and Seminar in Teaching (6 credits)

BOTH of the following courses:

EDTE 675 Student Teaching in Special Education
EDTE 689 Advanced Seminar in Teaching

Program Policies

Advanced Placement:
Credits earned through Advanced Placement Examinations may fulfill general education requirements for certification courses in cases where the student has earned a 4 or 5 on the examination and the credits have been reviewed by the School of Education faculty members.

CLEP Policy:
Credits earned through CLEP Examinations may fulfill general education requirements for certification courses in cases where the student has earned a score that confers credit following the guidelines of the ACE and the credits have been reviewed by the School of Education faculty members.

General Education Requirements:
General education requirements are reviewed with the advisor upon the student’s entry into the program. Students lacking one or more requirements may need to take additional coursework prior to the Internship, Student Teaching, or Practicum. General education requirements typically are met through previous undergraduate (or graduate) coursework. All accepted courses must be at a 100 level or above (not at a remedial or developmental level) and passed with a minimum grade of “C” (not Pass/Fail).

Trinity Professional Development Courses:
Trinity Professional Development courses may be substituted for general education courses, to a maximum of one (1) substitution within each section and no more than four (4) substitutions total,   as categorized on the General Education Worksheet Content Measure Review.

Grades in Education Courses:
Undergraduate students are required to earn a minimum GPA of 2.5 in all Education core courses and a GPA of 3.0 in Education methods courses to fulfill requirements for the major, the minor, and/or the undergraduate portion of the B.A./M.A.T. Program. Graduate students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 and may have no more than 3 credits below a B- in order to graduate.

Pass/No Pass:
Courses fulfilling the major, minor, or undergraduate portion of the B.A./M.A.T. Program — including general education courses required for certification — may not be taken Pass/No Pass.

Student Assessment System:
The School of Education has a Unit Assessment System aligned with its goals, to ensure that all candidates have the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to be successful in their respective fields. In conjunction with the Unit Assessment System, the teacher preparation programs (B.A. and M.A.T.) have assessments designed to ensure that teacher candidates meet the standards of their professional associations. Key assessments have been designed to measure a candidate’s progress through the program. Most of these assessments are embedded in course work, with the exception of the examinations required prior to student teaching. These examinations are scheduled each semester, and a qualifying score is a prerequisite to the Internship (Student Teaching). All candidates must successfully complete all key assessments in order to fulfill the requirements of their program. Academic advisors explain the assessment system to candidates after their acceptance into the School of Education.

Study Abroad:
Courses taken through a study abroad program approved by Trinity may count toward general education courses required for certification, pending review and approval by education faculty and the faculty of the appropriate academic program. In general, education courses taken abroad will not count toward the major, minor, or undergraduate portion of the B.A./M.A.T. Program.

Experiential Credit Policy:
Credits earned through experience may count toward general education courses required for certification, pending review and approval by education faculty and the faculty of the appropriate academic program. In general, experiential credits may not substitute for education courses counted toward the major, minor, or undergraduate portion of the B.A./M.A.T. Program.

Transfer Credits:
Transfer credits may be awarded only after appropriate program review. Courses at the 400-level and above must be completed at Trinity. Courses taken as part of the School of Education program of study must be taken at Trinity.

Course Descriptions

Explanation of Course Prefixes and Numbers
Courses designated EDCC are core courses and common to various programs in the School of Education. Courses designated EDTE are largely specific to the M.A.T. teacher education program. Students pursuing an M.A.T. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, as well as students in Early Childhood Education, take several courses designated EDCI, which are offered in conjunction with the Curriculum and Instruction Program.

EDCC – Core Courses

EDCC 510 Human Growth and Development
EDCC 530 Education of Exceptional Children and Youth
EDCC 541 Foundations of Education and the Art of Teaching and Learning
EDCC 600 Research in Education
EDCC 601 Transition to Graduate School Seminar
EDCC 605 Educational Measurement and Evaluation
EDCC 697 Directed Research
EDCC 698 Independent Study

EDCI – Courses offered in conjunction with Curriculum and Instruction and Master of Arts in Teaching programs

EDCI 607 Cultural Diversity and Global Concerns
EDCI 627 Language Acquisition and Development
EDCI 640 Language Learning
EDCI 641 The Structure of American English
EDCI 642 Linguistics and Bilingualism
EDCI 650 Glob & Ethical Persp of Diverse Learners

EDTE -Teacher Education (M.A.T.) Courses

EDTE 610 Early Childhood Development in Family and Culture
EDTE 611 Literacy Development Across the Curriculum
EDTE 612 Constructing and Integrating the Early Childhood Curriculum
EDTE 613 Developing Concepts in Early Childhood Mathematics and Science
EDTE 614 Assessment in Early Childhood Education
EDTE 621 Teaching for Mathematical Inquiry
EDTE 622 Teaching for Scientific Inquiry
EDTE 623 Language, Literature, and Culture
EDTE 624 Children's Literature
EDTE 627 Literacy Assessment and Instruction for Emergent and Early Readers
EDTE 629 Teaching Students with Emotional and Learning Disabilities
EDTE 630 Human Relations and Career Education in Special Education
EDTE 634 Teaching Students with Intellectual Disabilities
EDTE 636 Psychology of Exceptional Children and Youth
EDTE 637 Preparation of Individualized Learning Prescriptions
EDTE 641 Adolescent Culture in Literature
EDTE 642 Teaching Reading in the Content Area
EDTE 644 Curriculum and Methods of Teaching Secondary Social Studies
EDTE 646 Curriculum and Methods of Teaching Secondary English
EDTE 671 Student Teaching in Early Childhood Education
EDTE 673 Student Teaching in Elementary Education
EDTE 675 Student Teaching in Special Education
EDTE 681 Student Teaching in Secondary English
EDTE 683 Student Teaching in Secondary Social Studies
EDTE 689 Advanced Seminar in Teaching
EDTE 690 Teaching Practicum
EDTE 698 Independent Study
EDTE 699 Capstone in Teacher Education