Graduate Studies in Education

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Education

• Doctor of Education
• Education Specialist
• Master of Education
• Master of Science
• Certificate of Graduate Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis
• Certificate of Graduate Studies in Coaching for Learning
• Certificate of Graduate Studies in Instructional Coaching
• Certificate of Graduate Studies in Literacy Coaching
• Certificate of Graduate Studies in Technology Integration

Deborah Boyd, Interim Dean, College of Education
Trace Hebert, Interim Associate Dean and Director, Doctor of Education
Deborah Hoggatt, Assistant Director, Doctor of Education
Kristin Baese, Director, Master of Education Programs
Annette Little, Director of Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis
Misty Vetter Parsley, Director, Special Education Program
Megan Parker Peters, Director of Teacher Education and Assessment

Core Faculty

Carrie Abood, Assistant Professor of Education
Kristin Baese, Instructor, Director of M.Ed. Programs
Deborah Myers Boyd, Professor of Education 
Reva Chatman-Buckley, Associate Professor of Education
Jim Christman, Associate Professor of Education
Sarah Duncan, Assistant Professor of Education
Jeanne Gilliam Fain, Associate Professor of Education
Michael P. Hammond, Professor of Education
Michelle Hasty, Assistant Professor of Education
Ally Hauptman, Assistant Professor of Education
Trace Hebert, Associate Professor of Education
Junior L. High, Professor of Education
Deborah Hoggatt, Assistant Professor of Education
Annette Little, Associate Professor of Education
Melanie Maxwell, Assistant Professor of Education
Emily S. Medlock, Assistant Professor of Education
Keith A. Nikolaus, Professor of Education
Julia Osteen, Instructor of Education
Misty Vetter Parsley, Assistant Professor of Education
Megan Parker Peters, Assistant Professor of Education
Tammy Shutt, Associate Professor of Education
Julie A. Simone, Instructor in Education
Marcia Stewart, Professor of Education
Carrie H. Thornthwaite, Professor of Education
Roger Wiemers, Professor of Education

Graduate studies in education include degree options that provide professional and academic development for both in-service and pre-service educators. Graduate degrees in education include concentrations that enable students to enhance their pedagogical expertise, to expand their career opportunities and to assume leadership roles in education. Opportunities that lead students to initial license/endorsement are also available through graduate degree programs in education.

Master of Education

• Coaching for Learning
• Educational Leadership
• English Language Learning
• Instructional Coaching
• Instructional Practice
• Reading Specialty
• School Counseling
• Special Education
• Teaching, Learning and Leading
• Technology Integration

The Master of Education degree program continues Lipscomb’s tradition of excellence in teacher and leader education. As part of Lipscomb’s Christian academic community, the mission of the program is to prepare caring and competent educational leaders

• who practice their craft in an exemplary manner,
• who possess attitudes and values worthy of imitation,
• who are able to relate to members of all communities within the educational experience and
• who possess knowledge essential for the profession.

To receive the Master of Education degree, a student must complete one of the following degree programs:

• Coaching for Learning (30)
• Educational Leadership (33)
• English Language Learning (30)
• Instructional Coaching (30)
• Instructional Practice (30)
• Reading Specialty (33)
• School Counseling (36/42)
• Special Education (36)
• Teaching, Learning and Leading (30)
• Technology Integration (30)

The availability of a variety of programs makes the degree attractive to licensed teachers seeking a master’s degree, those individuals who have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education and who want to meet initial teacher licensure requirements in conjunction with earning the Master of Education degree, individuals who desire to take graduate courses for teacher recertification or professional development, or individuals who would like to obtain an instructional leader license. Students seeking initial teacher licensure may be required to take selected undergraduate/graduate courses to make up deficiencies in knowledge and skills required by the Tennessee State Department of Education. Endorsement-only programs are also offered in Administrative Licensure, English Language Learning, Reading Specialty, Special Education, and Teacher Licensure.

All NCATE, INTASC, NBPTS, ISLLC and Tennessee standards are met.

Doctor of Education

The Doctor of Education degree in Learning Organizations and Strategic Change is focused on preparing leaders for public and private organizations and academic settings. This program guides working professionals through an examination of educational leadership, the application of theory and research to practice, national and international perspectives and Christian ethics. The program culminates with a practical, collaborative capstone project that addresses real questions in authentic settings for the purpose of informing educational practice.

Education Specialist

The Education Specialist degree prepares a candidate for both leadership and teaching in the selected Ed.S. major. The Ed.S. is preparation for many school, district-level, and undergraduate-college teaching opportunities. In teaching fields, the purpose of the degree is to prepare undergraduate-college teachers, especially those who will be employed in junior or community colleges, as well as small private and state colleges. The primary goals of the Ed.S. degree are increasing teaching expertise and acquiring professional proficiency in an area. In most education settings, the person with an Ed.S. is viewed as a content specialist who can also teach that content in various settings.

The college offers the following program majors that lead to an Ed.S. degree:

• Educational Leadership (36)
  • Candidates can earn the administrative license from the state of Tennessee through this program.
• Coaching for Learning (33)
  • Candidates can receive a Certificate in Coaching for Learning from Lipscomb University through this program.
• Instructional Coaching (33)
  • Candidates can receive a Certificate in Instructional Coaching from Lipscomb University through this program.
• English Language Learning (33)
  • Candidates can earn the ELL endorsement from the state of Tennessee through this program.
• Literacy Coaching (33)
  • Candidate can earn a Certificate in Literacy Coaching from Lipscomb University through this program.
• Reading Specialty (36)
  • Candidates can earn the Reading Specialist endorsement from the state of Tennessee through this program.
• School Counseling (42)
  • Candidates can earn the School Counseling endorsement from the state of Tennessee through this program.
• Technology Integration (33)
  • Candidates can earn a Certificate in Technology Integration from Lipscomb University through this program.

Master of Science

• Applied Behavior Analysis

The Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis programs combine Lipscomb’s tradition of innovation and quality instruction with one of the highest demand fields in learning today. The demand for certified professionals who can deliver effective behavioral services is growing. Along with offering a certification program, we also offer a Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis. Within the M.S. degree, students will receive Behavior Analyst Certification Board®-course-sequence-approved courses and 1,500 hours of field supervision necessary to apply for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board exam.

Approvals and Standards

The M.Ed. and Ed.D. programs have been granted NCATE and state approval. The Reading Specialty and Ed.S. programs have been granted conditional approval. All NCATE, INTASC, NBPTS, ISSLC and Tennessee Standards are met.

Admission Policies and Procedures

Applicants to all graduate programs must submit the following items. Some programs may require additional application materials.

1. Application Form. Each applicant must complete an application form. Go to www.lipscomb.edu/education/apply-now, then click on the program you wish to apply for. The application should be completed online.
2. Application Fee. Each application should be accompanied by a $50 nonrefundable application fee ($75 for international students).
3. Standardized Exam Score. Each applicant must submit the scores of a standardized exam. Scores from the Graduate Record Examination or Miller’s Analogy Test are preferred for students seeking their first graduate course work. (For more information on the GRE, visit www.ets.org/ and click on GRE. For more information on the MAT, visit www.milleranalogies.com/.) Students who have already earned a master’s level degree may apply to the M.Ed. and Ed.S. programs without submitting a standardized test score.
4. References. Letters of reference are required and vary by degree and program.
5. Official Transcript(s). Each applicant must submit an official transcript, showing degree conferral when appropriate, from all schools attended.
6. Health Form. Each applicant must submit a completed health form signed by a health care provider. To print a copy of the health form, visit www.lipscomb.edu/healthcenter/forms.
7. FERPA: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act affords students certain rights of access to educational records; even if the applicant is independent of his or her parents, he or she must submit this form prior to enrollment.
8. Resume. A resume detailing the applicant’s work and academic experience is required for the EDLD and Ed.D. programs.
9. Personal Statement. Depending on the program, a 250-1000 word expanded goals statement concerning the applicant’s interest in and application of the program’s curriculum to expected career progression is required.
10. Standard Writing Sample. EDLD applicants will write a 250-750 word essay in response to a prepared writing prompt.
11. Interview. Applicants will interview with the appropriate program director and/or designee. The interview process and requirements are determined based on program.
12. TOEFL. The Test of English as a Foreign Language is required for international students and may be required for students for whom English is a second language. (See section titled International Students  for more information.)

All application items should be submitted to the College of Education office no later than 30 days before the beginning of the semester or term in which the student plans to enroll. Forms should be mailed to: Applications, College of Education, Graduate Studies in Education, Lipscomb University, One University Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37204-3951.

Transfer and Waiver of Courses

Although all graduate credit hours may be transferred from another accredited institution, a maximum of six hours will be counted toward the master’s degree and 15 for the doctoral degree at the discretion of the program director. The director or appropriate faculty member of the graduate program will evaluate the course(s) being proposed for transfer and make a determination of suitability. No course with a grade below a “B” will be considered for transfer.

In master’s programs, special consideration for course substitution in the required course of study may be given to a student who has had special study and/or experience in a given subject area. The student may apply to the program director and submit a proposal demonstrating the need for course substitution based on prior background knowledge in the required course. No credit will be given for the substituted course and a replacement course will be chosen.

Documentation

Students are required to provide satisfactory documentation of personal identification for off-site learning experiences required in many programs of graduate study at Lipscomb University. Failure to provide proper credentials will result in failure to complete the desired course of study. For complete policy, see section entitled Required Documentation for Off-Site Learning Experiences  in the opening section of this catalog.

Student Classifications

Students are admitted to graduate courses in one of five categories:

1. Graduate Student: one who has satisfied all admission requirements. (For the M.Ed.: minimum requirements of an average of 3.0 for last 60 hours, a combined verbal and quantitative score of 294 or higher on the GRE, or 386 [31] or higher on the MAT.) A student with an incomplete admission file will be accepted to the program at the discretion of the program director but will be placed on an academic hold which will prevent registration for the following semester. Once the proper admissions documents have been received, the hold will be removed and the student will be allowed to register for the following semester.
2. Conditionally Admitted Student: one who has been admitted conditionally, at the discretion of the program director, without satisfying all admission requirements. Students admitted with the following criteria may be required to complete six hours of academic courses in their program with no grade lower than a “B” (transitional mentoring hours do not count towards the six hours) before the conditional admission is removed.
   1. A student from an unaccredited school or with a substandard GPA or GRE/MAT score.
   2. A transfer student with a graduate GPA between 2.50 and 2.99. The transfer student must be in good standing at the previous institution attended.
   3. A student who has not completed a bachelor’s degree program. The transfer student must be in good standing at the previous institution attended.
3. Non-Degree Student: one who has been admitted to graduate studies but has not met all admission requirements or is pursuing endorsement or license only. The student may take up to nine semester hours for graduate credit. Those hours may be applied toward a master’s degree if the student makes a grade of “B” or better in the courses taken for credit and if all admission requirements are met and the student is formally admitted to a graduate program as a degree-seeking student. Additional requirements, including successful passage of PRAXIS exams, may be placed on students seeking licensure.
4. Visiting Student: one who is currently enrolled as a student in good standing at the post-bachelor’s level at another graduate school, wishes to take courses at Lipscomb and desires to have transcript evidence of course work done at Lipscomb provided for the school of primary enrollment.
5. Probationary Student: one who has been readmitted to a graduate program following academic suspension from the program.

Admission to a program does not imply admission to candidacy for the master’s or education specialist degree. Only those students who meet the requirements for “graduate student” described above are eligible for candidacy.

Unaccredited Degree and/or Substandard Admission Scores

Should conditional admission be granted, the following stipulations will apply:

Unaccredited Degree: If the student’s transcript shows deficiencies in liberal arts courses as defined by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the student will be required to demonstrate the understandings and skills normally associated with a liberal arts education, particularly in oral and written communication skills. The student may be required to remove the deficiency by successfully completing additional courses. The minimum standard generally is as follows: 30 hours of course work drawn from three areas-humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral science and natural science/mathematics; evidence of competence in oral and written communication skills; and fundamental mathematical skills.

Substandard Admission Scores: If the GPA during the last 60 semester hours of college work is between 2.50 and 2.99, or the combined verbal and quantitative GRE score is between 290 and 293, or the MAT score is between 382 (25) and 385 (29), the student must complete a minimum of nine hours of graduate work at Lipscomb with a grade of “B” or above before the student’s admission status is reviewed and conditional admission is satisfied.

Students who are denied admission because of a GPA below 2.50 during the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work, a GPA below 3.0 for graduate work leading to earning a master’s degree, a combined verbal and quantitative GRE score below 290, or an MAT score below 382 (25) may reapply for admission after completing 12 semester hours of approved undergraduate credits or nine semester hours of approved graduate credits with a grade of “B” or higher from an accredited institution or after obtaining an acceptable score on the GRE or the MAT.

Academic Policies

Course Load

A student enrolled for six hours a semester is considered a full-time student. A student enrolled for less than six hours is considered a half-time student. No student will be permitted to enroll for more than nine hours per semester without special approval from the director of the graduate program.

M.Ed. and Ed.S. courses are offered online, and nights and weekends, typically allowing a student to take six hours of credit each semester. Some intensive day courses are offered during summer and winter or May sessions. Twelve hours are possible during summer sessions.

The Ed.D. courses are offered in a cohort model. Certain Ed.S. and M.Ed. programs, including Educational Leadership and Technology Integration are also offered in a cohort model.

Academic Standing

1. Good Academic Standing: To remain in good academic standing, the graduate education student must maintain a cumulative 3.00 GPA and also a 3.00 GPA on the most recent 12 semester hours of work.
2. Probation: Should the student’s cumulative graduate GPA fall below 3.00, he or she will be placed on academic probation. A student on academic probation will not be allowed to enroll for more than six hours during any term the probation applies and the student’s progress will be monitored course by course.
   The probationary student is required to achieve a 3.00 cumulative GPA by the time the student has completed the next nine hours of course work. A graduate course in which a student has earned a “C” or “F” may be repeated. In such cases, only the higher grade will be used to compute the student’s GPA. Failing grades will provide no credit toward the degree but will be included in figuring scholarship level, unless replaced with a higher grade by repeating the course(s). A 3.00 GPA must be maintained to be eligible for financial assistance.
   If the requisite GPA is attained, the academic probation status will be removed.
3. Suspension: If the requisite GPA is not attained, the student will be suspended from graduate studies at Lipscomb for the following semester, after which the student may apply for readmission. The student may be required to appear before the graduate committee.
   A graduate course in which a student has earned a “C” or “F” may be repeated. In such cases, only the higher grade will be used to compute the student’s GPA. Failing grades will provide no credit toward the degree but will be included in figuring scholarship level, unless replaced with a higher grade by repeating the course(s). A 3.00 GPA must be maintained to be eligible for financial assistance.
4. Appeals: Appeals to suspension decisions should be made in writing to the associate provost for academic development and graduate studies. Appeals must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on the Monday of the week before classes begin for the term during which the student wishes to be readmitted.

Degree Completion Requirements

Residency

No period of formal residency is required for a degree in a master’s, education specialist or doctoral program.

Statute of Limitations

All requirements for the M.Ed., M.S., Ed.S. or Ed.D. degrees must be completed within seven calendar years from the date that the student begins initial course work for the applicable program at Lipscomb University.

Candidacy

Admission to a program does not imply admission to candidacy for the master’s degree. During the course of pursuing the master’s degree, the student must be admitted to “candidacy.” For admission to candidacy the student must satisfy the following:

1. Complete all required deficiencies if admitted on condition.
2. Complete at least 12 hours of graduate work successfully.
3. Maintain a 3.00 GPA on all courses taken toward the requirements for the degree with no incomplete grades.
4. File an application for candidacy form with the graduate program office.
5. File a degree plan in the graduate program office which meets all requirements and is approved by the administrator of the graduate program and the dean of the college. The degree plan must be filed at the same time that an application for candidacy is filed.
6. Have an admissions interview with the director of the program or faculty delegate.

After admission to candidacy and approval of the degree plan, any changes in the degree plan must be approved by the administrator of the graduate program and the dean of the college. The application for candidacy must be filed before the beginning of the student’s last semester in the program. No student will be allowed to graduate in the same semester in which the application for candidacy is filed.

Exit Requirements (comprehensive exams, etc.)

Each M.Ed. degree-seeking student is required to successfully complete a comprehensive exam, portfolio, research proposal/project and presentation. Education leadership M.Ed. students and administrative licensure students must have a passing score on the SLLA Praxis in lieu of a comprehensive exam.

Each Ed.S. degree-seeking student is required to successfully complete all course and research requirements. Educational Leadership students and administrative licensure students must complete the SLLA praxis as well as any additional requirements for licensure.

Each Ed.D. degree-seeking student is required to successfully complete all course and capstone requirements.

Minimum Credits

The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership requires 33 hours; the M.Ed. in Coaching for Learning 30 hours; the M.Ed. in English Language Learning 30 hours; the M.Ed in Reading Specialty 33 hours; the M.Ed. in Instructional Coaching 30 hours; the M.Ed. in Instructional Practice 30 hours; the M.Ed. in Technology Integration 30 hours; the M.Ed. in Special Education 36 hours; the M.Ed. in School Counseling 36/42 hours; and the M.Ed. in Teaching, Learning and Leading 30 hours. The M.S. in Advanced Behavior Analysis requires 34 credit hours. The Ed.S. in Educational Leadership requires 36 hours; the Ed.S. in English Language Learning 33 hours; the Ed.S. in Instructional Coaching 33 hours; the Ed.S. in Literacy Coaching 33 hours; the Ed.S. in Reading Specialty 36 hours; the Ed.S. in School Counseling 36 hours; and the Ed.S. in Technology Integration 33 hours. The Ed.D. requires 54 hours.

Minimum GPA

The minimum cumulative grade-point average for all graduate education programs is 3.00 for all courses taken for graduate credit while pursuing the degree or seeking initial teacher licensure. No grade below a “C” is acceptable.

Graduation

M.Ed., Ed.S. and M.S. students must register for GN 999X the semester in which all course work will be completed for graduation (Ed.D. students will take GN 999X in the semester of their commencement). Students who do not file their intent to graduate form in the registrar’s office by the deadline set by the registrar, but no later than the end of the first week of their last semester, may be delayed in graduating. M.Ed. students must also register for an online graduation seminar (no fee and no credit) in their last semester before graduation.

Graduate students receiving degrees are hooded during May and Dec. commencement exercises. Aug. graduates are typically recognized at the Dec. commencement. Students may also submit a petition to walk early if they wish to be recognized at the May ceremony.

Appeals

Any exceptions to the above stated requirements would require approval via the appeal process established by the graduate academic leadership team.

Financial Information

Tuition and Fees for 2016-17*

In-Service Scholarships

The graduate education program at Lipscomb offers an in-service scholarship (26% discount) for currently employed full-time educators and/or administrators who enroll in an on-campus master’s level graduate education program.

A 20% in-service scholarship is offered for the Ed.S and doctoral level graduate education programs for full-time educators and/or administrators. Contact the graduate education office for more details.

A 20% percent alumni scholarship is offered for alumni of Lipscomb University. Contact the College of Education office for more details.

Lipscomb Scholarships

Graduate Education Scholarship

Scholarships are awarded each semester as funds are available to selected students in the graduate programs. These recipients must have full admission status and be registered as a full-time student (6 credit hours) at the time of the award.

Scholarship awards will be decided by the graduate scholarship committee. The scholarship application form and letter must be filed by the application deadline each semester before action will be taken by the scholarship committee. A 3.00 GPA must be maintained and students must be registered for their next semester’s courses to be eligible for the scholarship.

Cultural Diversity Teacher Training Scholarship

This scholarship is offered to students from a traditionally under-represented group who are interested in an initial teaching license. The scholarship will be granted to those students with the greatest need based on their FAFSA data and expected family contribution (EFC).

Maxine D. Whittle Scholarship

This scholarship is offered to students pursuing a special education degree. Priority will be given to candidates having the greatest need based on FAFSA data and expected family contribution (EFC).

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