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Jul 01, 2024
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2024-2025 Graduate Catalog
Stackable M.Ed. Program
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The Master of Education with “stackable” concentration areas provides candidates customizable options for building their M.Ed. degree pathway and candidates may choose to earn multiple certificates/endorsements. The stackable option consists of building two stackable certificates/endorsements. All options also include a required research course (EG 5083). A master’s degree earned through the stackable pathway must consist of no fewer than 30 credit hours, including the research course requirement. For this reason, some pathways will require one or more electives. Candidates may combine the following certificates options in the stackable pathway:
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Christian Education* (12-hour certificate)
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Educational Leadership, Non-Licensure* (12- hour certificate)
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English Language Learning (15-hour certificate)
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Gifted Education & Advanced Academics (12-hour certificate)
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Instructional Coaching (12-hour certificate)
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Leading in Curriculum and Instruction (12-hour certificate)
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Reading Specialty (15-hour certificate)
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Special Education (18-hour certificate)
*the 12-hour certificate does not meet all requirements for initial teaching or administrative licensure
All Stackable M.Ed. candidates will take EG 5083 - Research in Classroom Practice and EG 5000 and EG 6000
Certificates
Certificates do not imply professional certification but are intended to strengthen students’ qualifications and professional portfolios in specific areas.
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English Language Learning
The certificate in English Language Learning as part of the Master’s degree is a 15-hour progression designed for licensed teachers and focuses on culture and community in the classroom for non-native speakers. The certificate emphasizes a targeted curriculum for second language acquisition and examines the most effective pedagogical practices for working with students whose primary language is not English. In addition to the Certificate in English Language Learning, candidates will earn an endorsement in English Language Learning preK-12 upon passing the required PRAXIS exam.
Gifted Education & Advanced Academics
The Gifted Education Certificate and Endorsement program is designed to prepare teachers and leaders to effectively teach gifted students and lead gifted programs. Candidates will be prepared to design and lead gifted services through appropriate curricular and programming decisions that enhance student learning for this population. Graduates will be able to use their skills and knowledge in careers as gifted education teachers, consultants, and coordinators of advanced academic programs in public and private schools and community programs. Candidates with an active TN teaching license will be eligible to add the TN Endorsement PK-12 to their license once the appropriate Praxis exam has been passed. The program adheres to similar admission standards and procedures and academic policies of the graduate studies in the education department.
Instructional Coaching
This certificate will equip teacher-leaders to be effective leaders of job-embedded professional learning. Students will experience a strong competency-based leadership core and then specialty courses in leading adult learning, cultural competence, instructional coaching, and leading collaborative professional learning programs. Graduates of this program will earn a certificate in instructional coaching that is aligned with the International Coaching Federation competencies and code of ethics. Graduates will be able to use their skills and knowledge in careers as instructional coaches, professional development coordinators in schools, districts or in the private sector, consultants, leadership coaches and school and district administrators.
Reading Specialty
The College of Education offers a master’s level Reading Specialty certificate/endorsement that is open to licensed teachers who will have three years of teaching experience when they complete the program based on state licensure requirements for the Reading Specialist. This certificate has 15 hours of master’s level coursework focused on reading. These specialty courses include two courses designed to equip graduates with the skills to collaborate with other teachers to improve their reading instruction focused on instructional coaching and collaborative practice in literacy instruction. Candidates with an active TN teaching license will be eligible to add the endorsement to their license once the appropriate courses and PRAXIS exam have been passed.
Special Education
Licensed teachers who would like to seek an additional endorsement in Special Education may enroll in this 18 hour graduate level track. This program has been designed to meet the standards for the Tennessee Special Education Interventionist License. Students will choose the K-8 or 6-12 license. The program will provide students with coursework in special education that addresses a wide range of topics from disabilities to instructional strategies to legal issues. Candidates will develop effective communication and collaboration skills in special education and will master the creation, implementation, and use of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
In addition, educators who already hold a current special education license can add the K-12 comprehensive license with one additional class.
Educational Leadership, Non-Licensure
This option is a certificate pathway and designated concentration area on a transcript and can be added to another certificate in the stackable master’s degree program. Candidates will take 12 hours (four courses) in the certificate pathway to explore content in Educational Leadership. Candidates selecting the Educational Leadership certificate option as part of the stackable master’s degree may elect to pursue administrative licensure after the completion of the stackable M.Ed. Candidates electing to pursue the adminstrative license option must have three years of educational experience and will be required to take three additional courses and pass the School Leader Licensure Assessment.
The required four courses required in the Educational Leadership, Non-Licensure certificate include:
Leading in Curriculum and Instruction
This certificate option can stand alone or be added to another certificate in the Stackable master’s degree program. Candidates who choose to take Leading in Curriculum and Instruction as part of the Stackable master’s degree will choose courses based upon their other stackable option. If one of the course options is a requirement in their second Stackable concentration, the candidate will need to take the alternative choice.
Christian Education
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Candidates who possess an undergraduate degree may pursue a Christian Educator Program (CEP) Certificate to prepare them for the pedagogy, content, and cultural facets of teaching in a Christian school setting. The program will provide the course work and skill development that new educators in Christian schools need to be successful with their students and the Christian school learning environment. CEP coursework will include field experiences in Christian school environments. CEP students may also complete additional courses and licensure exams to complete a Tennessee teacher license. See the CEP Certificate description for information on initial teaching licensure. The 12-hour certificate as part of the Stackable M.Ed. does not lead to licensure.
All candidates seeking CEP will take the following required 12 credit hours of coursework:
12 credit hours of coursework:
CEP Candidates will choose ONE of the following methods courses depending on subject area taught:
- CEP candidates will have a contract arrangement with course instructors in order to develop an assessment of meaningful connections to Christian Education. The CEP course contract seeks to foster creativity and independence of scholarship as well as to develop a mentoring relationship with the faculty member and mentor. The contract assignment or module should add to the academic dimension of the course by introducing new material or by allowing the student to pursue in greater depth one of the topics on the syllabus that specifically relates to fundamentals of Christian education. Topics will be evaluated by the candidate’s mentor, instructor, and Program Director if necessary. The project should be of sufficient scope for the student to present as professional development. Potential assignments include a research paper, presentation, or action research. The proposed contract must be approved by the candidate’s mentor, instructor, and Program Director by the end of the third week of the semester.
Candidates with an existing teaching license may pursue the following course combination for the CEP certificate with director approval (instead of the aforementioned list, which includes EG 5053 and a Methods course):
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