SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Marilyn A. Sheerer, Dean, 154 Speight
Mary W. Schmidt, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies

The mission of the School of Education is the preparation of professional educators and allied practitioners, including professionals in business information systems, counseling, electronic media, and librarianship.  Significant to this mission is a strong commitment to three important, related areas: the encouragement and nurturing of professional growth for educators and allied practitioners at all levels and in all areas of the educational endeavor, a continuing emphasis on and support for scholarship and research/creative activity, and service in all areas of professional education.

The School of Education offers graduate degree programs through the Departments of Business, Vocational, and Technical Education; Counselor and Adult Education; Educational Leadership; Elementary and Middle Grades Education; Foundations, Research, and Reading; Librarianship, Educational Technology, and Distance Instruction; Science Education; and Special Education.

ACCREDITATION

Graduate teacher education programs are accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Public Schools of North Carolina, Department of Public Instruction.

MASTER’S TEACHING DEGREES

The master of arts in education  (MAEd) is currently offered with teaching areas in science education, elementary education, middle grades education, business education, marketing education, family and consumer sciences education, reading education, English education, health education, physical education, behavioral/emotional disabilities, learning disabilities, low incidence disabilities, mental disabilities, and instructional technology.  MAEd programs in art, history, mathematics and music (master of music) are administratively located in the respective departments. These programs may choose to satisfy MAEd competency requirements through the use of the MAEd core or they may utilize their own courses to meet the competencies.

Beginning summer 2001, the School of Education will offer the master of arts in teaching (MAT) with teaching field options as follows:  art education, business education, elementary education, English education, family and consumer sciences education, health education, marketing education, middle grades education, music education, physical education, reading education, and science education.  The Schools of Art, Music, Health and Human Performance and departments in the College of Arts and Sciences will offer subject matter courses and content specific methods courses as well as supervise interns in specific teaching areas.  The full-time program is designed to be completed in one year, beginning in the summer and finishing the following summer. Successful completion of the MAT leads to initial teaching licensure.

A student may seek acceptance into the School of Education and one of several teaching areas offered in the MAT or MAEd, respectively.  Minimum requirements for admission to the School of Education’s MAT or MAEd program include the following:

1. MAEd applicants must currently hold an initial teaching license.  Entrance into an MAEd teaching area other than that of the initial licensure area may require prerequisite courses and a passing score on the area specialty PRAXIS exam for licensure.

   MAT applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree in an appropriate discipline as designated for the MAT teaching areas as follows:

   Art education:  BFA or BA in studio art.

   Business and marketing education: business administration, management, accounting, decision sciences, marketing, or information processing or an MBA.

   Family and consumer sciences education:  child development, apparel design, interior design, hospitality management, nutrition, or family relations.

   Elementary education:  baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution.

   English education:  English

   Health education:  public education, community health, exercise science, exercise physiology, physical education, nursing, biology, home economics, nutrition, psychology, sociology, or anthropology.

   Middle grades education:  English, mathematics, history, economics, geography, biology, geology, physics, chemistry, environmental science, life science, or earth science.

   Music education: music performance, music business, church music, music theory/composition, or music therapy.

   Physical education:  exercise and sport science, kinesiology, physical education, or recreation.

   Science education:  biology, chemistry, physics, geology, life science, natural science, physical science, or earth science.

2. Overall GPA of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale on all undergraduate work from an institution accredited by a regional association.
3. Satisfactory entrance examination scores on either the Graduate Record Examinations or the Miller Analogy Test.  This must be completed prior to admission to the MAT program and prior to completion of 9 s.h. of graduate credit for the MAEd.
4. A completed Graduate School application packet, including three letters of recommendation from persons who can attest to the applicant’s academic competence or ability to do graduate work, the written statement of purpose, and a copy of the initial teaching license.
5. MAT applicants are required to complete an interview with the MAT coordinator, program area faculty, and teachers.

Upon acceptance into a teaching area, the student is assigned an adviser.

MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION (MAED)

Master of arts in education (MAEd) degree programs range from a minimum of 36-39 semester hours, depending on the teaching field. All MAEd degree programs require completion of course work in the following competency areas: research, trends, and issues in education; the diverse learner; and, effective communication and leadership. The program is designed so that students and advisers have options in completing these competencies. Additional courses may be added to the following list of core courses as they are approved.

MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING (MAT)

The master or arts degree in teaching requires 39 s.h. of credit as follows:

Admission to Candidacy

Admission to candidacy for the MAEd and the MAT will be met when the following have been completed.

1. Unconditionally admitted to graduate standing.
2. Accepted to a program area and assigned an adviser.
3. Completion of 12 s.h. of graduate credit over and above any entrance deficiencies or conditions.

Transfer Credit

Transfer of credit regulations which have been established by the Graduate School apply to these degree  programs.  Transfer of credit is only accepted when it is fulfilling a deficiency or content area of knowledge.

Residence Requirements

The residence requirement for a nondoctoral degree program is met when a student has earned at least one-half of the graduate degree credit for his or her program while in residence, which is defined as taking courses on the campus of East Carolina University or at designated off-campus residence centers.

Continuous Enrollment (or Registration)

Graduate students who have previously registered for all credits in a graduate degree program but who have not completed all requirements (e.g., thesis, professional paper, internship, etc.) must continue to register each semester (except summer terms) until all degree requirements are completed and filed with the registrar. Under special circumstance, exception to continuous registration may be approved by the dean of the Graduate School. Students must be registered for the semester of graduation (except summer if registered for preceding spring semester).

Other Requirements for the Master’s Teaching Degrees

General requirements for the completion of the master’s degrees are as follows: 

1. 39 s.h. of course work for the MAT and 36-39 s.h. of course work for the MAEd, depending upon the teaching area.
2. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0.
3. Meeting specific teaching area requirements.
4. Completion of a culminating project.

Students who do not have at least a 3.0 GPA upon completion of the MAT or MAEd program may be allowed to submit up to 6 s.h. additional graduate credit hours in residence on the East Carolina University campus or at an approved graduate center in order to accumulate a 3.0 average.  These credits will be in the area(s) evaluated as being weak.

Other Requirements for the MAEd

Graduate courses with a final grade of C may be credited toward completion of any part of a nondoctoral degree program, but any student who receives a final grade of C on courses totaling in excess of 6 s.h. will have his or her program terminated.  A B average is required for graduation based on semester hours of A-graded work equal to or exceeding semester hours of C-graded work.  A student who receives two Fs or two Cs and an additional C or F as final grades is subject to termination. 

TCHR: Teacher education

6010. The Learner and the Learning Environment (3) Learning theory, motivational theory, and assessment within school environment. Focus on cognitive, affective, and social development of students.

6011. The Teacher and the Teaching Experience (3) Teaching within school environment. Teaching cycle, teaching as a profession, culture of teaching, and general strategies for instruction.

6020. MAT Classroom Management (3) Concurrent internship experience required. P: TCHR 6010, 6011. Roles and responsibilities of teacher in organizing and managing classroom setting. Approaches to handling discipline problems.

6024. MAT Internship (9) P: TCHR 6010, 6011. Supervised teaching in appropriate subject and level classroom. Emphasis on reflective decision-making.

6030. Literacy Development in the Content Area Classroom (3) May receive credit for one of READ 5317; TCHR 6030. Development of literacy abilities in content area classrooms. Identification of literacy requisites, evaluation of content area materials, and assessment of student competencies. Development of strategies and teaching materials to enhance learning.