Teaching, M.A.
Pre-Service Teacher Education Programs
The School of Education offers the following pre-service teacher education programs for individuals who have already completed a bachelor’s degree. Each program leads to a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS), and an endorsement as a Teacher of Students with Disabilities (TOSD) from the New Jersey Department of Education:
- Early Childhood Education (P–3) and TOSD certificate,
- Elementary Education (K–6) and TOSD certificate,
- English as a Second Language (ESL) and TOSD certificate, and
- Teacher of a Specific Subject (K-12) and TOSD certificate.
| ESL Education | Early Childhood Education | Elementary Education | Secondary Education | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDC5110 | EDC5110 | EDC5110 | EDC5110 | |
| EDC5038+EDC5999 | EDC5038+EDC5999 | EDC5038+EDC5999 | EDC5038+EDC5999 | SE-CE (50 hrs.) |
| EDC5403 | EDC5403 | EDC5403 | EDC5403 | (CE hrs.) |
| EDC5113 | ECE5201 | EDC5115 | EDC5120 | |
| EDC5021 | ECE5202 | EDC5210 | EDC5215 | |
| EDC5026 | ECE5204 | EDC5211 | EDC5229, EDC5231, EDC5232, EDC5233, EDC5234, EDC5236, EDC5237, or EDC5238 | |
| EDC5022 | ECE5203 | EDC5207 | ||
| EDC5206 | EDC5206 | EDC5206 | EDC5206 | CE (50 hrs.) |
| EDC5027 | ECE5205 | EDC5208 | EDC5330, EDC5331, EDC5332, EDC5333, EDC5334, EDC5335, EDC5336, or EDC5337 | |
| EDC5402 | EDC5402 | EDC5402 | EDC5402 | |
| EDC6210 | ECE6212 | EDC6214 | EDC6215 | PT-CP (175 hrs.) |
| EDC6299 | ECE6302 | EDC6404 | EDC6406 | FT-CP (15 wks) |
| EDC6300 | ECE6303 | EDC6405 | EDC6407 |
Physiology and Hygiene
New Jersey Department of Education regulations requires all applicants for instructional certification to pass an examination in physiology and hygiene, including the effects of narcotics and alcohol. Candidates admitted to the pre-service teacher education program are required to take and pass the GCU exam in this area in the first semester, prior to clinical experience.
Harassment, Intimidation & Bullying (HIB)
New Jersey Department of Education regulations require training related to harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB). Candidates must provide evidence of successful completion of a GCU-approved HIB training program prior to clinical experience.
Accelerated Teacher Education Programs
Georgian Court University offers the pre-service teacher education options in an accelerated format. Georgian Court’s accelerated teacher education programs allow candidates who have an undergraduate or graduate level degree the opportunity to complete their teacher education programs in four semesters—spring, summer, fall, and spring—as a member of a cohort that studies and progresses through the program with classes scheduled during the day and as a learning community. During the first two semesters, candidates complete their coursework in classes that meet four days per week and spend the fifth weekday in a school field placement. In the third semester, candidates begin part-time clinical practice two days per week and complete coursework three days per week. In the final semester, candidates complete a full-time, 15-week clinical practice and meet one evening each week for reflective practice.
Admission requirements for the accelerated teacher education program are the same as for traditionally scheduled teacher education programs. (See individual program descriptions for criteria.) Applicants who are interested in the accelerated option should apply early to allow time to complete admissions requirements.
Clinical Experience & Clinical Practice
Georgian Court’s teacher education programs provide the teacher candidate ample opportunity to develop not only theoretical knowledge about teaching and learning in general, inclusive, and special education, but the practical skills needed to plan instruction for a diverse group of students, manage classroom behaviors, work with other school professionals, understand the culture of schools, and interact positively with parents and other caregivers. The programs include clinical experience hours in both inclusive and special education settings, including a field experience with students with autism and developmental disabilities, and two consecutive semesters of clinical practice (175 hours of part-time clinical practice followed immediately by a 15-week, full-time clinical practice in an inclusive setting).
To be approved for part-time clinical practice, candidates must have an earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0, passed the requisite Praxis II tests, passed the GCU Physiology and Hygiene test, successfully completed an approved HIB training program, and completed all other prerequisite and program courses.
Clinical practice consists of two consecutive semesters of fieldwork, the first consisting of part-time (175 hours) practice and the second semester including 15 weeks of full-time clinical practice in which the teacher candidate gradually assumes the responsibility for teaching. Placements for clinical practice are made by the director of field experiences and clinical partnerships in collaboration with school district administrators to assure an appropriate match between the candidate and the school.
Concurrent with full-time Clinical Practice (9 credits), candidates participate in a Reflective Practice Seminar (3 credits) and are required to attend weekly meetings focusing on their clinical practice and the development of the edTPA (performance assessment). Additional topics include, but are not limited to, class management, district policies, safety, relations with parents, emerging issues, school law, school culture, sharing of experiences and best practices, certification processes, and job search skills. Achieving a passing score on edTPA, the New Jersey Department of Education-mandated performance assessment, is a School of Education requirement for successful completion of the Reflective Practice Seminar and eligibility for certification.
Clinical practice is an intensive and critical professional experience. For this reason, School of Education policy prohibits clinical interns from taking other courses during clinical practice and strongly recommends that clinical interns not engage in other on- or off-campus employment during the 15-week clinical practice.
E-Portfolios and edTPA Performance Assessment
Georgian Court’s graduate education programs were designed to enable candidates to meet professional standards in their respective area of study. Each course includes one or more performance assessments or artifacts demonstrating knowledge, skill, and/or dispositions that link to the standards. As candidates progress through their programs, these artifacts are archived in an electronic or e-portfolio on Taskstream and monitored by program faculty. The e-portfolio also includes reflections, journal entries, and other self-assessments that contribute to a candidate’s professional development, reflective practice, and habit of lifelong learning. By the end of the program, candidates have amassed a substantial body of evidence that they have met Georgian Court’s and the professional standards within the candidate’s respective field.
Upon completion of our educator preparation programs, candidates will:
- Apply the principles and best practices of learner development, learning differences, and learning environment to educational praxis (InTASC Section A).
- Demonstrate competency in the discipline knowledge, applications of content, and assessment of learning within educational praxis (InTASC Section B).
- Plan learning experiences effectively using appropriate instructional strategies both in methods-based coursework and in supervised praxis (InTASC Section C).
- Develop and demonstrate capacities in professionalism, ethical practice, leadership, and collaboration through structured and supervised experiences and learning opportunities (InTASC Section D).
Admission to Pre-Service Teacher Education Programs
Candidates seeking admission to a graduate teacher education program must submit a complete, self-managed application including the following:
- Official transcript(s) showing the award of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university
- Completion of prerequisite courses; Behavioral/Social Sciences: child and adolescent development (3) and educational psychology (3);
- Completion of a content major (minimum 30 credits); early childhood education (P–3), elementary education (K–6), and English as a Second Language majors include: biology, chemistry, English, exercise science, history, interdisciplinary studies, mathematics, natural sciences, psychology, Spanish, or visual art; Subject-specific majors include biology, business, chemistry, English, history, mathematics, Spanish, or visual art.
- Evidence of a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 from a baccalaureate or master’s degree program;
- Passing scores on Praxis Core (Reading, Writing, and Math) test or Commissioner-approved Basic Skills examination (Note: This requirement is waived for students who provide documentation of a score on the SAT, ACT, or GRE at or above the cut score for the year in which they took the exam.);
- Passing score(s) on relevant Praxis II test;
- Two completed SOE recommendation forms (available on GCU website); and
- If the applicant is an international student, a passing score on the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required.
- A successful group interview is required for admission to the pre-service teacher education program.