Master of Arts in Teaching: Leading to Initial Certification

Please Note: While certification requirements can be met by undergraduate coursework, full completion of the MAT degree may be achieved only through the completion of graduate coursework. Students will need to substitute undergraduate work that meets certification requirements with other graduate level coursework in order to meet graduate degree requirements.

Background Check

Conviction, guilty plea, or nolo contendere plea involving a crime involving drugs, moral turpitude, or other criminal charges may prohibit licensure or employment as a professional educator.

Introduction

The Lindenwood University Educator Preparation Program (EPP) is accredited by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE http://dese.mo.gov/). The initial teacher education program is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC www.teac.org) through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP www.caepnet.org).

Students who enroll in the School of Education may select one of two pathways to completion of the program:

•  Successful completion of the Lindenwood University teacher education program qualifies the student for recommendation for teaching certification, issued by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MoDESE).

•  Those students who desire to work in an educational field but do not desire teaching certification may pursue the Master of Arts in Education degree.

Admission

The teacher education program is divided into two stages or benchmarks and is the result of action by the Council of Teacher Education (CTE). The council, broadly representative of all schools at the university, considers the student’s application to the teacher education program to be in stage one after the student has completed the five steps outlined below. A student who seeks entrance into the teacher education program typically does so after successful completion of 9 hours of education coursework. Students should apply during EDU 52110/52210 Classroom Teaching and Technology. The student will not be allowed to enroll in most upper level or methods coursework until he/she has been formally admitted at benchmark/stage one to the teacher education program. All application for admission to the teacher education program and admission to student teaching must be completed and submitted in Foliotek.

Stage One - Admission to Teacher Education

1. The student has been accepted to the graduate program at Lindenwood University indicating he or she has completed a bachelor’s degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 (including all college/university coursework) and met university admission standards.
2. The student has completed nine hours of education coursework from the School of Education.

3. The student has achieved a cumulative minimum GPA of 3.0 (including all undergraduate and graduate coursework), a content area coursework GPA of 3.0, and a professional education coursework GPA of 3.0, with a minimum grade of C in all professional education and content area coursework.

4. The student must have a Program Plan from their advisor.
5. All materials must be uploaded to Foliotek and accepted before the student can be recommended to the Council of Teacher Education (CTE) for formal admittance into the Teacher Education Program.

Stage Two - Admission to Student Teaching

Acceptance into benchmark/stage two is required for admittance into student teaching. All application for admission to the teacher education program and admission to student teaching must be completed and submitted in Foliotek. The following are the requirements for admission to Stage Two.

1. Candidate Information Sheet
2. Résumé Application
3. Philosophy of Education
4. Program Plan from his/her advisor
5. TB Test Results
6. MoCA Results 
   1. The teacher candidate has obtained a passing score on the Missouri Content Assessment (MoCA). 
   2. The Missouri Content Assessment (MoCA) are tests required for all student teacher candidates. The test should be taken after most of the content courses for the desired program have been successfully completed and prior to student teaching. Candidates must also pass the appropriate Missouri Content Assessment in order to be recommended for certification. A passing score on the MoCA exam demonstrates that the teacher candidate has mastered the subject area that he/she will teach.
   3. The correct MoCA exam is posted on the Missouri Educator Gateway Assessment (MEGA) website (www.mo nesinc.com). If a student is unsure of which test to take after reviewing the website, he/she may contact the Advising, Retention and Certification Center at 636-949-4377 for more assistance.
   4. The teacher candidate is expected to have a minimum content GPA of 3.0. If the teacher candidate has a content GPA between a 2.75-2.99 and has passed the Missouri Content Assessment in the appropriate certification area at 1 standard error of measurement above 220, the teacher candidate can still meet the content GPA requirement for admission to student teaching.
7. The teacher candidate is expected to have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75. This includes all coursework taken at Lindenwood and other institutions for college credit. If the teacher candidate has met all of the other requirements for admission to student teaching but does not have the minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 and has demonstrated a strong academic track record and has the potential to meet the cumulative GPA at the end of student teaching, the teacher candidate may be accepted into student teaching with the understanding that a cumulative 2.75 must be obtained before being recommended for certification.
8. Three letters of recommendation
9. Family care safety registry clear background check
10. Travel waiver
11. Confidentiality agreement
12. Substitute certificate
13. Professional liability insurance

Teaching applications must be completed and submitted by:

August 31 for Spring Semester 

January 31 for Fall Semester 

1. Any revisions or additional documentation required must be accepted by Nov 1 for Spring student teaching and by July 1 for Fall student teaching.* 
2. *Teacher candidates can appeal late submissions in writing to the Chair of the Council for Teacher Education, Dr. Janette Ralston, on the appropriate form found in the Field Experience Handbook. The Chair of the Council for Teacher Education will bring the appeal to the committee for consideration. This appeal must be made no later than Nov. 15 for Spring Student Teaching and July 15 for Fall Student Teaching. No appeals will be considered after this date. However, no placement is guaranteed after the deadline of Nov. 1 or July 1 due to limited placement opportunities. Teacher candidates should have alternative plans in case the Council does not accept the appeal. 

Stage Three – Completion of Teacher Education Program

1. The teacher candidate must earn a minimum professional education coursework GPA of 3.0.
2. The teacher candidate is expected to have a minimum content GPA of 3.0. If the teacher candidate has a content GPA between a 2.75-2.99 and has passed the Missouri Content Assessment in the appropriate certification area at 1 standard error of measurement above 220, the teacher candidate can still meet the content GPA requirement for admission to student teaching.
3. The teacher candidate is expected to have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75. This includes all coursework taken at Lindenwood and other institutions for college credit.
4. The teacher candidate must successfully complete the student teaching course, EDU 60599 including all seminar sessions and portfolio requirements as identified by Lindenwood University in support of the Missouri Educator Evaluation System (MEES) Evaluation Assessment.

       5. Candidates are also required to complete all state required assessments. the Missouri Educator Evaluation System (MEES) with a satisfactory score to be recommended for certification.

Each state issues its own teaching certificates based on its own requirements. Upon passing the state-mandated exit assessment and successfully completing the planned degree program, each Lindenwood University School of Education student applies for certification to teach in Missouri. The student who wishes to seek certification in other states should seek advice from the Department of Education within the state he/she is seeking certification. A list of those contacts are located on the School of Education webpage. The Lindenwood certification officer at arcc@lindenwood.edu can assist students who are pursuing certification in other states.

International students or students who have completed high school outside of the United States are also required to complete coursework in the following areas:

•     English composition, two courses, each a minimum of three credit hours

•     U.S. history, three credit hours

•     U.S. (National) government, three credit hours

Programs Leading to Certification

Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 3)

Early Childhood Special Education (Birth-Grade 3)

Elementary Education (Grades 1-6)

Middle School Education (Grades 5-9)

• Business emphasis
• English language arts emphasis
• Mathematics emphasis
• Science emphasis
• Social Science emphasis

Notes: (1) Each of the programs above leads to certification upon the student’s successful completion of the appropriate certification exam(s) and successful application for certification, submitted to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MoDESE).

Secondary Education (Grades 9-12)

Students seeking certification at the secondary (9-12) level must complete the requirements for a certificate in the desired content instructional area in secondary education (9-12).

• Biological Sciences emphasis
• Business Education emphasis
• Chemistry emphasis
• English/Language Arts emphasis
• Mathematics emphasis
• Social Science emphasis
• Speech and Theatre emphasis

K-12 Education

Students seeking K-12 certification must complete the requirements for a certificate in the desired content area, K-12 education.

• Art
• Health
• Music-Instrumental
• Music-Vocal
• Physical Education
• Spanish
• Special Education

The Master of Arts in Teaching is a 45-credit hour program. Coursework required may extend 45 credit hours due to content area coursework. Coursework in content may be completed at an undergraduate level. Note that for all certification areas, further coursework in the content area beyond that which was required for the bachelor’s degree may be required by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in order to be eligible for certification.

MAT students may be eligible for an alternative certificate if they meet the following criteria:

• Conferred undergraduate degree closely aligned with their intended content field of certification (middle school, 9-12, or K-12 only).
• Passed the appropriate Missouri Content Assessment in no more than two attempts prior to or during their first semester in the MAT program.
• Met all DESE GPA requirements (2.75 cumulative, 3.0 in content).
• Completed all education coursework required for the MAT degree.
• Completed student teaching and all state required assessments.
• Students interested in pursuing alternative certification need assistant dean or dean approval. Additional content coursework may be required. 

A student entering the MAT program with a bachelor’s degree in the same content area of the content area certification pursued are able to complete the MAT program within 45 credit hours. Students who do not have the content coursework in the desired certification area would need to complete the required content coursework in addition to the 45-credit hour MAT program. Middle school certification preparation including content coursework is a 60-credit hour program. Elementary school certification preparation including all content is a 71-credit hour program. Early childhood certification preparation including all content is a 71-credit hour program, and early childhood special education certification preparation including all content is a 93-credit hour program. All areas include certification requirements.

The education courses required for certification, (not including specific content area coursework that may be required by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for a subject certification) are described in the respective certification programs.