Master of Education
Whether you are already a certified teacher or are seeking initial certification in the field, the Master of Education at Cedar Crest College will provide you with engaging learning experiences in a variety of education topics to enable you to meet the challenges of the 21st century classroom. Cedar Crest seeks students who have demonstrated academic and/or professional achievement and promise, as well as those who would bring varied interests, talents and backgrounds to the profession.
In this program, you will discover how to influence educational policy development and reform through leadership in political engagement and advocacy for children, families and the profession.
Program concentrations are designed to meet the needs of both the certified educational professional and the candidate seeking initial certification in elementary or secondary education. The three distinct options now offered are detailed below.
Art of Teaching Concentration
This concentration will enable you to gain master-level competence in all aspects of learning and teaching, as well as a working knowledge of the politics and policy processes of the educational system at the local, state and national levels. This concentration provides you with individualized opportunities to become an expert practitioner in the educational field. You may also choose to explore a thesis option as part of this concentration, and you can make yourself even more marketable by adding on a Special Education, Reading Specialist, or ESL certification.
Course Requirements
Click on the boxes below to see the courses required to complete this major.
M.Ed. in the Art of Teaching
Core Courses (12 credits)
- EDU 505 Law and Policy in American Education 3 credits
- EDU 509 Educational Philosophy and Ethics 3 credits
- EDU 525 Research Design and Methodology 3 credits
- EDU 559 Curriculum, Assessment and Instructional Strategies for Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students 3 credits
Electives (18 credits)
- EDU 500 American Education 3 credits
- EDU 501 Educational Psychology 3 credits
- EDU 508 Integrating the Arts in the Elementary and Middle School Classroom 3 credits
- EDU 511 Literacy I 3 credits
- EDU 512 Literacy II 3 credits
- EDU 513 Reading and Language Arts 3 credits
- EDU 514 Reading in the Content Area 3 credits
- EDU 516 Diversity and Critical Pedagogy 3 credits
- EDU 535 Creative Drama in the Classroom 3 credits
- EDU 555 Developing Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity 3 credits
- EDU 556 Second Language Acquisition and Language Development 3 credits
- EDU 558 Approaches to ELL’s 3 credits
- EDU 560 Special Topics in Education 3-12 credits
- EDU 599 Thesis or Capstone Application Project 3 credits
- SPE 510 Intensive Reading, Writing, and Mathematics Development and Intervention Approaches 3 credits
- SPE 515 Teaching Students with Pervasive Development Disorders 3 credits
- SPE 533 Psycho-Educational Testing for Teacher 3 credits
- SPE 544 Adaptations and Modifications for the Exceptional Child in the General Education Classroom 3 credits
- SPE 546 Collaborative Partnerships in Inclusive Settings 3 credits
- SPE 547 Classroom Management 3 credits
- SPE 548 Teaching Students with Low Incidence Disabilities 3 credits
- SPE 550 Subject Area Content Access for Students with Learning Disabilities 3 credits
- REA 503 Reading: Past, Present and Future 3 credits
- REA 504 Diagnosis, Assessment and Remedial Reading Techniques 3 credits
- REA 505 Word Study and Vocabulary Development 3 credits
- REA 506 Literacy Coaching 3 credits – Prerequisite skills and coursework required – please consult advisor before registering for this course)
M.Ed. in the Art of Teaching without Teaching Certification
Students who select this option must complete 30 graduate credits, which includes a Master’s Thesis.
With Reading Specialist Certification
Candidates seeking additional certifications must hold a PA teaching certification and complete the following:
EDU 559, 509, 525, 505, 513, 514; REA 503,504, 505, 506 and 6 credits of field/practicum = 36 credits
With Special Education Certification
Candidates seeking additional certifications must hold a PA teaching certification and complete the following:
EDU 559, 509, 525 and 505; SPE 533, 544, 546, 547, 548, 550; EDU 514 OR 511 and 3 credits of student teaching = 36 credits
With English as a Second Language (ESL) Certification
Candidates seeking additional certifications must hold a PA teaching certification and complete the following:
EDU 559, 509, 525, 509, 556, 557, 558 and 5 electives (15 credits) from the list above = 36 credits
Early Childhood Certification Concentration
If you currently hold a B.A. or B.S. degree and seek initial Pennsylvania Department of Education Certification as a PreK-4 teacher, this certification is designed for you. To make yourself even more marketable, consider adding on a Special Education or ESL certification.
Course Requirements
Click on the boxes below to see the courses required to complete this major.
Early Childhood Requirements
Prerequisites
- 3 credits in English composition
- 6 credits of mathematics
- 3 credits in American or British Literature
- 3 credits in Child Psychology or Educational Psychology
Required Courses
- EDU 505 Law and Policy in American Education 3 credits
- EDU 550 Educational Planning 3 credits
- ECE 501 Foundations of Early Childhood Education 3 credits
- ECE 502 Assessment and Intervention: PreK-4 3 credits
- ECE 505 Issues and Advocacy in Early Childhood Education 3 credits
- EDU 511 Literacy I 3 credits
- EDU 540 Differentiated Reading Instruction (Co-requisite or Prerequisite: EDU 511) 3 credits
- EDU 508 Integrating the Arts across the Curriculum 3 credits
- EDU 530 Teaching Methods for Early Childhood Education I: Content Areas 3 credits
- EDU 531 Teaching Methods for Early Childhood Education II: A Model for Integration (Prereq. EDU 530) 3 credits
- EDU 520 Pre-Student Teaching Field Experience 1 credit
- SPE 520 Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities
- SPE 544 Adaptations, Modifications and Assistive Technology for the Exceptional Child 3 credits
- SPE 550 Subject Area Content Access for Students with Learning Disabilities 3 credits
- EDU 559 Curriculum, Assessment and Instructional Strategies for Teaching Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students 3 credits
- EDU 572 Student Teaching: Elementary 3 credits (Capstone Integrative Experience)
- EDU 574 Professional Education Seminar 3 credits
Please Note: All courses, field work and Praxis exams must be completed prior to student teaching and professional seminar. The student may not take any other classes during the student teaching semester.
With Special Education Certification
Courses required for Level I Certification in Special Education PreK-8: CBPH/D
Requirements for students who are Early Childhood Education Majors or who hold Level I or II Elementary or ECE Certification. Special Education Certification requires dual certification in Early Childhood, Elementary Education or Middle Level Education.
Prerequisites
- EDU 150 or EDU 550 Educational Planning 3 credits or the equivalent
- SPE 243 The Exceptional Child 3 credits or equivalent
- SPE 344 or SPE 544 Adaptations, Modifications and Assistive Technology for the Exceptional Child 3 credits or equivalent
- SPE 320 or SPE 520 Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities 3 credits or equivalent
- EDU 359 or EDU 559 Teaching the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students 3 credits or equivalent
Certification Courses
- SPE 533 Screening, Assessment, and IEP Development for Teachers 3 credits
- SPE 546 Collaborative Partnerships in Inclusive Settings 3 credits
- SPE 547 Classroom Management for Teaching Students with Behavioral Disabilities 3 credits
- SPE 548 Teaching Students with Low Incidence Disabilities 3 credits
- SPE 515 Teaching Students with Pervasive Developmental Disorders 3 credits
- SPE 510 Intensive Reading, Writing, and Mathematics Development and Intervention Approaches 3 credits
- SPE 550 Subject Area Content Access for Students with Learning Disabilities 3 credits
- SPE 575 Practicum in Special Education 3 credits
Students must complete the certification requirements for Early Childhood Education (PreK-4) or Middle Level Education (4-8) certification to be eligible for Special Education PreK-8 certification. Students seeking certification in special education (CBPH/D) will be required to take a second specialty test of the Praxis. No other courses may be taken during the practicum (SPE 575).
Secondary Certification Concentration
This program is designed for prospective teachers who hold a B.A. or B.S. degree and seek initial Pennsylvania Department of Education Certification as an educator in one of the following content areas in grades 7-12:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- English
- General Science
- Mathematics
- Social Studies
- Spanish (K-12)
In this concentration, your undergraduate transcript will be evaluated individually by the appropriate department to determine if additional content work is required. You may discuss your coursework requirements with the Program Director.
Course Requirements
Click on the boxes below to see the courses required to complete this major.
M.Ed. in Secondary Education
Prerequisites
- 3 credits in English composition
- 3 credits in American or British Literature
- 6 credits in Mathematics
- 3 credits in Child Psychology or Educational Psychology
Required Courses
- EDU 505 Law and Policy in American Education 3 credits
- EDU 509 Educational Philosophy and Ethics 3 credits
- EDU 525 Research Design and Methodology 3 credits
- EDU 550 Educational Planning 3 credits
- EDU 514 Reading in the Content Areas 3 credits
- EDU 516 Diversity and Critical Pedagogy 3 credits
- EDU 520 Pre-Student Teaching Field Experience 1 credit
- EDU 535 Creative Drama in the Classroom 3 credits
- EDU 559 Curriculum, Assessment and Instructional Strategies for Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students 3 credits
- SPE 520 Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities 3 credits
- SPE 544 Adaptations, Modifications and Assistive Technology for the Exceptional Child 3 credits
- SPE 550 Subject Area Content Access for Students with Learning Disabilities 3 credits
- EDU 573 Student Teaching: Secondary 3 credits (Capstone Integrative Experience)
- EDU 574 Professional Education Seminar 3 credits
Electives (6 credits)
- Select one course from the following: (as per content area)
- EDU 546 Curriculum, Assessment and Learning Experiences for Secondary Science and Mathematics 3 credits
- EDU 547 Curriculum, Assessment and Learning Experiences for Secondary Social Studies 3 credits
- EDU 548 Curriculum, Assessment & Learning Experiences for Secondary English 3 credits
- EDU 549 Curriculum, Assessment & Learning Experiences for World Language K-12 3 credits
- Select one additional course in EDU and/or SPE at the 500 level
Please note: All courses, field work and Praxis exams must be completed prior to student teaching and professional seminar. The student may not take any other classes during the student teaching semester.
