Elementary Education - Certification, Master of Education

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Candidates in this program are required to demonstrate content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and skills, professional knowledge, and professional dispositions to be eligible to enter student teaching or internship placements.

Content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge or skills, and professional dispositions are demonstrated through candidate performance on key assessments embedded in the following course(s):

• ECI 502, ECI 503, ECI 505, ECI 506, ECI 507, ECI 575, ECI 576, ECI 608, BME 631

Minimum Units for Completion	43
Additional Admission Requirements	Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
Fieldwork Experience/Internship	Required
Arizona Certification/Endorsement	Prepares student for Arizona Certification and/or Endorsement.
Student Teaching/Supervised Teaching	Student Teaching/Supervised Teaching is required.
Some online/blended coursework	Required
Progression Plan Link	View Program of Study

Purpose Statement

The MEd Elementary Education with Certification degree program provides candidates with the necessary foundation to teach in K-8th grade classrooms. This nationally recognized program emphasizes sound pedagogical practices while stressing the skills, knowledge, and dispositions necessary to confidently enter the field of education. Candidates engage in a purposeful program of study, which is grounded in theory and infused with practical experiences in schools. Candidates pursue coursework in a wide variety of areas, including curriculum and instruction, educational foundations, educational psychology, special education, educational technology curriculum, and bilingual and multi-cultural education.  Candidates complete the program with a full-day, field-based student-teaching capstone, occurring over a sixteen-week period, that is tied to a reflection seminar. Additionally, students are involved in practica experiences across the program of study.

Throughout the program, students demonstrate outcomes aligned to the standards National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium. These outcomes include, but are not limited to, constructing learning opportunities that support students’ development, acquisition of knowledge, and motivation; knowing, understanding, and using major concepts in subject matter fields to enhance student learning and development; creating instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse students; knowing, understanding, and using various assessment strategies to plan, evaluate, and improve teaching and learning; and reflecting and continuously improving educational practice.

Candidates who complete this program will be prepared to contribute to and participate in the education of future generations through public , charter, and private schools, as well as other venues where such coursework and certification may serve the job, such as training/teaching in organizations, non-profits, and agencies. This degree leads to state teacher certification in the state of Arizona.

Student Learning Outcomes

Outcomes align with Standards from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI), and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC).
 
Development, Learning and Motivation: Candidates know, understand, and use the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to development of children and young adolescents to construct learning opportunities that support individual students’ development, acquisition of knowledge, and motivation.
 
Curriculum Standards

• Reading, Writing, and Oral Language—Candidates demonstrate a high level of competence in use of English language arts and they know, understand, and use concepts from reading, language and child development, to teach reading, writing, speaking, viewing, listening, and thinking skills and to help students successfully apply their developing skills to many different situations, materials, and ideas;
• Science—Candidates know, understand, and use fundamental concepts of physical, life, and earth/space sciences. Candidates can design and implement age-appropriate inquiry lessons to teach science, to build student understanding for personal and social applications, and to convey the nature of science;
• Mathematics—Candidates know, understand, and use the major concepts and procedures that define number and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data analysis and probability. In doing so they consistently engage problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication, connections, and representation;
• Social studies—Candidates know, understand, and use the major concepts and modes of inquiry from the social studies—the integrated study of history, geography, the social sciences, and other related areas—to promote elementary students’ abilities to make informed decisions as citizens of a culturally diverse democratic society and interdependent world;
• The arts—Candidates know, understand, and use—as appropriate to their own understanding and skills—the content, functions, and achievements of the performing arts (dance, music, theater) and the visual arts as primary media for communication, inquiry, and engagement among elementary students;
• Health education—Candidates know, understand, and use the major concepts in the subject matter of health education to create opportunities for student development and practice of skills that contribute to good health;
• Physical education—Candidates know, understand, and use— as appropriate to their own understanding and skills—human movement and physical activity as central elements to foster active, healthy life styles and enhanced quality of life for elementary students.

 
Instruction Standards

• Integrating and applying knowledge for instruction—Candidates plan and implement instruction based on knowledge of students, learning theory, connections across the curriculum, curricular goals, and community;
• Adaptation to diverse students—Candidates understand how elementary students differ in their development and approaches to learning, and create instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse students;
• Development of critical thinking and problem solving—Candidates understand and use a variety of teaching strategies that encourage elementary students’ development of critical thinking and problem solving;
• Active engagement in learning—Candidates use their knowledge and understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior among students at the K-6 level to foster active engagement in learning, self-motivation, and positive social interaction and to create supportive learning environments;
• Communication to foster collaboration—Candidates use their knowledge and understanding of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the elementary classroom.

 
Assessment for instruction—Candidates know, understand, and use formal and informal assessment strategies to plan, evaluate and strengthen instruction that will promote continuous intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of each elementary student.
 
Professionalism Standards:

• Professional growth, reflection, and evaluation—Candidates are aware of and reflect on their practice in light of research on teaching, professional ethics, and resources available for professional learning; they continually evaluate the effects of their professional decisions and actions on students, families and other professionals in the learning community and actively seek out opportunities to grow professionally.
• Collaboration with families, colleagues, and community agencies—Candidates know the importance of establishing and maintaining a positive collaborative relationship with families, school colleagues, and agencies in the larger community to promote the intellectual, social, emotional, physical growth and well-being of children.

Additional Admission Requirements

• Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

• The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.
  
  Admission requirements include the following:

  • Transcripts.
  • Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.

  
  Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
  
  Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

  International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.

• • Prerequisites (completed prior to enrolling in the program)

• • ENG 105 (or equivalent)  with a minimum cumulative English GPA of 3.0 
  • College Algebra or an approved math course with a minimum grade of C
  • One lab science course with a grade of C.

• • IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card

Master's Requirements

• Take the following 49 units:

  • ECI 570 (1 unit)
  • ECI 502, ECI 503, ECI 505, ECI 506, ECI 507 (15 units)
  • ECI 575 (4 units)
  • ECI 608 (3 units)
  • ECI 576* and ECI 577 (11 units) *Full-day, field-based, student-teaching capstone, occurring over a sixteen-week period, that is tied to a 1-unit reflection seminar.
  • EDF 500 (3 units)
  • EPS 605 (3 units)
  • ESE 548 (3 units) 
  • ETC 545 (3 units)
  • BME 631 (3 units)
  
  Note: Before student teaching admission to Elem Ed-Certification (MEd), a passing score on the NES Content Knowledge Test is required. In addition, if student teaching in Middle School, a passing score on the NES Subject Matter Test is required.
  
  Candidates must have a Passing score on the required Professional Dispositions Modules.
  
  In addition to earning a Master’s degree, this plan meets the Arizona requirements for 1-8 teacher certification and provides an institutional recommendation that you can use to obtain 1-8 teacher certification in Arizona.
  
  Be aware that Arizona state teacher certification requirements leading to Institutional Recommendations may change at any time, and may impact program of study requirements.
  
  This degree is considered a terminal degree; you cannot apply it toward a doctoral degree.

   

• Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

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