Master in Teaching Program

The Master in Teaching (MIT) Program is approved by the Washington State Board of Education. Students completing the elementary, secondary or special education programs are eligible for state certification. To ensure eligibility, it is sometimes necessary to make program revisions if the Washington State Board of Education makes changes in certificate requirements. Any changed state requirements take precedence over requirements outlined in the catalog.

The Master in Teaching Program provides the opportunity for simultaneously earning teacher certification and a master's degree. Certifications may be obtained in the areas of:

• Elementary education
• Secondary education and/or
• Special education.

During the professional sequence, students gain knowledge and skills essential to effective teaching and participate in varied field experiences in school classrooms. University faculty and local school district teachers and administrators participate in the program and contribute to its quality and relevance.

The Master in Teaching Program is a 45-73 semester hour degree offered during days, evenings, summers and weekends. The number of semester hours varies with the MIT programs: elementary education is 55-61 semester hours, secondary education is 45-51 semester hours and special education is 67-73 semester hours. In addition to these total required hours, the student may need to complete pre-requirements and/or endorsement courses.

Competency-based endorsements
All students are required to complete two competency-based endorsements of approximately 30 or more semester hours each. Course requirements may be satisfied by coursework completed with a 3.0 GPA or better at a regionally accredited, state-approved college or university; approved waiver documentation for previous life and/or work experience; and/or successfully passing the appropriate WEST-E exam.

In addition to an endorsement in elementary, middle-level and/or special education, each student is required to have at least one additional endorsement with approximately 30 or more semester hours in an academic field (a subject area such as English or biology) earned either at Saint Martin's University or elsewhere. While this requirement is usually satisfied with the student's baccalaureate major, additional coursework may be required.

Candidates for secondary education (grades 5-12) are required to have an academic major or equivalent (30 semester hour minimum) in the area in which they intend to be endorsed.

Students seeking MIT certification can be recommended only in the field of their major and in fields for which they meet state requirements for added endorsements.

Authorized endorsements
Saint Martin's has been authorized by the Washington Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to offer teacher certificate competency-based endorsements in the following fields: biology, bilingual education, chemistry, drama, early childhood education, early childhood special education, elementary education, English/language arts, teaching English language learners, French, health/fitness, history, Japanese, mathematics, middle-level humanities, middle-level math/science, choral music, instrumental music, general music, reading, science, social studies, Spanish and special education. Contact an education advisor for assistance in developing an approved endorsement program.

Admission to the MIT Program

All applicants for admission must meet the following requirements:

1. Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
2. Submission of the following materials:

• College of Education application packet, with $35 College of Education application fee
• Moral character supplement
• College of Education student contact sheet
• Current fingerprints (within last two years)
• A color photograph
• An institutional application for a teacher's certificate
• Three letters of recommendation from professionals - including a recommendation from an immediate supervisor - who have knowledge of your potential to do graduate level work
• Copies of official transcripts from all schools, colleges and universities attended
• Score on either the Graduate Record Examination or the Miller Analogies Test, taken within the last five years
• An on-site essay of approximately 250-400 words describing how your master's program will contribute to your professional development and aid in achieving your professional goals
• A professional or work experience vitae
• Valid first aid and CPR card
• WEST-B (passing scores on all three tests)

All application forms, letters of recommendation, test scores and fees should be delivered to:

College of Education
Director of Graduate Programs
Saint Martin's University
5300 Pacific Ave. SE
Lacey, WA 98503-7500

Application procedures
Students must apply for formal admission to the MIT Program before or during the semester in which they complete the preprofessional sequence of courses required for program admission. Submission dates for priority consideration are June 1st for the fall semester, November 1st for the spring semester and March 1st for the summer semester. Admission to the program requires a grade of at least "C" (2.00) in each of the required preprofessional courses, an overall grade point average of "B" (3.0), demonstrated competency in basic skill areas (oral and written expression, and mathematics), and scores that meet state requirements on standardized tests. Students should contact the College of Education office to obtain application packets.

Students should review prerequisites of all courses required for admission to the MIT Program. Students who preregister will be processed on the assumption that they will satisfactorily complete all coursework presently taken.

Students who fail to receive a grade of at least "C" (2.00) in each professional course or whose overall grade point average falls below 3.0 will automatically be withdrawn from the teacher education program.

MIT Program requirements

Preprofessional courses
Required before formal admission

ENG 101	College writing I
ENG 102	College writing II
SPH 106	Public address
PSY 101	Introduction to psychology
MTH 100	Intermediate algebra or above
CSC 160	Introduction to computing technology
Natural science, with lab (elementary)
U.S. history (elementary)
World history (elementary)

Core courses
(must be taken at the graduate level)
For elementary, secondary, and special education programs (14-18 semester hours):

MED 601	Education research methods I (3)
MED 607	Foundations for educational practice (3)
MED 605	Diversity and social context (3)
MED 559 or MED 561	Introduction to exceptionality (2), or Instructional strategies for exceptional learners (2)

Exit options

Thesis option:

• MED 699 Thesis/final project (3)

Non-thesis option:

• MED 690 Integrating seminar (1) and
• One or two graduate-level elective courses in education (3-6)

Basic certification core courses
(must be taken at the graduate level)
For elementary, secondary, special education programs (23 semester hours):

MED 506	Curriculum and instruction (2)
MED 512	Technology for the classroom (2)
MED 560	Classroom management (2)
MED 561	Instructional strategies for exceptional learners (2) (unless taken as part of core)
MED 570	Classroom assessment (2)
MED 571	Educational law (1)
MED 583	Issues of abuse/teacher as counselor (1)
MED 590	Internship (12)
MED 590	Internship (12)
MED 598	Internship seminar (1)

Elementary methods courses
(18 semester hours - required in addition to the basic and core courses listed above. May be taken at the graduate or undergraduate level.)

MED 511	Methods of teaching math (3)
MED 515	Methods of teaching science (3)
MED 518	Methods of teaching social studies (2)
MED 519	Methods of teaching language arts (2)
MED 526	Language acquisition methods (3)
MED 529	Arts and movement (4)
MED 538	Literature for children and young adults (2)
MED 574	Primary reading/writing instruction (1)
MED 576	Content-area reading for elementary teachers (1)

Secondary certification courses
(11-12 semester hours - required in addition to the basic and core courses listed above. May be taken at the graduate or undergraduate level.)

MED 526	Language acquisition methods (3)
MED 584	Secondary methods/practica (4)
MED 582	Reading assessment and intervention for secondary teachers (1)
MED 585	Content-area reading for secondary teachers (1)
MED 511, 515, 518, or 519	Subject specific methods course (2-3)

Special education certification courses
(25 semester hours - required in addition to the basic and core courses listed above. May be taken at the graduate or undergraduate level.)

MED 563	Management strategies for exceptional learners (3)
MED 565	Transitions to adulthood for special populations (3)
MED 566	Assessment in special education (3)
MED 567	Legal issues and the IEP (3)
MED 524	Early childhood education (3)
MED 577	Reading diagnosis (4)
MED 545	School drug prevention and counseling (3)
MED 569	Practicum in special education (3)

Special education program
(grades kindergarten-12)

The University's special education program prepares teachers to work with mildly or moderately handicapped students in an inclusionary classroom, a resource room or a self-contained special education class. Completion of the required courses for the program will lead to an institutional recommendation that the student be endorsed in special education.

Note: Completion of the special education major and/or endorsement program leads to a special education endorsement. That endorsement does not allow the certificate holder to teach in a regular elementary or secondary classroom. Therefore, students also must complete the required elementary or secondary sequence, including at least eight weeks of internship in a regular classroom. The section concerning endorsements applies to the special education program as well as the elementary program.

To ensure proper sequencing of courses, student planning to enter the Master in Teaching Program must consult an advisor for the College of Education prior to taking courses at the University.

Thesis option
MED and MIT programs
The MED and MIT thesis option requires a thesis or field project as part of the degree. A practicum and comprehensive examination is required for the guidance and counseling strand/educational staff associate (ESA) certificate (thesis and non-thesis options). The thesis/field project must be developed in consultation with the student's advisor. It will be characterized in the following way:

• The nature of the thesis/project will demonstrate advanced competency related to the area of specialization.
• The development of the thesis/project will show significant effort above and beyond the normal workload of the candidate.
• The thesis/project will result in a usable, well-researched product (such as a written document, a curriculum grade, a movie or a case study) and be accompanied by a quality research study and thesis.
• The thesis/project should make a significant contribution to the candidate and/or his or her immediate professional position, and a more general contribution to the field.
• The thesis/project cannot be approved on an ex-post-facto basis.

Once the final thesis/project is completed and approved, the student will present the thesis/project at a public seminar. This oral defense is a sharing of information, materials and/or procedures having potential usefulness to the educational community as well as to answer questions related to the thesis.

Non-thesis option
MED and MIT programs
The MED and MIT non-thesis option requires MED 590: Integrating seminar (1) and one or two additional graduate level courses (3-6 credits) beyond the requirements for the thesis option. These elective courses may be from any strand area, but may not include MED 580, 595, or 597.

The non-thesis option also requires six hours of written comprehensive exam (three hours for the core and three hours for the specialty area) and two hours of an oral comprehensive exam.

Internship
All teacher education programs require supervised student teaching or intern teaching.

A student is expected to complete all required professional courses and be accepted into candidacy before applying for internship.

To facilitate placement, application for supervised internship (contact the College of Education office for specific deadline dates). Students are asked to convey special placement requests at that time. University supervisors will discuss individual placement problems with students, but the University ultimately makes the student teaching assignments in cooperation with school district personnel. Students may not make special arrangements on their own. To do so may jeopardize placement at that school and/or district and may result in termination of any/all field experience placements in that district for the student.

Completion of an application for student or intern teaching and assignment to a school or classroom are always tentative and based on successful completion of coursework in progress. Students may be withdrawn from intern teaching at the discretion of the College of Education faculty or of the administrators of the kindergarten-12 field experience school.

All internship assignments are considered full-time work and normally require seven hours a day in the school plus additional time for class preparation and seminars.

For more information about admission and program requirements, please view the Graduate Handbook for the College of Education. It contains detailed information for current and prospective students.

MIT director: Dr. Steve Siera, 360-438-4589, ssiera@stmartin.edu