Master of Education Programs

Degree Options

Endicott College offers eleven options for those wishing to pursue a Master of Education degree.

The following programs lead to Massachusetts Educator Licensure:

Elementary Education
Early Childhood
Reading and Literacy
Severe Special Needs (All)
Special Needs (PreK–8)
Special Needs (5–12)
Secondary Education (5-8, 8-12) (Accelerated)

The following programs DO NOT lead to Massachusetts Educator Licensure:

Arts and Learning
Athletic Administration
Integrative Education (TIES)
Montessori Education
Program for Teachers in Montessori Schools
International Education
Organizational Management

Master of Education Admission Requirements

Applications to graduate degree programs are evaluated by the Graduate School staff to determine a candidate’s potential in the program to which he or she is applying. Admission to a graduate program in Education requires a Bachelor degree, in any field, from an accredited college. To be considered for admission to graduate study, candidates must submit the following credentials:
•    Application form and $50.00 application fee
•    Statement of professional goals
•    Official transcripts of all academic work
•    Two letters of recommendation
•    Official score on either the Miller Analogies Test or GRE (not required for T.I.E.S. and International Education)
•    All students for whom English is not a first language must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); 79 is minimum
score for iBT; 550 for pen and paper test
•    Program candidates seeking Massachusetts Educator Licensure must submit evidence of passing scores on the Communication and Literacy Test
(MTEL).
•    Arts and Learning candidates only: include documentation of artistic involvement/skill, i.e. portfolio, performance history, or written statement
explaining artistic interest and involvement.
•    An admission interview with the program dean/director is required of all candidates.

International Applicants

Endicott College welcomes and encourages applicants from around the world. An international applicant is required to hold a college or university degree equivalent to a four-year American baccalaureate degree. Educational documents in a foreign language are required to be translated into English. Applicants must verify the translations by including the original document and a notarized copy of the original. Endicott College reserves the right to request verification of the degree by an external agency. All transcripts must be official originals and must show courses completed, grades received, grading scale, duration of study, degree or diploma received, and the date conferred. International applicants must submit current TOEFL scores when their native language is not English or when their baccalaureate is not from an institution where English is the language of instruction. Once students have been admitted as degree candidates, Endicott College will send detailed instructions about the process for acquiring an Endicott-sponsored student visa.

Transfer of Credits

At the time of matriculation, students may request transfer of not more than six graduate credits completed at other accredited institutions. Only courses relevant to the program of study in which a student has received a grade of “B” or better will be accepted. Courses completed more than five years prior to the student’s acceptance into his or her present program will not be considered for transfer credit.

PROGRAMS LEADING TO LICENSURE

Note: Unless otherwise noted, the programs listed in this section lead to initial and/or professional Massachusetts educator licensure.

Overview
The Van Loan School of Graduate and Professional Studies at Endicott College offers the following Master of Education programs leading to Massachusetts Educator Licensure:

Elementary Education (1–6); leading to Initial Licensure
Elementary Education (1–6) and Early Childhood (PreK-2) leading to Professional Licensure
Reading and Literacy (all grades); leading to Initial Licensure or Professional Licensure in Early Childhood or Elementary Education or Moderate
Disabilities
Reading and Literacy (all grades); leading to Professional Licensure
Special Needs (PreK–8); leading to Initial Licensure in Moderate Disabilities (PreK–8)
Special Needs (PreK–8); leading to Professional Licensure in Moderate Disabilities (PreK–8)
Special Needs (5–12); leading to Initial Licensure in Moderate Disabilities (5–12)
Special Needs (5–12); leading to Professional Licensure in Moderate Disabilities (5–12)
Special Needs (All); leading to Initial Licensure in Severe Disabilities (All)
Special Needs (All); leading to Professional Licensure in Severe Disabilities (All)
Secondary Education (5–8, 8–12) (Accelerated); in a variety of fields

Candidates may be eligible for obtaining Initial Licensure in the fields listed above by completing seven post-baccalaureate courses as indicated by the asterisked courses in each program. In addition, candidates may choose to complete common courses leading to the Master of Education and Initial Licensure in the respective fields as described above. A further option for candidates is to complete a combined 42-credit M.Ed. in Special Needs and Applied Behavior Analysis leading to Massachusetts teacher licensure in Moderate or Severe Disabilities plus eligibility to sit for the national B.C.B.A. examination. Candidates must have met all the admission criteria and been accepted in the Master of Education program in order to complete the Initial Licensure part of the program. Additional courses leading to a Master of Education include: 1) ED 580 Innovative Practices in Education, 2) ED 581 Technology in Education: An Integrated Approach, 3) ED 582 Research Methods, 4) EDC 570 Understanding the Dynamics of Student Aspirations, and 5) EDC 510 Policy Analysis, Leadership, and the Change Process.

Candidates holding a Massachusetts Initial License in Early Childhood or Elementary Education or Moderate Disabilities (Pre-–8) or Severe Disabilities (All) have the option to complete the Master of Education in Reading and Literacy for their Professional Licensure requirement.

Students should be advised that the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) may change licensure regulations and requirements.

Comprehensive Examinations for Programs Leading to Massachusetts Educator Licensure

The College has looked carefully at the options of comprehensive examination versus a Master’s thesis or project. The College selected the examination process because it provides the greatest strengths to the program during the early stages of development. The decision to utilize comprehensive examinations was based on three factors, namely, that examinations do the following:

• Provide a clear measure of outcome assessment;

• Provide a framework to involve many graduate faculty in the assessment process;

• Provide consistent standards of competency among all students in the program.

For these reasons a procedure on examinations has been set up that provides for the offering of one or two sittings a year. The examination will consist of three components: Research and Theory, Specialization Content, and Societal and Educational Impact. A student must pass all three components.

Examinations are read by the advisor and by one additional graduate faculty or staff member. A review summary and recommendation will be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School. Upon successful completion of the examination, and when course work is completed, the degree will be awarded. An M.Ed. candidate who has completed the practicum experience, or is completing it during the current semester, who also has no more than two courses remaining to complete program requirements, is eligible to sit for the comprehensive examination. Students failing the exams are allowed two retakes within a one-year period of time. Failure to successfully complete the examination within that period of time results in dismissal from the program. Students are allowed up to seven years from the date of starting the first class to the date of completing the Master‘s degree. Courses more than seven years old are lost under the default clause of Endicott College Handbook for Students.

A student must take and pass the Massachusetts Teacher Tests prior to being eligible to take the Comprehensive Examinations.

Endicott College Test Preparation

Students enrolled in the Education programs at Endicott College will take a number of skills tests and proficiency exams during their programs of study. Additional workshops will be provided to assist students toward successful completion of teacher tests.

SPECIAL NEED PROGRAMS

The programs in Special Needs prepare professionals to work with children with moderate disabilities at the PreK-8 and 5-12 levels who participate in integrated or self-contained classrooms. These programs lead to Initial or Professional Licensure in Moderate Disabilities (PreK-8, 5-12).

The Moderate Disabilities programs (PreK-8 and 5-12) are designed in two different tracks: 1) a 21-credit post baccalaureate program that leads to Initial Licensure and an optional 15 additional credit program to obtain a Master’s Degree in Special Needs, and (2) a 36-credit Appropriate Master’s Degree program for the Professional License.

The distinction between the different grade level licensures (i.e. PreK-8, 5-12) lies in:

The entrance requirements (e.g., prior coursework);
The number of clock hours and the grade level for the practicum experience (300 hours for PreK-8 and 150 hours for 5-12); and
Assignments within courses that address the grade level at which the student is pursuing licensure.

Program Outcomes

Providing students with a view of cognitive development of children and adolescents, learning theory for all learners, the philosophical implications for regular education integration, and the utilization of behavioral management principles.
Making students aware of educational terminology for students with mild to moderate disabilities and knowledge of services provided by other agencies.
Providing opportunities for identification and remediation of various mild to moderate disability conditions.
Providing experiences in the field to enhance observational skills and an awareness of curriculum adaptation.
Providing opportunities to develop assessment skills, in particular: tests, testing protocol, care analysis, and reporting.
Providing opportunities to develop experience to adapt curriculum goals; create materials; select technologically appropriate tools; and prepare, implement, and evaluate individual education programs (IEPs).
Providing opportunities to integrate state and federal regulations pertaining to special education.
Providing experiences for students to view the role of families and the community at large in dealing with various mild to moderate disabilities conditions of all learners.

PROGRAMS IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

Certified Applied Behavior Analysis Technician (CABA–Tech®) Program
This is a non-credit certificate program that prepares classroom teacher assistants and/or paraprofessionals to use applied behavior analysis principles with autistic children. The CABA–Tech® training program is a skills-based curriculum of five units designed to ensure that each graduate has the skills necessary to serve in the capacity of an ABA Training Teaching Assistant.

The Non-Degree BCBA Certificate Program
Students who hold a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university are eligible to take the five-course BCBA sequence as a non-degree program option. Successful completion of this program will qualify students to take the examination for the BCBA credential.

Initial and Professional Licensure Programs
Endicott College offers several Master of Education programs that combine programs of study in Special Needs and Behavioral Studies. Students may choose programs that lead to Initial and/or Professional Massachusetts educator licensure.

Licensure Program Options
Students who hold a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university that is not considered “Appropriate” for Massachusetts educator licensure may enroll in a non-degree course sequence for licensure eligibility. Students electing this option will need to work with their program advisor to design an individual coursework plan.

Non-Licensure Degree Option
Students who do not seek teacher licensure may opt for a non-licensure M.Ed. program. Degree candidates not seeking licensure will not be eligible for the practicum and seminar experience. Two alternative courses will be substituted into the candidates’ program of studies to meet the minimum 42 credits.