Educator Licensure Programs

Unless otherwise noted, the following programs lead to initial and/or professional Massachusetts teacher 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:

• Administrative Leadership leading to initial licensure in one of the following:

• Principal/ Assistant Principal (1-6, 5-8, 9-12)

• Special Education Administrator

• Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent

• School Business Administrator

• Early Childhood Education (PreK-2); leading to Initial 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

• 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); leading to Initial Licensure in a variety of fields

* Within the Special Needs licensure programs, options are available for study in Applied Behavior Analysis.

Candidates may be eligible for obtaining Initial Licensure in the fields listed above by completing post-baccalaureate courses as indicated by the asterisked courses in each program described below. 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 48-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 Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB) 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.

Candidates holding a Massachusetts Initial License in Early Childhood or Elementary Education or Moderate Disabilities (PreK-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. Endicott 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 Student Handbook

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 are required to 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.

Teaching Fellowship Program

Endicott’s Teaching Fellows serve one year as associate teachers in local schools in exchange for the equivalent of full graduate program tuition. Fellows assume the role of literacy coaches, reading specialist In residence, reading specialist in training, special education teachers, tutors, and co-teachers. As members of the local school faculty and staff, Fellows follow the school district schedule and adhere to the standards and practices of the sponsoring district. Fellows work under the direction of a master teacher with professional status who also serves as the cooperating practitioner for the supervised Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education approved licensure practicum experience.

The Teaching Fellows program is available for the following Graduate Education majors leading to the master’s degree:

• Special Needs

• Reading and Literacy

Applicants for the Endicott Teaching Fellowship Program must be admitted to a master’s degree program in Special Needs or Reading and Literacy and adhere to all Van Loan School of Graduate and Professional Studies admission requirements. In addition, prospective Teaching Fellows must already possess an initial educator’s license in the Massachusetts Public Schools and must be endorsed/possess a passing score on all applicable MTELS for that initial license.

Teaching Fellows follow the academic program of study for Special Needs and/or Reading and Literacy; courses begin at the start of the Summer Term, and conclude the following Summer Term, assuming the student successfully completes the recommended cohort schedule of four courses each for the Summer, Fall, and Spring Terms respectively.

Note that Fellows act as employees of the district where they are placed and accordingly must follow all district rules and procedures. If either the fellow or the district choose to terminate the employment relationship, Endicott College is not responsible for any unpaid tuition. Fellows are encouraged to inform the Director of Licensure Programs at Endicott and keep the director fully informed in writing of any questions or concerns regarding the Fellow’s placement.