Education

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Faculty:

Chair: A. Howerton-Fox; Graduate Coordinator: R. McMahon; Professor Emeritus: P. Antonacci; Associate Professors: M. Leipold; Assistant Professors: C. Hardigree, A. Howerton-Fox, D. Gunn, CFC; Clinical Senior Lecturer: R. McMahon; Director of Student Teaching: E Small; Director of Pre-Student Teaching Fieldwork:  S. Plass.

The Education Department aims to prepare teacher candidates to work with diverse populations through the development of a strong professional commitment and a disposition that all students can learn. We believe that becoming a teacher is a lifelong journey of learning and caring.

The goals for all candidates/completers include:

• demonstrates commitment to the teaching profession;
• is knowledgeable of content and pedagogy;
• applies educational research and learning theory to practice;
• engages positively with local and global communities; and
• uses assessment to inform instruction.

Iona is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), and is working toward accreditation of its educator preparation programs under the AAQEP standards.

Graduate programs in education at Iona University prepare individuals for professional service in schools by offering a variety of degree options. Programs are available for those interested in changing careers or embarking on a career in education, as well as for teachers and school administrators who desire career advancement through provisional or permanent certification. Because of the complex nature of teacher education and state certification, students are required to sign a program plan early in their course of studies; a plan must be developed and approved prior to matriculation. Consultation for program planning is available from the graduate coordinator of the Education Department and the specialization chairperson.

All programs are approved by the New York State Education Department and satisfy the academic requirements for the New York State Teaching Certificate for specific areas.

Admission

Conditional Status:

See “Academic Information - Conditional ” in this catalog for requirements to be met in addition to the following:

All programs:

• Applicants with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 may be admitted and an official copy of all college/university transcripts must be submitted.

For Master of Science in Teaching Programs:

• Possession of an undergraduate degree, including any pre-requisites required for the chosen subject area concentration.

For Master of Science in Education programs:

• Possession of a New York State Initial or Professional Teaching certificate is preferred.

For Master of Science in Educational Leadership program:

• Possession of a New York State Initial or Professional Teaching certificate.
• Evidence of a minimum of 3 years of full time, paid, approved teaching and/or supervisory and/or administrative and/or pupil personnel service. Substitute positions will not be credited.

Matriculated Status:

See “Academic Information - Matriculated Status ” in this catalog for requirements to be met, in addition to the following:

All programs:

• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 prior to admission.
• A brief, typewritten autobiography, speaking to the candidate’s family background, educational background, work experiences and the reasons for choosing teaching as a profession.
• An interview with a member of the Education Department.
• A program plan of study signed by the adviser, and, in the case of adolescent or secondary education programs, also signed by the chair of the subject area department.

For Master of Science in Teaching programs:

• Prerequisites are chosen by the concentration area chosen.

For Master of Science in Teaching, Childhood Education:

• A concentration of 30 credits (including credits in the University core) in one of the liberal arts or sciences, or an interdisciplinary set of courses (to be determined).
• Undergraduate couses must have a grade of C or above and graduate courses must have a grade of B- or above. The following lists the courses needed for each concentration area.

For Master of Science in Teaching, Adolescence Education:

• Completion, as prerequisites or corequisites, of a minimum of 30 undergraduate or graduate credits in the subject area in which certification is sought (different content may have more as shown below).  Undergraduate courses must have a grade of C or above and graduate courses must have a grade of B- or above.  The following lists the courses needed for each content.

For Master of Science in Education programs:

• Possession of the New York State Initial or Professional Teaching Certificate is preferred
• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 prior to admission
• Letters of recommendation from undergraduate faculty or teaching supervisors

Note: The English Department usually requires up to six (6) credits of English in non-matriculated status before considering an application for matriculation in the MST program, and up to nine (9) credits for matriculation in the MS in Education program.

Continuation in the Program

Any education course, including student teaching, in which a student earns less than a ‘B-’ grade must be repeated. Students enrolled in the Adolescent Education programs or initial certification must earn a grade of ‘B-’ or above in their content major courses.

Throughout the program, teacher candidates are required to demonstrate the dispositions for effective teachers that are stated in the department’s Conceptual Framework. Candidates are also required to meet the ethical and professional standards expected of all educators that are found in the code of ethics and in the University’s statement on plagiarism. Any failure to uphold the dispositions for effective teaching and the ethical standards for educators in the profession will result in dismissal from the program.

Advanced Professional Programs

Those holding an initial teaching certificate must meet the requirements indicated for that certification.

Continuation in a Program

All programs:

1. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
2. Any Education course in which a student earns less than a “B-” grade, including student teaching, must be repeated.

Graduation

All programs:

1. Completion of all program requirements.
2. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
3. All requirements must be completed within 5 years from the date of admission.

New York State Teacher Certification

1. Passing of the Following New York State Certification Exams:

• Educating All Students with Literacy (EAS)
• Content Specialty Test(s) (CST)

2. Completion of the following workshops:

             Child Abuse Identification and Reporting
             ​Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)
             School Violence Prevention and Intervention
             Coursework or Training in the Needs of Children with Autism (for special education and school leadership certificates)

3. Fingerprinting

The New York State Education Department is in the process of changing regulations for teacher certification. Education majors are required to be apprised of these changes through the New York State Education Department website.

Programs

• Adolescent Special Education (Grades 7-12)/Literacy (Grades 5-12) MSEd (0830.01)
• Childhood Special Education (Grades 1-6), MSEd (0808)
• Early Childhood Special Education (Birth-Grade 2), MSEd (0808)
• Educational Leadership, MSEd (0828.00)
• Literacy (Birth-Grade 6/Special Education - Childhood), MSEd (0830)
• Literacy Education (Birth to Grade 6), MSEd (0830)

• Adolescent Education: Biology, MST (0803)
• Adolescent Education: English, MST (0803)
• Adolescent Education: Mathematics, MST (0803)
• Adolescent Education: Social Studies, MST (0803)
• Adolescent Education: Spanish, MST (0803)
• Childhood 1-6/Special Education 1-6, MST (0808)
• Childhood Education (1-6), MST (0802)
• Dual Early Childhood/Childhood Education (Birth to Grade 6), MST (0802)

Return to: School of Arts and Science