Graduate Programs

WDPI Approval

School of Education licensing programs are approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (WDPI).

Candidate Assessments

Licensure Endorsement is required for program completion and recommendation for licensure by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Assessment activities related to this transition occur during the final student teaching or graduate internship semester. In support of the commitment to developing reflective practitioners for effective schools, license endorsement requires completion of the edTPA Teacher Performance Assessment, initial educator development statement, and other artifacts that the candidate prepares during passage through the program. Candidates pursuing initial teaching licensure in Elementary Education, Special Education, and Reading (Reading Teacher or Reading Specialist) must also take and pass the Wisconsin Foundation of Reading Test (FORT).

Details of the assessment requirements are published in the appropriate licensure program candidate Handbook.

Program Offerings

Students entering the graduate program in Education may seek a Master of Arts in Education degree; a Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (WDPI) certification and license; or both the Master of Arts in Education degree and a WDPI license. Alternatively, students may enroll as a non-degree seeking student, taking courses that match individual educational needs for professional development.

Initial educators should consider ways the master’s degree and licensing programs may be used to advance their professional development plans. Professional educators should consider ways in which degree and licensing programs may be used to enhance their professional and career options.

In each concentration, candidates will develop skills in curriculum, instruction, and research. Coursework is specialized for teaching and administrative licensing, promotion, and leadership development. Students will develop their skills in the areas of connecting theory and practice, instructional effectiveness, creative use of research findings, promoting educational achievement, and school improvement. Programs leading to licensure are guided by the appropriate InTASC Standards/Wisconsin Educator Standards or Wisconsin Administrator Standards.

Background Check

All School of Education students must comply with the State of Wisconsin requirement for a Criminal Background Check. Students must have this check successfully completed by the end of the first semester in the program to be allowed to continue in the program. Students may log in to the Edgewood College School of Education Portal at https://portal.castlebranch.com/ED22 to begin this process.

Advising

All students will be assigned an advisor in their program(s). Students seeking a license in cross-categorical special education, elementary education (ACE), secondary education (ASP), or Educational Leadership must participate in a transcript review with the program advisor. Students wishing to take any field experience course must have an advisor’s signature.

Students in the doctoral program receive advising with their cohort group.

Research Requirements

All students pursuing a Master of Arts in Education must complete their research course requirements at Edgewood College, including: ED 603 - Introduction to Educational Resrch and ED 692 - Research Capstone Project .

Admission Requirements

License-only seeking students are classified as non-degree. Applicants for any of the student classifications except non-degree must meet all of the requirements for admission to the graduate programs. Please see Graduate Admissions for additional international student requirements. Admission requirements for the doctoral program can be found in the School of Education - Doctoral Program section.

School of Education: Master of Arts in Education Admission Requirements

Provide evidence of a baccalaureate or more advanced degree from a United States regionally accredited or equivalent post-secondary institution with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for regular admission status. The cumulative grade point average is computed on the highest degree held at the time of application to the Edgewood College graduate program.
Complete and submit graduate application and application fee to the Graduate and Professional Studies Admissions Office.
Request that official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate academic records received from each post-secondary institution attended to be sent directly to the Graduate and Professional Studies Admissions Office.
Provide two letters of recommendation from college or university professors, supervisors, and/or professional colleagues who can focus on the applicant’s probability of success in graduate school.
Submit a written personal statement listing the reasons why the applicant will be successful in graduate school, citing specific background experiences and how they would aid in the success of the applicant as a student.

Admission Requirements Specific to the Advanced Certification Elementary (ACE) Licensing Sequence and/or the Master of Arts in Education: Elementary Education Program

Applicants must meet the School of Education, Master of Arts in Education admission requirements, items 1-5 listed above, as well as the following item:

Placement into 101 as determined by ALEX testing program. Click here to register for an assessment.

Admission Requirements Specific to the Accelerated Secondary Program (ASP) Licensing Sequence and/or the Master of Arts in Education: Secondary Education Program

(Including Biology, Broad Field Science, Broad Field Social Studies, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Economics, English, Environmental Studies, History, Life and Environmental Science, Math, Computer Science, Physics, Physical Science, Business Education and World Language)
Applicants must meet the School of Education, Master of Arts in Education admission requirements, items 1-5 listed above, as well as the following items:

Baccalaureate Degree transcript audit process is used to determine the following proficiencies:

Required competencies in each 6-12 license area.
1. GPA of 3.0 or above required in content area.
  1. Graduate students seeking licensure are required to take and pass PRAXIS II in licensure content areas if the individual does not have a GPA of 3.0 in the Content Area.
GPA of 3.0 or above in Oral and Written Communication.
1. Writing Sample through Personal Statement Written for Admission
If the transcript audit does not reveal the above Oral and Written communication competencies, the candidate will be required to successfully complete all or sections of Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (CORE) with minimum score of 156 Reading, 162 Writing, and 150 Mathematics; or successfully complete the GRE Revised General Test (www.ets.org) minimum score of 450 on Verbal Reasoning, 3 on Analytical Writing, and 145 on Quantitative Reasoning.
If the candidate has an MA in the Content area of desired license, the MA GPA serves as evidence of proficiency in English, Communication (Oral and Written) Reading and Mathematics (including statistics) and Content area competence.

In Madison, the computer based version of PRAXIS CORE and PRAXIS II tests can be taken at the Prometric Testing Center, 1721 Thierer Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53704. Call 608.231.6270 for more information.

Admission Requirements Specific to the Bilingual Education Program

Applicants to the Bilingual Education Program must meet the School of Education, Master of Arts in Education admission requirements, items 1-5 listed above, as well as the following items:

Provide proof of a WDPI initial educator, professional educator or master educator license (or the equivalent).
Bilingual proficiency at an Advanced-Low level in oral and written language through the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) exam (or equivalent).

Admission Requirements Specific to the TESOL Program

Applicants to the TESOL program must meet the School of Education, Master of Arts in Education admission requirements, items 1-5 listed above, as well as the following item:

Provide evidence of a WDPI initial educator, professional educator, or master educator license (or the equivalent).

Admission Requirements Specific to the Educational Leadership Program

Applicants to the Educational Leadership Program must meet the School of Education, Master of Arts in Education admission requirements, items 1-5 listed above, as well as the following item:

Hold or be eligible to hold any WDPI Professional Educator License to teach at the early childhood through adolescence level or any WDPI Pupil Services License as a school counselor, school psychologist, or school social worker.
Provide evidence of three years full-time relevant professional work experience.
Applicants to the School of Business Administration program must provide evidence of successfully completed coursework in accounting fundamentals, information management, and risk management.

Admission Requirements Specific to The Professional Studies Program

Applicants must meet the School of Education, Master of Arts in Education admission requirements, items 1-5 listed above.

Admission Requirements Specific To The Reading Teacher Program

Applicants to the Reading Teacher Program must meet the School of Education, Master of Arts in Education admission requirements, items 1-5 listed above, as well as the following items:

Provide evidence of a WDPI initial educator, professional educator or master educator license (or the equivalent).
Provide evidence of two years full-time regular classroom teaching experience by the completion of the program.

Admission Requirements Specific to The Reading Specialist Program

Applicants to the Reading Specialist Program must meet the School of Education, Master of Arts in Education admission requirements, items 1-5 listed above, as well as the following items:

Provide evidence of a WDPI initial educator, professional educator or master educator license (or the equivalent).
Provide evidence of a relevant master’s degree from a regionally-accredited post-secondary institution.
Provide evidence of a Reading Teacher License (316).
Provide evidence of three years full-time regular classroom teaching experience by the completion of the program.

Admission Requirements Specific to the Cross-Categorical Special Education License Program and/or the Master of Arts in Education: Special Education Concentration

Applicants must meet the School of Education, Master of Arts in Education admission requirements, items 1-5 listed above, as well as the following items:

Baccalaureate Degree transcript audit process is used to determine the following proficiencies:

Required competencies.
1. Writing Sample through Personal Statement Written for Admission.
If the transcript audit does not reveal the above Oral and Written communication competencies, the candidate will be required to successfully complete all or sections of Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (CORE) with minimum score of 156 Reading, 162 Writing, and 150 Mathematics; or successfully complete the GRE Revised General Test (www.ets.org) minimum score of 150 on Verbal Reasoning, 3 on Analytical Writing and 145 on Quantitative Reasoning (Augist 1, 2011 to Present). If the GRE was taken prior to August 1, 2011 minimum score of 450 on Verbal Reasoning, 3 on Analytical Writing, and 145 on Quantitative Reasoning.
If the candidate has an MA, the MA GPA serves as evidence of proficiency in Oral and Written Communication, Reading and Mathematics (including statistics).
Documentation of Specific General Education Content Competencies in Fine Arts, Social Studies (esp.American Government & Politics), Math, Physical & Biological Sciences, Technology, Environmental Conservation, etc.
Pass Certified Background Check.

In Madison, the computer based version of PRAXIS CORE and PRAXIS II tests can be taken at Prometric Testing Center, 1721 Thierer Road, Madison, Wisconsin, 53704. Call 608-231-6270 for more information.

Licensing Sequences

Specific requirements for licensing sequences are provided in each candidate’s program plan. Each plan is tailored to the candidate’s background and goals to meet licensing requirements. Sample plans are available upon request. Licensing program sequences may also be the foundation for a Master of Arts in Education degree when paired with one of the concentration areas noted later in this section. Licensure coursework in the planned program includes successful practicums, a passing edTPA score, a passing Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test score (in applicable programs), and an acceptable e-portfolio (in applicable programs) leading to a licensure recommendation to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Early Adolescence-Adolescence: Regular Education

Candidates pursuing professional goals and licensure to teach children and youth ages 10-21 in regular education populations complete the 27-credit accelerated secondary education licensing program (ASP) with an emphasis in one of the following content areas: English, Math, Broad Field Social Studies, Economics, History, Broad Field Science, Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Environmental Studies, Life and Environmental Science, Physics, Physical Science, Business, Computer Science, or World Language. An ASP candidate may also secure combined licensure: content area with English as a Second Language add-on license or content area with a Bilingual Education add-on license.

Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence: Regular Education

Candidates pursuing professional goals and licensure to teach children and youth ages 6 through 13 in regular education populations complete the graduate program in elementary education.

Bilingual Education

Candidates pursuing professional goals and add-on licensure to teach bilingual students with the grade range of an initial regular education license complete the Bilingual licensing program.

English as a Second Language

Candidates pursuing professional goals and add-on licensure to teach English language learners with the grade range of an initial, regular education license complete the ESL licensing program.

Middle Childhood Adolescence: Special Education

Candidates pursuing professional goals and licensure to teach children and youth ages 4 through 21 (grades K-12) in special education populations complete the graduate program in cross-categorical special education.

Reading Teacher

This program is for candidates pursuing professional goals of strengthening their teaching, becoming a reading teacher and literacy coach in K-12 setting and pursuing the WDPI license “Reading Teacher” (316). Students may complete a master’s degree (unless one is already earned in an appropriate field) following the Reading Teacher Program.

Reading Specialist

Candidates already holding the Reading Teacher License (316) and pursuing the WDPI license “Reading Specialist “(317) complete a master’s degree (unless one is already earned in an appropriate field) following the Reading Specialist Program.

Educational Leadership: Principal

Candidates pursuing professional goals and licensures for Principal P-12 completes a master’s degree (unless an approved master’s degree or equivalent qualification in the area of administration has already been earned) following the Principal required courses sequence.

Educational Leadership: Director of Instruction

Candidates pursuing professional goals and licensures for Director of Instruction P-12 complete a master’s degree (unless one is already earned) in educational administration following the Director of Instruction required courses sequence.

Educational Leadership: Director of Special Education and Pupil Services

Candidates pursing professional goals and licensure for Director of Special Education and Pupil Services P-12 complete a master’s degree (unless one is already earned) in educational administration following the Director of Special Education and Pupil Services required courses sequence.

Educational Leadership: School Business Administrator

Candidates pursuing professional goals and licensure for School Administration P-12 complete a master’s degree (unless one is already earned) in educational leadership following the School Business Administrator required courses sequence.

Educational Leadership: School District Administrator or Superintendent

Candidates pursuing professional goals and licensure for School District School Administrator or Superintendent P-12 enroll in the doctoral program in Educational Leadership. The coursework in the first two years of the doctoral program coupled with a successful practicum and acceptable portfolio, leads to a superintendent license. Additional administrative licenses may be added through the doctoral program as well. (See Doctoral program pages for additional information.)

Master’s Degree Prerequisites

Undergraduate study in liberal arts, education, and related fields provides the best foundation for pursuing the Master of Arts in Education. Each applicant’s academic background and professional experience are assessed in relation to graduate study goals and program requirements. An individual plan of study is developed; for some students, additional undergraduate coursework may be necessary in certain specialized fields. Students possessing a Wisconsin Teaching License may have already met many of the prerequisite requirements. Credits from other accredited post-secondary institutions may be recognized for application to licensing requirements.

Master’s Degree Requirements

Each student completes a minimum of 33 credits to receive the Master of Arts in Education degree. The curriculum includes:

Degree program requirements (including supervised field experience, as appropriate)
Core degree experiences (including research)
Specialized professional studies electives

Programs

Accelerated Secondary Program (ASP) Licensing

Licensing

Master of Arts

Master of Arts/Licensing

Master of Science

Child Life, MS

Advanced Certification Elementary (ACE)

Advanced Certification Elementary (ACE)