Master Teacher Graduate Program


The Department of Secondary Education and Foundations offers a two-year, cohort-based program leading to a Master of Science in Education with a Master Teacher major. 

This program is aligned with the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and is designed to meet the needs of practicing PreK-12 teachers who wish to pursue a planned program of study focusing on increasing pedagogical knowledge and skills.  Course products may be used in the development of a portfolio for the NBPTS certification process.

The second Master Teacher cohort began during the Fall 2011 semester and will complete the program during the Summer 2013 semester.  The department is planning to begin a third in Summer or Fall 2013.

The program takes six consecutive semesters to complete, and requires 33 credit hours.  Two courses are offered each semester; typically, the two courses will be offered one afternoon/evening per week (back-to-back).  Students are expected to take all courses with the cohort. 

Here is a video featuring Michele Mette, a member of the first Master Teacher cohort:

 

Admission Process

1.  Admission to the Graduate School is the first stage of admission for students seeking candidacy for the Master of Science in Education.  Click here to apply to the Graduate School.

2.  The following materials must be submitted in hard copy directly to the Department of Secondary Education and Foundations (2147 Buzzard Hall, Eastern Illinois University, 600 Lincoln Avenue, Charleston IL 61920):

  • A copy of the student's current teaching certificate;
  • A letter of application expressing the student's goals and why he/she wishes to enroll in this master's program;
  • Two letters of recommendation: one from an evaluating administrator indicating suitability for the program, and one from a colleague addressing collegiality/collaboration skills, leadership qualities, and ability to reflect and improve on one's teaching;
  • A resume;
  • A letter of documentation from the school district verifying two year's full-time (or equivalent) contracted classroom teaching experience and current contracted classroom appointment in the district.

Courses

Note: Courses may be different for future cohorts.

EDU 5000 - Seminar: Professional Practice (2) - A seminar designed to acquaint in-service teachers with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and provide teachers guidance in reflecting on their own practices and preparing or gathering artifacts specific to the process of seeking a Master license. 

EDU 5200 - Introduction to Educational Research (3) - Course assists students in the development of skills and competencies necessary to critically evaluate educational research and to develop their own proposal for conducting educational research in a setting appropriate to their program. Elementary statistics and research design are emphasized.

EDP 5300 - Psychological Foundations for Educational Practice (3) - Human growth and development; learning theory and practice; motivation; interaction skills; changing family and social contexts as they affect student behavior and perceptions.

EDU 5400 - Learning Communities (3) - A study of special issues in education designed to help educators relate research to practice.

EDF 5500 - Curriculum Development (3) - Basic determinants of curriculum; social, philosophical factors influencing curriculum design and development, including current trends, issues and practices.

EDU 5400 - Technology Applications (3) - A study of special issues in education designed to help educators relate research to practice.

EDF 5510 - Social Foundations for Educational Practice (3) - The school in society; effects of cultural patterns, social classes, diverse community organizations and current social problems on creating effective educational environments.

EDU 5680 - Educational Assessment (3) - An advanced course in psychoeducational assessment. Administration and interpretation of formal and informal, individual and group assessment measures will be studied.

EDU 5800 - NBPTS Portfolio Development I (2) - This course is the first in a two-course sequence designed to guide educators as they prepare a portfolio specific to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The course requires teachers to reflect on their own practices and organize artifacts specific to the process of seeking NBPTS Certification.

EDF 5310 - Foundations of ESL-Bilingual Education (3) - This course addresses historical, political, sociocultural and educational issues, along with local, state, and federal policies that affect English language learners (ELLs). The course explores current theories of second language acquisition, bilingualism, and culture for their pedagogical implications and examines program models used in elementary, middle, and high school for their effects on academic achievement.

EDU 5801 - NBPTS Portfolio Development II (2) - This course is the second in a two-course sequence designed to guide educators as they prepare a portfolio specific to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. This course assists students as they work through the process of completing the NBPTS portfolio.

MLE 5270 - Content Area Literacy Instruction (3) - Content Area Reading: Implementing of reading strategies, approaches to instruction, and informal assessment of struggling readers.

For More Information

Please contact the Department of Secondary Education and Foundations at (217) 581-5931, or email Dr. Stephen Lucas (Department Chair and Graduate Coordinator).