Middle Level Education with Initial PA Grades 4 to 8 Teaching Certification

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Ms. Vicki Jones, Program Coordinator

The Master of Science degree in Education with a major in Middle Level Education is a 39-credit* program designed for adults who wish to teach in Pennsylvania at the middle level– grades 4 to 8. Upon successful completion of the program, students will be eligible to apply for Pennsylvania teaching certification. Candidates will also earn an advanced degree to excel in teaching adolescent learners. The program includes observation and student teaching hours. All courses are three credits unless otherwise noted. Additional coursework may be required, per transcript review.

Admissions Requirements

The program is ideal for students with bachelor’s degrees in mathematics, the sciences, English or communications, or the social sciences. Wilkes will also consider students who hold a bachelor’s degree in other disciplines, but have at least 18 credits in one of these core areas.

In addition, applicants must submit:

Online application at www.wilkes.edu/applyonline
Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts
Two recommendation forms
Current and valid clearances, all indicating “no record”

Program Learning Outcomes:

The student will strengthen content and process knowledge in the chosen academic specialization.
The student will acquire and apply research-based pedagogical knowledge to practice that has been found to be most effective with diverse middle level learners in the chosen academic specialization.
The student will apply knowledge of instructional strategies and sound educational practice focused on meeting the needs of diverse adolescent learners in a middle school environment.

Required Courses

General Education Requirements (15 credits)

Middle Level Professional Practice Requirements (15 credits)

Middle Level Core Knowledge Requirements (9 credits)

Select three courses not in your concentration area

Total Credits: 36

* Additional coursework may be required based on transcript review prior to admission.

**Observation and Student Teaching Requirements
Field experiences and student teaching are mandatory,hands-on learning components to teacher certification. These experiences take place in a school near your home. The program culminates in a full-time, semester long student teaching assignment.

PA certification and endorsement candidates will be recommended for certification upon successful completion of the required certification coursework, fieldwork, and internship. Candidates must self-register and pass the certification test, if required. Some certifications require verification of experience. In those cases, the candidate will need to have input from their school district verifying that they have satisfactory met professional school experience required. Application for certification and Endorsement is made by the candidate through the PDE Teacher Information Management System (TIMS) found on the PDE portal.