Dual-Degree BA/MAT or BS/MAT in Special Education (4+1)

Overview for Special Education Program

Program Contact: Christina Pavlak 203-582-3199

The purpose of Quinnipiac’s Dual-Degree Bachelor’s/MAT program is to prepare graduates with perspectives, knowledge and skills to become master educators. The School of Education recognizes that the concept of educator is three-dimensional, and that successful educators must be teachers, learners and leaders. Therefore, graduates of the Master of Arts in Teaching program are teachers who lead all students to learn, learners who continue to learn as they continue to teach, and leaders who influence the culture of their schools in ways that support best practices in teaching and learning.

The program reflects the spirit and mission of Quinnipiac University with close attention to the teaching standards for the state of Connecticut and to the standards of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The three values of “excellence in education, a sensitivity to students, and a spirit of community” which are at the heart of Quinnipiac’s mission statement are woven through the program.

General Information

The dual-degree program provides the means for Quinnipiac students to earn a bachelor’s degree in an academic major and a master of arts in teaching degree leading to certification through the Connecticut State Department of Education. Consistent with the university’s mission, arts and sciences studies are integrated with professional studies to prepare graduates who have depth and breadth of content knowledge and strong pedagogical skills.

The dual-degree program is divided into a two-year preprofessional component and a three-year professional component. The two-year preprofessional program includes a required introductory course (ED 140) that acquaints prospective teacher candidates with the teaching profession. Students are encouraged to take this course during their first year but no later than the fall semester of their sophomore year. Additional required courses before the junior year include diversity and introduction to special education (ED 250 and SPED 245).

Students begin their professional component in the fall semester of their junior year. Supervised fieldwork, an integral part of the professional component, includes undergraduate observation and fieldwork, a graduate internship/residency, and student teaching. Following completion of the fourth year of study, students receive a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree in their academic major. Students begin their graduate work immediately following graduation. Any teacher candidate enrolled in the dual-degree program who does not complete all the requirements for undergraduate completion of the bachelor’s degree as anticipated will not be allowed to enter any graduate fifth year without the written consent of the program director.

Note: Because the MAT program is subject to state review on a regular basis, prospective and current students are advised to see the School of Education for up-to-date program information.

Dual-Degree BA/MAT or BS/MAT in Special Education

The special education program is designed to prepare the teacher candidate with in-depth content knowledge across the special education curriculum and exemplary skills in teaching and classroom management. Students interested in teaching special education may major in any discipline or have an interdisciplinary major.

Central to candidates’ professional studies are undergraduate service-based courses (ED 341L, ED 436L, ED 409L and SPED 566L) in which candidates gain 80 hours of hands-on experience, and the full-year graduate internship/residency experience in partner schools.

General Requirements

The following courses meet the Connecticut State Department of Education’s general education requirements. A grade of "C" or better is required in these courses (except as noted).

¹

Student must receive a grade of B or better in EN 101. English majors must take EN 325.

²

MA 140 is required if student tests out of MA 110. Student must receive a grade of B or better in either MA 110 or MA 140.

Professional Component

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Master of Arts in Teaching program, teacher candidates will demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Content Knowledge: Identify and define the major concepts of their discipline and understand that content is dynamic and ways of knowing are constantly changing.
2. Instructional Strategies: Recognize varied instructional practices and apply appropriate instructional strategies based upon principles of effective teaching.
3. Learning Differences, Learner Development: Recognize the complexity of human diversity and provide an instructional program that is responsive to the needs of diverse students.
4. Instructional Strategies: Apply appropriate technology to enhance the teaching and learning process.
5. Professional Learning and Ethical Practice: Demonstrate the skills and commitment to engage in reflective, mindful practice.
6. Assessment: Use multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision-making.
7. Professional Learning and Ethical Practice: Recognize that since content is dynamic and ways of knowing are constantly changing, the profession requires a commitment to continuous learning.
8. Leadership and Collaboration: Recognize that education has the power to be transformative and that their role as educators includes the responsibility to advocate on behalf of their students in order to promote social justice.
9. Professional Learning and Ethical Practice, Leadership and Collaboration: Demonstrate a willingness to work collaboratively with peers, practitioners in the field and/or MAT instructors to sustain a professional learning environment to support student learning.
10. Leadership and Collaboration: Demonstrate an understanding that scholarly research is essential to improving their own practice and to enhancing the knowledge base of the profession.

Admission

Admission to the dual-degree program is based on a holistic review by MAT program faculty of the following admission requirements:

• A 3.00 minimum overall undergraduate GPA (from all colleges and universities attended) for 45 credits of coursework with a subject area major or appropriate interdisciplinary major.
• Students applying to the MAT program are required to take one of the following tests: Praxis Core Mathematics, Reading and Writing tests, the SAT or the ACT. Scores will be reviewed by School of Education faculty as part of the retention review process.
• At least two written recommendations from individuals who have recent knowledge (within the last two years) of the applicant's suitability as a prospective educator, including one from a college instructor.
• A written essay completed in ED 140 that meets program standards.
• A formal retention review interview during which the applicant is expected to demonstrate: an ability to communicate clearly, a demeanor appropriate to the teaching profession, and a maturity and attitude necessary to meet the demands of the MAT program.

Retention

Students who are accepted into Quinnipiac University as full-time students and who indicate a desire to teach are admitted into the MAT program upon acceptance, with the understanding that a retention review will be done by MAT faculty in the sophomore year.

Continuation in the dual-degree program is based on a holistic retention review during the spring sophomore semester by MAT faculty. The review requires that specific criteria have been met to remain in the teacher preparation program:

1. A 3.00 minimum overall undergraduate GPA (from all colleges and universities attended) for 45 credits of coursework with a subject area major or appropriate interdisciplinary major (applicants with an overall GPA below 2.67 will not be considered).
2. At least two written recommendations from individuals who have recent knowledge (within the last two years) of the applicant’s suitability as a prospective educator, including one from a college instructor.
3. A written essay completed in ED 140 that meets program standards.
4. Evidence of strong basic skills in math, reading and writing in order. Evidence can be provided through SAT or ACT scores. Alternatively, evidence may also be provided through completion of the Praxis Core Academic Skills Test. SAT, ACT or Praxis Core results will be reviewed by the program director. Any MAT candidate whose scores indicate an area of weakness will be required to participate in a non–credit bearing remediation program that addresses any area of underperformance in math, reading or writing. Once completion of the remediation process is done by the candidate, the status of the candidate will be reviewed. All candidates will be considered probationary status until the improvement of basic skills is documented and remediated.
5. A formal retention review interview during which the applicant is expected to demonstrate: an ability to communicate clearly, a demeanor appropriate to the teaching profession, and a maturity and attitude necessary to meet the demands of the MAT program.
6. Effective July 1, 2010, Connecticut law requires all teacher candidates to undergo a criminal background check prior to being placed in a public school setting for field study, internship and student teaching. Because a clinical experience is an integral part of each semester, failure to abide by this law will make an applicant ineligible for admission to the program. The School of Education has procedures in place to assist candidates in obtaining the background check. The cost of the background check is the responsibility of the teacher candidate.

Teacher candidates in the MAT program at Quinnipiac are expected to demonstrate the professional behaviors and dispositions articulated in both the School of Education’s Professional Attributes and Dispositions document and the CT Code of Professional Responsibility for Teachers. Candidates must maintain an overall B (3.00) undergraduate GPA with a C or better in all general education courses required for the MAT program. In addition, candidates must earn a B- or better in all education courses (undergraduate and graduate), as well as maintain a 3.00 GPA for all education coursework to remain in good standing in the program. A grade of C+ or below in any education course (including the graduate content area courses) requires the candidate to retake the course at their expense and earn the minimum B- grade.

If the candidate fails to maintain the minimum GPA, that candidate may be allowed to remain in the program for a single semester on probationary status. If a candidate on probation fails to meet the minimum GPA by the end of the single probationary semester, that candidate is dismissed from the program. Granting of probationary status is subject to the director’s approval and is neither automatic nor guaranteed.

All candidates must maintain a minimum 3.00 GPA in all major coursework to remain in good standing in the program to be recommended for certification. In addition, teacher candidates who earn a C+ or below in two or more undergraduate courses in their major will be required to meet with the MAT program director to discuss continuation in the program.

Candidates failing to meet professional standards in the program may be subject to suspension or dismissal. In addition, candidates who exhibit a lack of effort or responsibility in the program, or who reveal interpersonal skills unsuited or inappropriate for teaching, will be required to meet with the MAT program director to discuss continuation in the program.

Completion

To qualify for teacher certification, students must complete all requirements of the MAT program. Candidates must complete all coursework, fulfill the internship/residency responsibilities and successfully complete all performance tasks, including the required licensure tests.

Clinical Experiences

Field Study

Candidates are required to complete a laboratory field study course in each semester of their junior and senior year. As part of the course requirements, each candidate must complete a minimum of 20 hours per semester in their assigned classroom, under the guidance of the classroom teacher who serves as the field study adviser. Candidates are assigned to one school during their junior year and a different school during their senior year. Candidates are responsible for their transportation to and from these clinical sites.

Internship/Residency

Candidates participate in an internship/residency during their graduate year. Quinnipiac has developed collaborative partnerships with school districts throughout central and southern Connecticut to provide graduate students with guided, hands-on professional practice while defraying some costs of the graduate portion of the program.

During the internship semesters, candidates serve in area schools in a variety of capacities and as substitute teachers with guidance from an on-site teacher advisor and a School of Education faculty member. Candidates have the opportunity to participate in staff meetings and take part in all school operations; in short, to become full members of the school community. During a residency, teacher candidates remain in a single classroom for 10 weeks or more as a co-teacher with a cooperating teacher and a university supervisor providing guidance and support.

Candidates must continue serving in their internship/residency through the last day of the public school calendar. Therefore, although classes end in May, the internship and the completion of the five-year MAT program do not occur until mid- to late June. Candidates are allowed to “walk” during graduation ceremonies but do not formally receive their degrees until all of the internship/residency responsibilities are met.

The School of Education is fully accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The U.S. Department of Education recognizes CAEP as a specialized accrediting body for schools, colleges and departments of education.