The Master of Arts in Teaching: Secondary Education is designed to deliver outstanding teacher preparation. Upon successful completion of degree requirements, candidates are eligible for a Professional Educator License (PEL) with a secondary education endorsement and a content area endorsement from the state of Illinois for grades 9 through 12.
Concordia-Chicago's program emphasizes the following:
- The development of core competencies in instructional planning, delivery and assessment
- Respect and support for diversity in educational settings
- How to ethically lead learning
- The role of standards within the profession
- The commitment to continuous improvement
- The development of collaborative relationships to serve the learning of every student
- The establishment of positive, social-emotional learning cultures
- The development of collaborative relationships to serve the learning of every student
- The importance of reflective practice and culturally responsive teaching
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisites to Professional Courses | ||
| EDUC-6045 | Introduction to Theories of Learning and Cognition | 3 |
| EDUC-6435 | Introduction to Education | 3 |
| Professional Courses: Students must be admitted to Teacher Candidacy to continue | ||
| EDSC-6230 | Literacy Instruction for Content Area Classrooms: Middle and Secondary | 3 |
| EDSC-6570 | Teaching Diverse Learners at the Secondary Level | 3 |
| EDUC-6040 | Introduction to Classroom Teaching and Technology for Learning | 3 |
| EDUC-6060 | Classroom Management and Assessment | 3 |
| EDUC-6290 | Characteristics and Instruction of Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| EDUC-6415 | Professional Responsibility and Ethics for Teachers | 3 |
| EDUC-6445 | Introduction to Research: Pre-Service Teachers | 3 |
| Select one of the following courses per chosen major: | ||
| EDSC-6602 | Content and Methods for Teaching English at the Middle and Secondary Levels | 3 |
| EDSC-6606 | Content and Methods for Teaching Mathematics at the Middle and Secondary Levels | 3 |
| EDSC-6618 | Content and Methods for Teaching Science at the Middle and Secondary Levels | 3 |
| EDSC-6619 | Content and Methods for Teaching Social Science at the Middle and Secondary Levels | 3 |
| Student Teaching Internship Semester | ||
| EDUC-6985 | Student Teaching Seminar | 0 |
| Select one: | ||
| EDUC-6922 | Student Teaching: Secondary Education | 6 |
| EDUC-6925 | MAT Capstone 1 | 3 |
| Total Hours | 33-36 | |
- 1
This course may only be taken with special approval of the Director of Field Experience and the Division Chair
Students will also be required to successfully complete 32 semester hours in the content area. Content courses can be taken at CUC or transferred in from another institution. An initial evaluation of content area courses will be conducted upon acceptance to the MAT program.
Subject Area Endorsements for Secondary Education
English Language Arts
This initial endorsement requires 32 semester hours, including 12 upper-division semester hours at the undergraduate level. The required distribution is below. Candidates are required to pass the state content test for English Language Arts. Undergraduate courses can be taken at CUC or transferred in from another institution. (Undergraduate courses at CUC are generally offered during the day).
- Adolescent Literature
- American Literature
- British Literature
- Linguistics
- Literary Theory
- Non-print media studies
- Rhetorical Writing
- Speech Communication/Public Speaking
- World Literature (including Non-Western)
Mathematics
This initial endorsement requires 32 semester hours, including 12 upper-division semester hours at the undergraduate level. The required distribution is below. Candidates are required to pass the state content test for mathematics. Undergraduate courses can be taken at CUC or transferred in from another institution. (Undergraduate courses at CUC are generally offered during the day).
- Calculus I
- Calculus II (including series/sequential)
- Calculus III (including multivariate/Vectors)
- Discrete Math or Computer Science
- Geometry (beyond analytical geometry)
- Group, Ring, Number Theory or Proof
- History of Math
- Linear Algebra
- Statistics/Probability
Science - Biology Designation
This initial endorsement requires 32 semester hours in Science, including 6 semester hours which must be taken in at least one other science (e.g. biology). Applicants for a science endorsement must complete coursework in both the biological sciences (biology, ecology/environmental science) and physical sciences (chemistry, earth and space science, physics). The required distribution is below. Candidates are required to pass the state content test for Science-Biology. Undergraduate courses can be taken at CUC or transferred in from another institution. (Undergraduate courses at CUC are generally offered during the day).
- Cell & Molecular Biology
- General Biology I
- General Biology II
- General Chemistry I
- General Chemistry II
- General Ecology
- Genetics
- Introduction to Physics
- Introduction to Earth Science
- Microbiology
Social Science - History Designation
This initial endorsement requires 32 semester hours in Social Science, at least 12 semester hours must be in the specific social science area sought (e.g. Social Studies), and 6 semester hours must be taken in at least one other social science area (as applicable to the endorsement sought, ex. political science). The required distribution is below. Candidates are required to pass state content test for Social Science-History. Undergraduate courses can be taken at CUC or transferred in from another institution. (Undergraduate courses at CUC are generally offered during the day).
- American Government and Civics
- Developmental Psychology: Adolescent
- Geography, North American or World
- History of Illinois (required)
- Introduction to Economics
- Introduction to Sociology
- Non-Western History
- Survey of American History
- Upper Level American History
- Upper Level European History
- World History since 1350
- World History to 1350
Clinical Experience (Pre-Professional Hours)
- 100 hours (all pre-professional hours are embedded in the MAT coursework and must be completed prior to student teaching).
- Each course will describe the number of hours required to be completed in classrooms and the nature of the experience that a candidate must complete.
Capstone Experience
- Positive Impact Presentation (PIP) on student learning
- Teacher Performance Assessment [edTPA]: State-required portfolio, taken during the student teaching semester, is to be passed and submitted to the Illinois State Board of Education prior to licensing (PEL).